Open, expressive nose of fresh cherries, caramel, and black tea. The style is soft but juicy, with just enough acidity to keep the palate lively through the finish. Look for black cherry, cola, caramel, and vanilla with very little tannin. Ready to drink and a perfect foil to grilled chicken, pork sausages or vegetable pan dishes.

La Crema Sauvignon opens with a whiff of passionfruit and then strays a little more toward the exotic pineapple, guava, and lemongrass sector. It’s softer than any Kiwi version, but the roundness will attract as many as it will reject. The finish is medium-light with a subtle grapefruit mineral undertow. Ready to drink with sushi, chicken fingers, or a Greek salad.

KJ has always been about cool coastal fruit, which should work for sauvignon blanc, a newer wine in their lineup. I note this edition is skinnier than it has been, with a central theme of floral and citrus notes reminiscent of pink grapefruit, melon, lemongrass, and honeysuckle. A 15 percent addition of barrel fermented fruit has softened the edges, giving it a California finish. The fruit is a broad mix: 69% Lake County; 12% Mendocino County; 10% Monterey County; 6% San Luis Obispo County; and 3% Santa Barbara County

A round and smooth version, offering peach, pear and baked apple notes that are elegant and refreshing, backed by a touch of green tea on the finish. Drink now. 41,000 cases made.

Crisp and mouthwatering, with fragrant Key lime, passionfruit and mango flavors. Pure and juicy on a light, sleek frame. Drink now. 100,000 cases made.

Swampy perfume runs with mangrove, wet herbs, decaying fruit character, Chinese five spice. Palate is rich with dark fruit character, peppery spice, finishes short and with bitter coffee ground tannins. Big glob-full of rich wine, but bit disappointing in finish.

The 2012 release was brilliant.
This release is a different story. Strong blackberry, choc-cream and earth flavours, bold and brilliant, but the back half of the wine turns gamey and hard. It has ample redeeming features and the fruit itself is sensational; but in the end it’s out of whack.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Shiraz has a broody tar and earth-scented nose with a core of blackcurrants and black plums plus a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with earthy, understated black fruit and earth flavors, framed by chewy tannins and finishing with some peppery characters coming through.

Deep red/purple; good colour. Dried banana oak, strangely spicy aroma dominates nose. Very odd wine: simple on nose and palate and not very appealing in its bouquet and flavours. Possibly unripe. There's an impression of green walnuts throughout. Another expression of spice. Later: it's obviously the influence of stems fermented with whole bunches.

Deep purple/red colour. Very raw cherry pip aroma, banana esters are still evident; very fresh and raw, possiby unoaked, the tannins a touch young but agreeable, the wine basically a bit unformed. Fruit juicy. It has drinkability. (Preservative free; biodynamic certified)

Mid-weight, middle of the California stylistic road taken, a cabernet sauvignon amalgamated from many sources crafted in a square peg through a square hole way. Nothing forced, taken for granted, nor excess make-up neither. Just honest to Murphy Goode-ness, chock full of flavour and a chocolate-vanilla swirl. Just a shade too much sugar (6 g/L) but this too is a choice run straight down the centre.

Tangy citrus, pineapple and peach flavors are juicy and appealing, with mouthwatering acidity on the finish. Drink now.

Full-bodied and quite ripe-tasting, this generous, fruity wine has a soft texture and almost-sweet finish.

Friendly and open-knit, with a modest mix of bramble, anise and mulled red and black cherry fruit. Drink now.

Ripe, open and textured wine with nectarine, pineapple and cloves. Good freshness.

Delicately scented with notes of ripe cherries, blackcurrant, wild strawberries and sweet spices. Pleasant on the palate, persistent.

A ripe and acceptably fresh blend is composed by notes of plum, red and dark pinot fruit and a pretty floral whiff. The rich, supple and very forward middle weight flavors offer reasonable depth on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish where a touch of warmth slowly emerges. This is attractive in its fashion though it lacks a bit of verve, particularly on the back end.

Baked plums and sweet blueberries with chocolate chip ice cream notes. Seemingly endless power in the palate.

Nose of black and red fruit with clove and wood smoke. Tight, chalky tannins on the palate.

Medium to full yellow colour. The bouquet is likewise starting to show some evolution; there are dried fruit aromas and a whiff of marzipan. It's rounded and full on the palate, plump and slightly firm in the aftertaste with a little tannin grip that dries it off cleanly. Undoubtedly, this would make more sense with food.

Not up to past standards, this vintage of Aliette is thin and generic. It's quite tart, with rhubarb and red berry flavors. There's a touch of barrel toast, but fruit and barrel (50% new) seem mismatched.

Once upon a time this was the top cuvée, but now it's rather ordinary, just hinting at black cherry fruit and a thin streak of cola. It's earthy flavors of herb, stem and leaf that dominate and resonate through the finish.

This is stainless-steel fermented, opening with a fresh lively nose of legume and pea shoot. Robust in mouthfeel, it has additional flavors of anise, apple and pear, finishing bright and earthy.

Santa Barbara: Present & Future The 2017 Pinot Blanc from Nielson is an attractive, bright wine to drink now and over the next few years, while the orchard fruit and floral notes retain their youthful vibrancy. Readers should plan on giving the 2017 a good bit of air, as it does show some elements of reduction.

Fresh, with lively raspberry and cherry flavors that feature light spicy notes. Fruity finish. Drink now.