Bright, full ruby. Complex, vibrant aromas of cassis, cherry pit, licorice and graphite, with a floral topnote building as the wine opens in the glass. Dense, pliant and suave, with a compellingly layered, fine-grained texture to the dark berry, licorice and mineral flavors. A wine of major dimension but today the firm, noble tannins clamp down on the fruit. I'd love to see this again in six or seven years--in a flight of top 2009 Medoc wines.

(67% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 12% cabernet franc, 7% petit verdot and 2% malbec) Good bright ruby. Black cherry, minerals, musky Cuban tobacco and leather on the nose and palate, lifted by a minty nuance. Lush on entry, then concentrated, sweet and penetrating, with superb focus and sap to the middle palate. Wonderfully expressive even if still youthfully unevolved. Finishes with full but ripe tannins and a compelling combination of sweetness and energy.

Good bright ruby. Black cherry, minerals, musky Cuban tobacco and leather on the nose and palate, lifted by a minty nuance. Lush on entry, then concentrated, sweet and penetrating, with superb focus and sap to the middle palate. Wonderfully expressive even if still youthfully unevolved. Finishes with full but ripe tannins and a compelling combination of sweetness and energy.

The Red Mountain Cabernet from Quintessence and Shaw vineyards. The long, cool growing season on Red Mountain and the late October made this fruit shine: ample black stone minerality and warm spices with hints of clove. Gianna embraced the Red Mountain tannins, reminding her of the wines they made on Mt Veeder—20 months in 60% new French Oak.

From the Skysill Vineyard, named by Jett's lead winemaker Gianna Ghilarducci, in the Mill Creek District, in the eastern reaches of Walla Walla Valley on the Washington side. It shows a beautiful blue fruited character on the nose with ample violet florals and a hint of wild herbs. Chris Carpenter acts as the project's GM, and he believes that the site, its elevation, wind, and cooling effects are perfectly positioned to showcase Washington's Merlot capabilities. The palate shows elegance, leaning into its pure blue fruit character with savoury earthen elements—a lengthy finish with dashes of Bavarian chocolate.

Coming from Leonetti, Seven Hills and Skysill, a collection of fruit from both sides (Washington and Oregon) of the Walla Walla Valley. Gorgeous pyrazine notes of bay leaves and eucalyptus really frame a savoury depth and a real sense of elegance. There's black fruit that mingles with umami and a captivating interplay of peppercorn, ample tannin and choke cherries.

100% Grenache taken from 1962 planted bush vines in the Hickenbotham Clarendon Vineyard Block 301. 100% destemmed, crushed, and tipped into ‘cocciopesto’ stone amphorae where a gentle maceration took place before remaining on skins for around 6 months. Matured in amphorae for a total of 10 months. McLaren Vale Grenache of this calibre achieves brightness and purity alongside detail and structure. Red liquorice, maraschino cherry, cranberry, cherry blossom, warm sand, Chinese five spice, orange peel. There’s a lot going on here and it’s condensed into an intense aromatic profile that balances bright red fruitedness with savoury seasoning. There’s some dried herbs that emerge with air adding a garrigue-driven Rhone feel, and some emergent dried rose and subtle clove. The palate is superbly bright and piquant with a cool, mineral feel sitting high in the mouth yet with such great intensity. Power without weight. Cranberry and red cherry notes intersperse with garrigue, warm sand, red liquorice, bitter amaro, and brown spice before a sheath of chalky tannins hold sway, framing it all up and drawing it to long, powdery length. A charming and complex wine.

