Still young and sleek, with toasted baked cherry aromas and super ripe flavors that show alcohol, plus boysenberry, grilled anise and pepper notes.—Blind '94/'04 California Zinfandel retrospective (March 2014). Drink now.

This is the inaugural production of Oregon Pinot Noir under the La Crema label. From their home in California’s Russian River Valley, La Crema has produced Pinot Noirs from many of that state’s cool climate areas such as Mendocino, Monterey and Carneros (as well as Sonoma). Now they venture outside California for the first time, selecting fruit from 10 Willamette Valley vineyards to create a wine that offers spicy plum, violets, raspberry and pomegranate all wrapped in a warm and spicy ethereal cocoon of toasty oak and vanilla.

Deep garnet-purple in color and showing aromas of blackcurrants, black plums and baker's chocolate with hints of tree bark, charcoal and bacon fat, the medium-bodied 2012 Shiraz is tightly knit on the palate with ripe tannins and fruit that are both elegant and nicely expressed in the mouth. It finishes with good persistence. Drink it now to 2018+.

The 2013 Roussanne is redolent of fresh apple slices, lemon peel and white peach with hints of straw and honeyed toast. With plenty of peach, citrus and toasty flavors on offer in the medium-bodied palate, it has a refreshing acid line and a long, silken-textured finish. Drink it now to 2017+.

The addition of 7 percent semillon rounds off this spring wine very nicely. Exotic peach and melon flavors.

2013 La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey: light and crisp and lively, with creamy body and aromas and flavors of citrus, peaches and minerals.

Ripe cherry nose; fresh, juicy and spicy with dark cherries and cassis; smooth and lush with balance and lovely style.

Medium-deep ruby color; deep earthy and herbal aromas with some anise notes; deep, rich cherry flavors with some herbal notes; some oak; good structure and balance. Herbal and earthy Pinot with enough fruit to balance and add interest.

Medium-deep ruby color; deep, earthy, herbal aromas; deep, stewed cherry flavors with earthy notes, some oak and tannin; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep, rich Pinot with lots of earthy notes.

Sleek and lithe, with a meaty note running through the effusive blackberry and mint flavors, finishing with polish. Offers depth and intensity without weight. Drink now through 2018. 3,624 cases made.

A vivid pineapple juice accent lends some extra intensity to the lemon, apple and grapefruit notes, very crisp and refreshing. Reveals a touch of lemon verbena on the finish. Drink now.

A floral expression, with honeysuckle and apple blossom notes and a crisp, juicy core of lemon, apple and pink grapefruit flavors. Ends with a refreshing finish of Meyer lemon juice. Drink now.

Broad and expansive, with a full range of floral, spicy, Muscat-like touches and fleshy pear and apple notes, ending full-bodied and layered. Drink now through 2019.

Firm in texture, with a lean beam of savory notes and berry and currant fruit pushing through and persisting on the refined finish. Best from 2015 through 2018.

Sourced from a handful of blocks situated on the spine of the primary mountain crest that runs through the Alexander Valley estate, the 2010 vintage includes a splash of Petit Verdot and Malbec to round out the Cabernet.

This new brand from the massive Kendall-Jackson wine empire is a worthy choice in the middling price range. K-J wines may not thrill elite critics, but their quality is very consistent and the wines are widely available. This smooth, penetrating wine is a skillful blend of red grapes that yields lush flavors of raspberry, black cherry, chocolate and spices. In French, Avant means forward and that's a good description of this wine's style. It's for now, not later.

Rich smelling wine - licorice, black fruit, raspberry liqueur, fragrant dried herbs and spice, meat and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, chocolaty and meaty,even acidity, pulls and grips a bit with powdery tannin, especially on the dry mineral finish. A muscular-raise-one-eyebrow kind of GSM. Yes.

Grenache 54%, Shiraz 28% and Mataro 18%. It says on the back label that the Grenache was planted in 1946. Rich smelling wine - licorice, black fruit, raspberry liqueur, fragrant dried herbs and spice, meat and chocolate. Medium to full bodied, chocolaty and meaty,even acidity, pulls and grips a bit with powdery tannin, especially on the dry mineral finish. A muscular-raise-one-eyebrow kind of GSM. Yes.

The Santa Maria Valley in California’s Santa Barbara County is home to Cambria Estate Winery and Julia’s Vineyard. The planting at the vineyard began in 1974 making it one of the oldest Pinot Noir vineyards in the area. Mature vines yield the finest fruit, and it shows in the structure and complexity of the wine. Black fruits and earthy mineral lead the way with berry, violet and toasty oak notes filling in the finish. A nice acid balance makes for perfect pairing with our grilled salmon.

Tangy orange scents brighten the mountain richness of this sauvignon. It feels round, accented by smoke and nut scents. Chill it for mahi-mahi with avocado and mango salsa.

Young, vigorous red cherry fruit with a juicy, come-hither open aspect highlights the medium-volume, fairly rich and direct aroma here, and the openness presaged by the nose is invitingly evident on the palate. Fairly supple and polished for a newly minted wine, this one picks up enough structure towards the finish to make itself as welcome in the cellar as it is for current drinking with steaks and chops.

Pushes all the right Chardonnay buttons, with creamy tropical mango, papaya, pineapple and lime flavors. It also folds in buttered toast, vanilla and honey notes from oak.

Made in a drier, tarter style than the winery’s Russian River bottling, this Chard favors elegance over opulence. It’s streamlined and crisp, with subtle notes of green apples, kumquats and honey, gently touched by smoky oak.

This Merlot is dry, full-bodied and delicious in fruit and oak. Black cherries, currants, mocha, plums, vanilla and fragrant sandalwood all come together to provide a complex drink that’s firm in tannins and fancy in the finish. Drink now.