Restrained aromas of citrus fruits, licorice, bacon fat, tarragon and smoky oak. Juicy and nicely focused, with vibrant flavors of lemon, lime and tarragon. Boasts good density without any undue weight.

A fresh, vibrant wine that displays lemon and tart green apple flavors and a great heap of acid. Steely and clean, it cleanses the mouth. Try cellaring for a year or two and see what happens.

A clean Chard exhibiting rich South Coast characteristics of high acidity and tropical fruit. Oak plays a supporting role and provides a creamy texture. The wine is tight, but should improve.

Bright and easy-drinking, with tangy peach pit, pear and pretty honey notes, picking up richer toasty oak character in the finish.

Good medium red. Intriguing nose melds cherry, raspberry and strawberry fruit notes with mineral and animal elements. Full and sweet but a bit reduced, with the fruit somewhat suppressed today. Nicely concentrated, from a yield of less than two tons per acre. Finishes with light tannins.

The floral-filled 2000 Chardonnay Laura's is a 300 case cuvee that tips the scales at 14.2% alcohol. Its aromas of stony fruits and white flowers along with the austere mid-palate and finish are reminiscent of a young Corton-Charlemagne. Steely, minerally and totally different from most California Chardonnays, it may merit an even higher score with additional age. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

Bright, deep red-ruby. Slightly reduced, meaty aromas of raw wild berries, dark chocolate and maple syrup. Sweet and lush, with flavors of crushed dark berries and spices. Yes, it's velvety, and attractively open-knit. Finishes with dusty tannins.

Light pink color in the glass. Aromas of strawberry, cherry and rose petal echoed on the palate with an added hint of spice. Fresh and vibrant, with good acidity, finishing dry.

Plum and spicy, smoky and a bit overripe; dense and intense.

Tight and compact, with complex black cherry, blackberry, herb, sage and spice, very neat. Short-term cellaring will let it soften and evolve.

...reveals a beautiful premier cru Beaune-like nose of kirsch, sour cherries, and spice. The wine possesses excellent concentration, medium body, and crystal clear focus and purity. This fresh, vivacious Pinot should drink well for 3-5 years.

Complex, with a pretty, focused array of black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, spice, cola and tea, finishing with crisp, well-integrated tannins.

Tight, with firm tannins, hints of cola and black cherry, sage, and spice, finishing with a spicy blackberry flavor.

Bright saturated ruby purple cast. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Mildly oaked. Moderately tannic. Minerals, chocolate, black fruits. Bright aromas lead to a weighty and intense mouthfeel……

The 2015 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards is dark, powerful and brooding. Game, smoke, tobacco and large-scaled tannins give the Land's Edge a slightly burly feel. There is good depth, but this is a pretty rustic style.

Hartford's 2012 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a delicious entry-level offering. Juicy and approachable, the 2012 is an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years, while the fruit remains generous and expressive.

From a gentle, east-facing slope, the 2011 Pinot Noir MacLean’s Block reveals copious aromas of forest floor, roasted herbs, Asian spices, cherries and plums. Consume it over the next 3-4 years.

A big, bombastic wine, the 2010 Pinot Noir Maclean's Block is one of the few wines in this range that never seems to come together. There is plenty of richness in the glass, but at the same time, the wine feels heavy and overly extracted. Black cherries, plums, mocha, chocolate, cola and spices are some of the many notes that emerge over time. Today, the MacLean's Block comes across as not totally put together. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2018.

Tangy and spicy, showing cherry and meat; ripe and dense.

Offering an altogether riper look at Green Valley fruit than the winery's Hailey's Block bottling, this weighty, relatively mouthfilling wine if rife with juicy black cherry fruit. It is fairly obvious and shows a little less range than several of its more complex mates, but its richness is beyond question, and its scant last-minute heat is no more than a minor distraction.

The pomegranate and red currant-scented 2008 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block reveals tart acids as well as a slightly austere style. Owned by Jess Jackson and Don Hartford and assisted by winemaker Jeff Mangahas, Hartford Court is one of the bright shining stars in Jess Jackson Family Vineyard's impressive portfolio. All three Chardonnays come from cool climate sites, either the Sonoma Coast or the Green Valley. I tasted five 2008 Pinot Noirs, a challenging vintage for some producers but Hartford Court had no smoke issues.

A very good effort is the 2006 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard. Made from Dijon Clone 777, and aged in 50% new French oak, it exhibits aromas of damp earth, black raspberries, sweet and sour cherries, and hints of roasted herb and forest floor.

From Anderson Valley, the 2006 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters is one of the vintage’s stronger efforts. Blueberry, raspberry, and spring flower characteristics emerge from this medium-bodied, undeniably elegant, mid-weight Pinot.

88 POINTS 2004 HARTFORD COURT PINOT NOIR SEASCAPE A Cote de Beaune-like offering, the 2004 Pinot Noir Seascape, offers classic notes of pomegranate, sweet and sour cherries, raspberries, root beer, and spice. It's a wine of finesse and elegance rather than power and intensity. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. This is one of my favorite wineries for Burgundian-styled Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs as well as full throttle Zinfandels (although the 2005s are lighter than usual). Don Hartford and Jess Jackson have incredible access to some fabulous vineyards.