The 2012 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Piner Hills offers lots of apple butter, tropical fruit, pineapple and honeysuckle notes. This cuvee sees 24% new French oak and spends 12 months in barrel prior to being bottled unfiltered. Another hugely successful wine, it displays the fruit-forward and luscious extravagance the Russian River can provide, especially in Chardonnay. Drink it over the next several years.

The stunning 2011 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard was cropped at 0.5 tons of fruit per acre. Planted in 1975 with the California Heritage clone of Martini, the fruit from this site often struggles to ripen fully, and is rarely harvested before Halloween. However, the quality makes these 38-year-old vines produce a gorgeously rich wine with blueberry, black raspberry, cherry, incense and a hint of damp forest floor. Complex and medium-bodied with loads of fruit, good acidity and sweet tannin, this is a sultry, exotic, classic Pinot Noir to drink over the next 5-6 years. It achieved 14.5% natural alcohol.

The 2012 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard (300 cases produced) is a big, blockbuster effort at 15.6% alcohol. It possesses an unctuous texture as well as a huge nose of black raspberry, black cherry and floral notes with some charcuterie, roasted meat and bouquet garni in the background. Enjoy this supple, full-throttle red over the next 5-6 years.

A barrel sample of the 2012 Cenyth, which has a whopping 56% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot in the blend, looks sensational. This was a generous year in terms of yields, and Seillan said virtually everything came in in terrific shape. It is just a question of culling out the best lots. A dense purple color is followed by abundant notes of black currants, blackberries, camphor, charcoal and creme de cassis, along with a full-bodied, opulent mouthfeel, a broad, savory texture, sweet tannin, adequate acidity, and a long finish displaying impressive purity. This beauty should drink well for 15 or more years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is from a hillside location in Green Valley that experiences the frequent fogs that roll in off the ocean. It exhibits abundant notes of Mandarin oranges and citrus oil intermixed with a hint of smoke (one-third new French oak is utilized), and a full-bodied, rich, crisp, layered mouthfeel with great elegance as well as purity. It possesses one of the highest alcohol levels of Hartford Court’s Chardonnays at 14.7%.

With the lowest alcohol (14%), the 2010 La Joie is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Copious aromas of incense, unsmoked cigar tobacco, Christmas fruitcake, cedar, underbrush, black currants and a hint of espresso roast emerge from this medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated red. It needs 4-5 years of cellaring and should keep well for 2 to 3 decades.

Made in a bigger, more structured style, the 2011 Chardonnay Reserve Speciale is 100% barrel-fermented, sees 100% malolactic fermentation, and is aged nine months in a combination of new and neutral French oak. It is then cellared for an additional six months in 100% one-year-old French oak. The wine exhibits lots of white peach, orange marmalade, honeysuckle and lychee aromas. This deep, full-bodied, richly fruity white reveals good delineation and intensity. A super-strong effort in 2011, it should age well for 4-5 years.

This wine, which has been separated from the Stonestreet Alexander Mountain estate, is sold under its own label. A 403-case blend from the high elevation vineyards of Alexander Valley Estate, is made by South African winemaker, Graham Weerts. A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, it was aged 19 months in 64% new French oak. An opaque purple color is followed by lots of crushed rock minerality, sweet creme de cassis and black raspberries, and a deep, full-bodied, dusty, earthy, backward personality. It is slightly softer than Stonestreet’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignons, but will still benefit from several years of bottle age. It should keep for 15-20 years.

Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Aurora Point sees no new oak, and half of it is fermented with indigenous yeasts. A brilliant Sauvignon, it reveals lots of citrus oil, honeysuckle, white currant, fig and melon characteristics along with medium body, great fruit and wonderful purity. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.

The 2012 Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc Terrace Ridge (58% and 42% respectively) was fermented and aged in neutral oak. This is a wine for Chardonnay lovers because the Semillon component provides a full-bodied, creamy texture with layers of fruit and glycerin and the Sauvignon adds crispness. The result is a provocative, compelling, dry white with lots of caramelized citrus, candle wax, lanolin and tropical fruits. This full-bodied, impressive 2012 should be drunk over the next decade.

The 2012 Journey Sauvignon Blanc (500 cases produced) comes from the three appellations of Knights Valley, Alexander Valley and Bennett Valley. This intense Sauvignon exhibits copious aromas of citrus oil, honeyed grapefruit, figs and melons. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, pure and rich, this cuvee was completely fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral wood. Consume it over the next 2-3 years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Russian River spends time in 29% new oak. It exhibits notes of orange marmalade, white peaches and pineapple, medium to full body, heady glycerin and a long, pure, well-balanced finish. It should drink well for 3-4 years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Arroyo Seco comes from their Estate, Gravel Stone and Clark Vineyard, and is a great value for a top, world-class Chardonnay. It is a 100% Chardonnay that is 100% barrel-fermented and 100% malolactic, and spent eight months in 100% French oak, of which 25% was new. It emphasizes the tropical fruit spectrum of Chardonnay, from pineapple to mango to lychee-like notes. Ripe, medium to full-bodied and fleshy with terrific purity, this fruit bomb should drink well for 1-3 years.

