A big-shouldered pinot, yet poised; gobs of fruit, many grace notes of herbs and flowers; big in tannin but also generously acidic.

My score: 9. The topography known as the Santa Maria bench is less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and the valley runs east to west, so plenty of cool and humid air (often in the form of a dense fog) makes its way into the vineyards. Winemaker Jonathan Nagy is meticulous in his standards for both the vineyards and the cellar, and the Byron wines are made as naturally as possible. After cold-soaking for four to five days, the grapes are crushed, and the juice ages in French oak for 10 months.

Light-medium in volume and hinting at red cherries with a rich touch of caramelly oak in its aromas, this wine is not quite full in body yet has more viscosity and openness than its weight on the palate would suggest. Its early suppleness invites drinking in the here and now, and while it is not a wine for long cellaring, it certainly can improve a bit over the next three to four years.

This is also the entry-level pinot, but it's a very good start; finding a good one under $20 is not easy. Both red and dark fruit on the nose, especially plum, along with rose petal and a savory sense of decayed leaves/forest floor. As you might expect, it's a lighter-style pinot that's forthright and accessible with flavors of plum, blackberry and black cherry, plus spice and smoke. Not necessarily insubstantial in the flavor department but light on its feet, which makes it surprisingly satisfying. Mr. Nagy wisely doesn't try to make it into something it's not.

Floral aromas, black plum and mocha flavors, big, ripe tannins.

Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of nothing so much as sweet cherry fruit. In the mouth it is pleasingly bright and pure with cherry fruit backed by fantastic acidity. The sweet quality lingers, though aromatically rather than any true residual sugar, through a long finish.

Entirely drawn from the Nielson Vineyard, the oldest, continuously producing vineyard in the county; it's the one that started the grape rush way back in 1964. The nose is totally aromatic and beguiling with the fruit notes completely mixed with the savory elements. Both bright and dark cherry aromatics come to the fore along with plum and sandalwood. Rich and moderately bodied, but notable for its concentration coupled with engagingly complex levels of flavor. Dark plum leads the flavor parade, especially the essence of plum skins, followed by black cherry, boysenberry and olallieberry as well as a bit of baked cherry pie plus brown baking spices. Time in the bottle has allowed this wine to stretch out and lengthen on the palate, all the way to the lazy, meandering and lengthy finish. A beauty that's a big step up for not much in incremental dollars and one that could easily age another five years.

From Santa Barbara’s first commercial vineyard. Clones 114, 667 and Pommard. Small yields. Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. The aromatics are captivating with a complex array of black raspberry, blackberry, spice and floral aromas which hold up well over time in the glass. The dark red and black berry fruits are perfectly ripe and bright. There is a complimentary accent of spice and oak with an earthy undertow. This wine offers impressive clarity and tension and is very easy to drink now. I liked the wine increasingly over time.

Byron winemaker Jonathan Nagy describes his Pinot Noir as having the finesse of Burgundy and the power of California. It is an accurate description of this wine, crafted from grapes grown in the Santa Marie Valley where marine air from the Pacific Ocean cools the growing area along the transverse mountain range (east-west orientation). The wine is rich and juicy showing intense cherry flavor with raspberry and floral notes and a firm finish that accompanies grilled salmon flavors.

A step up, this more specific appellation pinot displays aromas of dark macerated Bing cherry, dark berry and damson plum, with white florals in the background as well as cinnamon and cardamom. Dark berry and cherry pastille, candied violets, sassafras and root beer dance on the palate. It builds to an apex of flavor on midpalate, then it slowly and gracefully slides to a satisfyingly smooth and silky finish.

You get a lot of pinot noir flavor for your money here. Extracted raspberry and cherry flavors with hints of spice and long in the finish. Byron also makes a delicious and more concentrated pinot noir from the Nielson Vineyard ($36). It has ripe plum and blueberry notes with some interesting spice and a lingering finish.

The appealing character of Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is undeniable. It combines the ripe and rich red wine strength found in Cabernet with the subtleties and nuance of the elusive Pinot Noir. Modern-era wine lovers have been raised on this style, though the classic Burgundian Pinot Noir profile is quite different. Look for aromas and flavors of cassis, plum and vanilla with notes of field herbs and cherry candy. Good acidity and balance pairs well with meats from the grill.

It’s all about ripe fruit and jaunty acidity in this dry, savory Pinot Noir. Raspberries, cherries and cola are the flavors that finish sweetly dry and spicy.

A hard core of black cherry and dark berry fruit wafts out of the glass, along with typical Santa Maria aromatics like cola, tree bark and shoe polish. Black cherry, boysenberry and fig come through on the palate with brown baking spices and a hint of moist, freshly turned earth. Light on its feet, the wine is very spirited, given the concentration of fruit flavors. Smooth and silky, it sets off flavor depth charges on midpalate and easily segues to a long, extended finish.

Byron makes stellar pinot noir in the Santa Maria Valley. This entry-level pinot exceeds its price. It packs extracted dark cherry fruit and bold aromas to make it a delicious drink.

This entry-level pinot from Byron, which bears the broader Santa Barbara County appellation, is just that: all about getting primary fruit in your face. Equally as well made as its brethren, it has a little different purpose. In other words, if you're a first-time pinot drinker or have very little familiarity with what the grape tastes like, this bottling will get you hooked on pinot right out of the gate. Fresh and fruity, its main purpose is to show how lithe, supple and tasty pinot can be. Cherry, dark berry, plum and barrel spice all add to the flavor profile in a way that makes this wine very fruit-forward and approachable. It's one to drink now for its zippy freshness and zingy upbeat finish. Don't think (or ponder), just drink — and enjoy.

Youthfully exuberant, open aromas of black cherry and pomegranate; hint of earth and chalk underneath the ample fruit.

Massive fruit on this ripe Pinot Noir. Offers a blast of raspberries, cherries and strawberries, with a dusting of powdered sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. As delicious as a confection, but a bit over the top.

Highly aromatic with scents of plum reduction sauce, dark roses, lavender and Santa Maria spice. The flavors of dark plums, purple grapes and dark berries are quite distinctive and zesty, with an impressive aromatic lift of black cherries on the finish. A little earthy, a little spicy, with well-proportioned fine-grain tannins and a pleasingly smooth mouth feel. Drank beautifully the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Immensely satisfying.

Deeply colored. Nicely scented with aromas of black raspberry tart, black cherries, smoky oak and rose petals. Sweet and rich with a powerful core of dark red stone fruits and berries and underpinnings of earth, anise and grilled meat. The tannins are supple and the wine’s richness and velvety mouthfeel courtesy of the alcohol will find fans.

The Santa Maria Valley produces some of the best pinot noirs in California. This is a good representative of the terroir. The grapes (are) from the region's oldest commercial vineyard. The profile is dark cherry and plum flavors with doses of spice and dried herbs.

Santa Barbara County, where long east-west valleys funnel cooling Pacific influences, is home to two great pinot noir regions. The 2009 Byron offers a good preview of the structure, concentration, and ripe flavors typical of the area.