Soft and delicate, with supple strawberry and cranberry flavors.

This golden straw colored Pinot Gris has an inviting citrus fruit bouquet that includes vanilla and light wet stone. I also detected hints of peaches. This light bodied wine from Monterey is smooth with a lemon, lime, citrus and melon palate with a dash of green apple. I enjoyed the vibrant and balanced acidity. The finish was slightly dry and faded away nicely. This is an easy-going Pinot Gris and will be a crowd pleaser. I would serve it at your next gathering with light appetizers and/or cheese and crackers. 88 points. Very good.

La Crema's new pinot gris release is a charming wine that offers up juicy notes of melon and pear, with excellent balance and above average length on the finish. Serve it as a quaffer or with mild grilled fish dishes.

Tight and crisp, with firm, detailed tannins, the core of cherry, strawberry and tealike notes will benefit from short-term cellaring as this is a well-balanced, concentrated young wine.

…deep spicy aroma of dark berries; then confirmed by the potent tannins and taut structure. Strawberry and mulberry flavors are trying hard to show themselves, and ma be more forthcoming with a few years in the bottle.

Offers a nice balance between its ripe blackberry, cola and spicy flavors and ripe bit firm tannins. Picks up traces of tea, spice and earthiness on the finish.

"Hits a lot of the right notes, with its ripe plum and cherry flavors, picking up a trace of oak and spice on the finish. Best to let it soften a bit." (Also appeared 3/31/96).

"Great intensity, extracted and full-bodied. Ripe raspberry, melon and faint spice notes. Lush and creamy in texture, displaying power and grace from start to finish." Cellar Selection.

The 2017 Sonoma Coast PN rated 88 McD and the Chard was 89 points. Both are sold under $20.

The 2017s From Sonoma Moving to the reds, the 2016 Pinot Noir (brought up in close to one-third new French oak) has loads of upfront charm and texture as well as classy notes of spice, cola, darker fruits, and peppery herbs. It’s nicely balanced and offers loads of pleasure. Drink it over the coming 2-4 years.

This is a great value for a wine of esteemed provenance. It is tannic and savory with a delicately fruity profile of citrus, black tea and rose. Balanced, it shows varietal character for a fair price.

American wines for your July 4 party In 1979, Kendall-Jackson acquired La Crema, a small Russian River winery. Under that label, they produce multiple wines, including the 2016 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast. Made from purchased grapes throughout the appellation, the translucent cherry hue is eye appealing. Its black pepper and herbal aroma and flavor relinquish their primacy after 45 minutes of aeration, leaving the cherry and strawberry characteristics to come to the fore. The medium body and easy accessibility make this a go-to red wine for everything from grilled hamburgers to steaks. 88 points.

Black cherries, toasted spice, and a kiss of earth all emerge from the 2016 Pinot Noir, which is a forward, supple, charming Pinot Noir that has solid depth and richness. This cuvée comes all from the Sonoma Coast and spent 8 months in 25% new French oak.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond La Crema's 2016 Pinot Noir (Green Valley of Russian River Valley) is an attractive, lifted wine. Bright red cherry, berry and floral notes are all laced together in a pretty, mid-weight Pinot Noir that will drink well upon release. This is an especially delicate, airy style for the Russian River.

It’s difficult to find reasonable Pinot Noir under $25 a bottle because it is a difficult grape to grow and even more difficult to turn into wine, especially if the producer doesn’t limit yield. In this one, La Crema balances a hint of cherry-like sweetness with briary elements. Mild tannins allow for current drinking.

Earthy with tart acidity, this wine is hearty and full bodied, with a depth of concentrated black cherry and pomegranate. It finishes in a dark swath of dark chocolate and coffee.

Continuous, well-defined, ripe cherry fruit is joined by a tasteful dollop of sweet oak in both the outgoing aromas and steady, mid-density flavors of this nicely balanced, medium-full-bodied Pinot, and, if never a dramatic wine, it hits all of the right varietal marks from its fruity focus to its rounded, slightly velvety feel. It shows a careful winemaking hand throughout and asks for little in the way of additional age, but neither does it suggest that it will tire and fade away anytime soon. And, it is made even easier to like by its comparatively modest price. 88 points. One star, good value

The red fruit and flower petals that show on the nose of this bottling are overwhelmed by a clay-like muddy aroma of turned earth. The palate offers cohesive flavors of boysenberry and black raspberry, and that earthy clay component does also arise toward the finish.

La Crema's 2014 Pinot Noir, from a late-ripening estate vineyard in Bennett Valley, comes across as a bit compact, with less depth and mid-palate pliancy than some of the other wines in the range, partly owing to the micro-climate in this site. Blood orange, spice and red-toned fruit nuances add aromatic complexity throughout.

There's good tension between the fruit, acidity and tannins in this youthful effort, with plenty of flavor, finesse, structure and length.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and nose of black cherries, raspberries and violets with suggestions of fallen leaves and tree bark. Medium-bodied, soft and elegant, it has a good amount of earth-laced, red berry flavors and a long, chewy finish.

A pretty and very pinot nose combines notes of various red berries with those of spice and plum. There is an attractive texture to the rounded, supple and delicious middle weight flavors that possess fine mid-palate density before culminating in a dusty, delicious and solidly complex finish where touches of rusticity and dryness appear. I would suggest serving this with the proper foods as it will help round off the dryness.

Lightly aromatic, with spicy, tea-laced raspberry, strawberry and baking spice flavors, delivered on an elegant frame that imparts freshness.

La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir emphasizes the red cherry fruit nature of the variety. To their credit, the fruit flavors are fresh, not jammy, and not overdone. A whiff of savory notes appears in the background. Appealing tart cherry notes are apparent in the finish in keeping with the wine’s fruity profile. All in all, a well-priced Pinot Noir.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Green Valley is supple and forward, with good juiciness to the fruit and lovely overall balance. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal and mint are all pushed forward in this tasty, mid-weight offering from La Crema.