From a cooler climate and gravelly soils, the 2012 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Camelot Highlands comes from 40-year-old, ungrafted vines, is 100% barrel-fermented and aged eight months in 52% new French oak. Abundant aromas of tropical fruits, an opulent, exotic personality, huge richness, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, good acidity and surprising length suggest a Chardonnay that could easily sell at twice the price. There are just over 4,300 cases of this wine. It should drink well for 4-5 years.

The dense purple-hued 2012 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard offers plenty of peppery, black cherry and black currant fruit along with hints of licorice, underbrush and roasted Provencal herbs. It was aged in 42% new French oak and came in with the lowest alcohol of these five Zinfandels, 14.6%. It should drink well for 4-6 years.

More forward, but still a long distance runner is the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale, which was still in barrel when I tasted it. From a number of different vineyards, most notably the Monte Rosso as well as the Smothers and Lasseter vineyards, it reveals dense black cherry and black currant notes intermixed with notions of loamy soils and vanillin. This full-bodied, powerful, tannic Cabernet needs to be cellared for 4-5 years, and drunk over the following 20-25 years.

A brilliant effort, although it is not yet in bottle, is the 2012 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands, a 100% Pinot Noir from their estate vineyard in Monterey County. This is a tightly spaced vineyard planted with Dijon clones. This wine was aged in 100% French oak of which 85% was new. This beautiful wine possesses a complex nose of freshly cut mushrooms, black cherries, raspberries, forest floor and a floral character. A world-class Pinot Noir with medium to full body, loads of flavor and a textured, long finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 5-8 years. There are only 321 cases of this cuvee, so good luck finding any.

From the Laguna Ridge sub-region in the Russian River, the 2012 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard comes from the famous Goldridge soils that dominate the best hillside vineyards of this area. Very Corton-Charlemagne-like with lots of wet stone, white currant, quince and caramelized citrus characteristics, this full-bodied white was aged in 38% new oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. It came in at 14.5% natural alcohol. The wine possesses terrific acidity, and should age easily for 5-7 years.

My favorite of this trio is the 2010 Zinfandel Perli Vineyards, from a high elevation site in the Mendocino Ridge AVA. Composed of 98% Zinfandel and 2% Merlot that was aged in 40% new oak, it reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of black raspberry fruit intermixed with incense, camphor and roasted herb characteristics. Spicy, rich and full-bodied, this gorgeous Zinfandel can be drunk now and over the next 3-4 years.

Another big-time winner is the 2011 Viognier Saralee’s Vineyard. Made from 100% Viognier, it boasts lovely notes of ripe peach and apricot jam intermingled with notions of spring flowers as well as good definition and acidity to buttress the wine’s gorgeous fruit. This cuvee was 100% barrel fermented and went through 100% malolactic fermentation because of the high acids in this area of Russian River. It was aged five months in neutral oak.

Perhaps the finest Merlot Matanzas Creek has produced since the 1990s, the 2010 Merlot displays an opaque ruby/purple color along with notes of mocha, white chocolate, black currant and black cherry fruit, and spicy oak in the background. This full-bodied, opulent, seductive Merlot possesses adequate acidity and velvety tannins. Consume it over the next decade.

The 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Haarstad Vineyard is a much smaller cuvee of 1,400 cases, and is made from Loire Valley clones of Sauvignon Blanc known as 530 and 376. It reveals more melon and grassy fruit intermixed with a hint of crushed rocks, and a medium-bodied, flavorful, intense mouthfeel. Made in a Loire Valley style, it should drink well for several years.

The 2012 Chardonnay Bennett Valley (425 cases produced) comes from chalky soils, is fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in 30% new French oak. This more backward-styled Chardonnay exhibits notes of quince, white peach and white currants, medium body, refreshing acidity and admirable intensity. Drink this beauty over the next 5-6 years, although I suspect it may last even longer.

Smoky, Burgundian-like notes emerge from the 2012 Pinot Noir Ahmann Estate Vineyard, which is made from the Dijon clones 667 and 777, Calera, California Heritage clone of Swan, Wadenswill and Pommard clones. One-third new oak was used. The result is a wine that exhibits lots of black currant and black raspberry fruit intermixed with hints of mocha and wood smoke. This deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, impressive Pinot Noir can be drunk now and over the next 4-5 years. The good news is there are nearly 3,000 cases.

The 2012 Chardonnay Los Carneros is treated similarly, but with slightly more new oak (28%) utilized. It offers honeyed, caramelized hazelnut and buttered citrus notes, less tropical fruit characteristics and a more Burgundian, smoky, full-bodied mouthfeel. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.