Vegy and fresh. Not at all heavy or sweet. A bit tarry in fact. Dry finish. Very different from most. Racy. Sinewy. Possibly too much so. 16.5/20

Fresh on the nose, pungent, red fruit, smoke, soot, cherry, kirsch, fine, tight tannins, very sappy, honest, a note of wet earth, truffle, resin, very long, elegant and balanced.

Escape to Sonoma County Blackberry, cassis, cedar, and forest floor cascade along a granite backbone of fine-grained regal tannins reaching a sustained long velvet finish. This is a Napa Cabernet lovers’ dream.

19.5/20 points

Winemaker Pierre Seillan spent decades in Armagnac, the Loire Valley, and Bordeaux before coming to Sonoma with the goal of making red wines as fine as any on Earth. The Cabernet Sauvignon-based La Joie shows the influence of Pauillac, displaying great power, richness, and elegance.

Generously oaked and voluptuous, with supple tannins and rich blackcurrant and blackberry flavours, with a crack of black pepper. Opulent, yet with a refreshing close.

Evolved, bright, dark crimson. The first bottle had rather a stewed nose but the second bottle was much more impressive. Fresh, sweet, sappy with some complex maturity. Some tannin and dried herbs on the end. 17/20

Vérité: The Truth of Sonoma Truffle on the nose. Black licorice, fennel, anise, and sandalwood perfume with a big pop of blue fruit that dominates the mid-palate.

One of California's true viticultural masterpieces, La Joie consistently envelops its flawlessly articulated structure in opulent black fruit, silky texture, and savory layers of smoky cumin, truffle, and sweet tar.

Inky ruby in color, this wine has a rich nose of dark roasted espresso, leather, and forest floor aromas that jump out of the glass. In the mouth it is surprisingly lithe given its powerful nose, and once past a deeply earthy first impression it offers beautiful flavors of cherry, tobacco, cassis and notes of herbs that seem like a light haze mixed in with the fine dusty tannins. The finish is long and dry. A very pretty wine. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.

Enormous yet supple, this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend features vivid blue and black fruit accented by chocolate truffle and oak. A Sonoma meritage that should achieve Bordeaux-like longevity.

A crowd pleaser for the not so Chianti’s in your life The 15% of Merlot in this Classico masks any subtlety of the 85% of Sangiovese, making this a plush, round, and chewy wine more in line with a new world style, it is also at 14.5% alcohol. It is a nice medium to full bodied wine with notes of vanilla and blueberries with the hint of oak and cherry hanging out backstage and heat from the alcohol up front. It is not a Classic Classico but if you are having an Italian meal, want a Chianti, but want it big for under $20, this bottle is for you. Rating = B+.

Light and spry, with juicy cherry and currant flavors backed by lively acidity and light tannins. Balanced in a slim way, showing moderate length.

Can Tuscany rival Bordeaux The other two wines were the traditionally Sangiovese based wines from the region, including the 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Strado al Sasso and the 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva. In both these wines, the ripe cherry flavor of Sangiovese came through, yet with more elegance and balance than the baked earth rusticity sometimes associated with less quality oriented producers.

Can Tuscany rival Bordeaux The other two wines were the traditionally Sangiovese based wines from the region, including the 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Strado al Sasso and the 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva. In both these wines, the ripe cherry flavor of Sangiovese came through, yet with more elegance and balance than the baked earth rusticity sometimes associated with less quality oriented producers.

Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and cherry cordial. In the mouth cherry fruit is backed with somewhat stiff tannins. Excellent acidity keeps the fruit bright and juicy, even as the tannins seem to have a darker earthier quality. Nothing wrong with this wine, if you're looking for a basic Chianti.

This is a rich and supple Chianti with ripe cherry and strawberry flavors and notes of licorice and cedar. The ripeness of the fruit is balanced with zesty acidity and dusty tannins. It’s sophisticated enough for a formal dinner with roasted or grilled red meats, but it won’t talk down to a sausage pizza.

This is a very food-friendly Chianti Classico that offers good fruit, a nice expression of cherry fruit, a bit of oak and complexity.

Sangiovese makes up most of this wine but there is some cabernet sauvignon and merlot to give it dimension. Rich mouthfeel and loads of cherry and plum flavors.

16.2/20 points Herbal notes, red fruits, minerality. Typical Chianti-red currants and cranberry, lively acidity and minerality. Elegant-yum! Drink now or age up to 8 years.