Deep straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Apples, minerals, vanilla. Still tightly wound with focused, lively character on the palate. Opens up a bit on the long finish.

A ripe, well-balanced style, with pear, peach, fig and coconut flavors wrapped within toasty oak and lemony notes that linger in the finish.

The 2016 Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble is an attractive, entry-level Pinot with good aromatic nuance and lovely red berry fruit. Cedar, spice and floral notes are all nicely lifted in this delicate, understated Pinot. I would prefer to drink the 2016 over the next few years given its mid-weight structure and somewhat fleeting style.

The 2016 Chardonnay Tous Ensemble is delicate and understated, with lovely orchard fruit and floral character. This is an attractive, entry-level Chardonnay from Copain. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later given its mid-weight structure.

The nose is a dense lemon oil, wet stone and pear tart. The palate is firm with a lively lemon drop, mineral and licorice feel. The core is rather light in body with a lean acidity. 87 points.

The 2011 Cenyth is made of a completely different blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Malbec. The wine is slightly herbaceous, bordering on vegetal, no doubt because of the troublesome vintage. It is well-made otherwise, with cedary, plum, red and black currant fruit, medium body, but not the depth or richness of the two previous vintages. If you do not mind a streak of herbaceousness in your wines, you’ll rate it higher.

In 2010, Red Wine Sonoma County is Merlot-based, so the wine is quite different from the other vintages that have been made so far. Plump, juicy and open, the 2010 comes across as a bit simple and forward. Mocha, black cherries, plums, smoke and cloves flesh out on the finish. The 2010 is attractive today, but it's hard to see too much upside from cellaring based on the wine's mid-weight structure. The 2010 is 54% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A lovely wine for those who like a touch of sweetness. It's rich and vibrant in honey, green apple, golden apricot, peach and vanilla cream flavors, accented with fine acidity.

Warm strawberry and cherry compote on the nose with rose petals, cola, rhubarb and white pepper. Medium-bodied palate, light tannins, medium acidity, this is a juicy and fresh style, full of pleasant red cherry, raspberry, strawberry jam. Secondary notes of clove, cola and rhubarb add some complexity. A juicy and fun style but the freshness keeps it food-friendly and so easy to drink. Aged 9 months in French oak, 13% new.

Offering up a sweet bouquet of red berries, loamy soil, tea leaf and cocoa, the 2016 Pinot Noir from Carmel Road is a medium-bodied, open-knit wine with a delicate core of fruit and melting tannins. Bottled under screw cap, it's a pretty but uncomplicated Pinot Noir to enjoy in the near term.

Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose leads with aromas of forest, cherry and strawberry. Heavily infused with oak in a mid weight style, featuring a nucleus of cherry fruit encased in gentle tannins and finishing with a red cherry flourish and a trail of toasty, vanillin oak.

11 Lip-Smacking California Pinot Noirs Oak and savory herb notes give this flavor dimension, adding to a modest mix of wild berry and spice elements. 87 points.

Pale to medium ruby colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir Panorama Vineyard has dusty earth and kirsch notes with hints of cinnamon stick and potpourri. Medium-bodied, with a nice texture of fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, it has a good core of uncomplicated berry flavors and decent length.

The 2013 Carmel Road is another in the growing lineup of inexpensive California Pinot Noirs that deliver flavor and satisfaction without putting a strain on the wallet. Well balanced and flavorful, this delicate, light-bodied Pinot is perfect from summer picnics, grilling or served with light appetizers. It offers notes of cherry and spice, with a hint of cola and an ever-so-slightly grippy finish.

Nicely fruited, constant in focus and sporting a fair measure of oaky richness, the latest effort from Carmel Road is a moderately full-bodied Pinot whose depth and definition make it a standout at the price. It is fleshy and firm with a bit of youthful coarseness yet to lose, and, if it promises to gain in polish with a bit of age, service with food will smooth its way in the short term. GOOD VALUE.

Offers a modest, pleasing core of ripe blueberry, creamy oak, spice and sassafras notes, maintaining focus and ending with a clean, flinty finish. Drink now through 2020.

Medium-deep ruby color; spicy, herbal cherry aromas; forward, juicy cherry flavors with herbal notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Simple, forward Pinot that will work with a wide range of foods.

Bright red. Pungent aromas of cherry skin and red currant, with a subtle herbal quality. Fleshy and gently sweet on the palate, offering vivid raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn a bit hard with air. Dusty tannins and support and carry through the sharply focused, spicy finish.

Better is the 2007 Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco. Obviously a cool-climate wine, with elegant strawberry and raspberry as well as hints of blueberry and underbrush notes, this Pinot is attractive, medium-bodied, and slightly lean in the finish. Carmel Road has also produced two other super Pinot Noirs.

Made in an off-dry, almost sweet style, this polished Riesling is marked first and foremost by ripe fruit. Green apples, tangerines, Key lime pie and golden mangoes flood the mouth, made bright and clean with citrusy acidity. The alcohol is refreshingly low 13%.

Pale gold. Fresh lemon and peach aromas are pleasantly straightforward and complemented by subtle spice and floral qualities. Light-bodied, fresh citrus and pit fruit flavors deliver good punch and are given depth by hints of melon and peach. Juicy, gently sweet and easy to drink if on the simple side, with good finishing cling. This would work well with spicy Asian foods.

Wisps of peach and honeysuckle give a nice if slightly quiet start to this slightly sweet effort, and if it is not the lightest on its feet, so too is not as heavy as its 13% alcohol might suggest. Rather, the wine impresses as sufficiently fruity to serve as a light-hearted accompaniment to sunny-day luncheons yet has the stuffing to stand up to somewhat spicy or creamy Indian fare.

Light in the glass, this bottling offers aromas of green-apple flesh, key lime and an earthy, somewhat metallic minerality. The palate is crisp with key lime and pear-flesh flavors, dusted with sandy undertones.

Bright nose of peaches, green melon, lemon, white flowers and honeysuckle. Fresh and bright on the palate, this is pleasantly vibrant on a medium-bodied frame. Lemon, white peach and apricot fruit, accented with flowers, honey and chalk notes. A lively and bright style of Chardonnay at a good price. All stainless steel, 13.5% alcohol.

Pure, clean fruit offers ripe peach, pear and spice flavors, with no oak evident.