Here we have a wine made up of 55% Grenache Blanc, 17% Grenache Gris, 17% Roussanne, 7% Clairette and 4% Bourboulenc. All handpicked and sorted separately. Portions of the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne saw an average of 7 months on skins in Clayver ceramic egg, with a total of 47% of the final blend having seen skin contact. The remainder was basket pressed. This is a textural delight while still feeling finespun with a masterful balance of flavour and structure, and any hint of overtness swept into linearity by architectural structure. Baked peach, poached apple and pastry dough make way for a twang of saline preserved lemon, bosc pear, greengage, cinnamon spice and fig leaf. Some hazelnut and tonic notes emerge with air adding further dimension around the fruit. There’s breadth and delicate richness here, but also lovely freshness. The palate is mouth-filling and textural with a lovely cut of tensile white fruit in white nectarine and bosc pear before yielding to yellow apple, cinnamon and nectarine with a firm sheath of powdery preserved lemon phenolics providing good frame and carry to long length. The nutty nuance dancing in the mouth perfume. An excellent release.

This is packed with deliciously juicy cassis and black cherry reduction flavors that pump along a cedar edged grip of ultra-polished tannins. Long and presistent on the finish, there's terrific energy and sensation of crushed rock and amid distant notes of violet, tea leaf and spice.

Cracking wine. So much flavour, so much character, so much length. Shell grit, stonefruit, pear, lemon, sage, vanilla pod and mineral, all set with a textural framework that is slippery and svelte but not creamy and/or overdone. This is a white wine of both energy and presence. It’s a banger.

The 2022 Siduri Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills is a striking and site-driven bottling that combines intensity with lift. Drawn from the stonier blocks of this volcanic hillside vineyard and aged for 14 months in 30% new French oak, it opens with definition and a strong sense of place. Aromatic layers of red currant, dried hibiscus, and mandarin skin emerge, followed by undercurrents of cracked pepper, truffle, and scorched basalt. On the palate, the wine is taut yet expressive, unfolding with precision through flavors of tart cherry, cranberry reduction, and iron-rich soil. The tension is beautifully managed by polished tannins and bright acidity, offering both structure and flow. 276 cases made.

The 2022 Siduri Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands is a site-reflective and intricately layered wine sourced from a rugged, wind-swept vineyard planted on gravelly sand. Aged for 14 months in 40% new French oak, this vintage captures both the raw energy of the site and the graceful side of Pinot Noir. On the nose, it unfurls with cherry blossom, mandarin peel, and rooibos tea, anchored by aromas of crushed quartz and coastal air. The palate is polished and expansive, weaving together notes of red plum, raspberry compote, and pomegranate with streaks of chalk, graphite, and windswept herbs. There’s an underlying elegance to the wine’s structure—fine tannins support the fruit without weighing it down, while the minerality echoes with clarity across the finish.

The 2022 Siduri J. Sebastiano Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills presents a multifaceted and site-transparent interpretation shaped by a diverse mix of clones and 10 months in 30% new French oak. The fruit for this wine comes from various blocks across this breezy, east-facing vineyard, which consistently delivers concentration wrapped in tension. The aromatic profile is dynamic, opening with wild mulberry, black cherry skin, and dried pomegranate, followed by hints of bergamot, crushed violets, and savory spice. On the palate, it’s structured and polished, offering layers of marionberry, raspberry coulis, and redcurrant, carried by vibrant acidity and subtle mineral undertones. Crushed granite and dried thyme add nuance, while whispers of sassafras lend texture and aromatic lift. Despite its generous fruit and depth, the wine maintains a firm backbone and coastal clarity. 423 cases made.

This is a new chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) to the Giant Steps range. It draws fruit from all five of the Giant Steps single vineyard sources. The Circle of Fifths is a musical term, related to harmony, which fits with the Giant Steps name, which is a musical reference in itself. I’m not a big one for wine names but this one was well thought out, and is a nice complement to what the wine is in the glass. i.e. it’s a five-part harmony of vineyards, or is an attempt to be. It’s a killer chardonnay. Direct, powerful, long, potent with mid-palate flavour but searing and complex through the finish. Flint, white peach, lemon curd, pure lemon, steel and a delicious marshalling of hay, meal, cedar and woodsmoke characters all have this wine rocketing along. It’s both dramatic and controlled. It tastes and feels like a wine from a producer who is at the top of its game.

The Capensis 2021 Chardonnay represents a multiregional blend of fruit from across the Western Cape. Winemaker Graham Weerts uses multiple aging vessels, including 600-liter foudre, ceramic and new oak. "The only thing I don't use is stainless steel," he says. "I never ferment in stainless steel. I don't want to live in a steel hut. I want to be more nurturing than that." This beautiful wine reveals a candied note of tangerine and kumquat and continues with cooler tones of gooseberry and crushed stone. There's lots of peach with nuttiness as well. Graham Weerts has a perfect window for harvesting early-ripening Chardonnay. There is enormous lift on the mid-palate thanks to that salinity from vineyard sites close to the ocean. This is a beautiful production of 9,000 bottles.

This intense version features a savory thread of crunchy sea salt, with lemon zest and lemon basil flavors that show herbal accents.

The 2022 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out with vivacious notes of black cherry preserves and black currant jelly, opening out to hints of fertile loam, Chinese five spice, and sandalwood. The medium- to full-bodied palate has a lightly chewy texture and racy line cutting through the ripe, dense fruit, finishing spicy.

The 2022 Merlot is a blend of 86% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notes of black cherry compote, juicy plums, and black pepper, followed by hints of anise and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate has a sturdy backbone of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the juicy black fruit layers, finishing long and spicy.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 91.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.5% Malbec, 2% Merlot, and 2.5% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with classic cassis and ripe blueberry scents, leading to an undercurrent of cedar chest, lavender, and wild sage. The medium- to full-bodied palate is taut with muscular black fruit and savory layers, framed by grainy tannins and a refreshing line, finishing earthy.

True to form, Trueman offers up all the minty, pencil lead, savory dried herb, dark-chocolate and blackberry goodness we’ve come to know and love from top South Aussie Cab. There’s power aplenty in the mouth but feels like it’s always in control, never boisterous—ironfist-in-velvet-glove territory; the savory, chalk dust tannins framing; the acidity freshening. Drink now with a rare steak and garlicky mushrooms at hand, or cellar for 15 years. Hickinbotham. —C.P.

A broody yet multifaceted nose of plum, cran-raspberry, anise, bay and pencil leads to a tightly wound palate of power and poise. Tannins are muscly but shapely, leaving room to showcase the plump redpurple fruit and herbs. Still in its infancy, this should be held another several years and then it should evolve gracefully until 2040 at least. Hickinbotham. Cellar Selection. —C.P.

This is evocatively aromatic, like a berry patch in summer—all juicy black, blue and raspberry fruit with a scrubby edge of wild thyme and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Hickinbotham’s signature dusty, savory tannins frame a palate that is both sturdy enough for the long haul but succulent enough now for protein-friendly sipping. Hickinbotham. Hidden Gem. —C.P.

This is seductive, with raspberry, bitter plum and black cherry fruit that smolders with intensity, while singed notes of savory, wet earth and rooibos tea are sprinkled throughout. Shows energy in the form of a deeply buried, chalky spine. Will need some patience. Best from 2026 through 2038.—J.M.

Packed with fresh black cherry, blackberry and black currant fruit, this red is smooth and enticing. Mineral, eucalyptus and tobacco elements add complexity, while the lively acidity drives the long finish. Offers terrific balance. A compelling red. Best from 2027 through 2045.—B.S.

Richer and more savory than others in this top producer’s single-vineyard suite, Applejack is a 28-year-old vineyard surrounded by Applejack eucalypts, hence the name. The unique site gives an earthy, smoked meat character to this Yarra Pinot. It tempers the abundant red-fruit, vanilla, spice and floral notes. It’s supple and mouthfilling but never heavy or overblown, with a quiet-but-firm structure that suggests a capacity for aging, while being an intriguing drop now.