Like a fine steak with the deepest, darkest, earthiest sauce you can muster. B+.

My red Wine of the Week, in fact, is from that vineyard: The Siduri Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016, a wine with a beautiful, intriguing nose that balances forest floor, fresh porcini, and plum aromas with flavors of cherry compote, dark mountain berries, plums, black licorice, and allspice, the power and savoriness of the wine countered by generous fruit and concentration, and all with relatively moderate alcohol. It’s crafted by one of the more prolific Pinot producers in the United States, Adam Lee, whose wines are justifiably popular from the range of appellations in which they’re grown. (In addition to the Willamette Valley, Lee also produces Pinot in the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, and more. Grab them if you find them.) And at $65, this one represents an excellent quality-to-price ratio in the world of top-quality Pinot: It’s a balanced, expressive wine that’s excellent already and promises another decade or more in the cellar.

Hard to find Zena Crown pinot noirs are worth the effort Concentrated with fresh black cherry and raspberry fruit.

To this palate, the most impressive current Siduris include the husky yet silken Siduri 2017 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir; the lean and precise Siduri 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; the unusually aromatic, dynamic and layered Siduri 2016 Willamette Valley Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir; the fresh and charming Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir; the deep, weighty and assertive Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Perry Ranch Pinot Noir; and the elegant and sharp-edged Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Ewald Pinot Noir.

To this palate, the most impressive current Siduris include the husky yet silken Siduri 2017 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir; the lean and precise Siduri 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; the unusually aromatic, dynamic and layered Siduri 2016 Willamette Valley Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir; the fresh and charming Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir; the deep, weighty and assertive Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Perry Ranch Pinot Noir; and the elegant and sharp-edged Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Ewald Pinot Noir.

Snatched up by Jackson Family Wines, Siduri’s vision – and quality – prevail Plum, blackberry, black raspberry and cocoa on the nose with intriguing spice and herb notes. The plum, black cherry and pomegranate flavors are juicy and accessible. It has great color, intensity and complexity all the way through as the upbeat acidity integrates with the supple but firm tannins on the finish. A blend of four different vineyards, aged for 15 months in French oak (30 percent new), it's a fine introduction to what Santa Rita Hills is all about, at a very attractive price.

Picking out Sonoma County wines that will impress This is a gorgeous pinot noir with tangy fruit and vibrant acidity. It’s concentrated with both red and black fruit, layered with earthy and spice notes. Lingering finish. Impressive.

This is a gorgeous pinot noir with tangy fruit and vibrant acidity. It’s concentrated with both red and black fruit, layered with earthy and spice notes. Lingering finish. Impressive. 4½ stars.

Radiant dark ruby hue shading to utter transparency; the typical array of baking spices and floral elements: cloves with a grating of nutmeg, notes of rose petal and lilac; macerated red and black cherries and currants with hints of cranberry and rhubarb; keen acidity drives a spare, supple texture ; finish adorned with traces of mint, sage and pomegranate. Lovely expression of the grape. Now through 2022 to ’23. Excellent.

The Best 5 Wine Pairing That Go Perfectly With These Romance Novels 2. For Feeling Royal and Fancy Without the Price Tag When Countess Viola Kingsley is stripped of her title, she must rebuild her life and reputation—but it's not easy when she's falling for bad boy, Marcel Lamarr. And you don't need class to drink this Siduri Pinot Noir. Harvested between the late Summer months (Aug. 24th and Sept. 23rd, to be exact) you'll find hints of pomegranate, clay, and black cherry. Like, Viola, just because you're not nobility, doesn't mean you can't enjoy an affordable but fancy wine each evening.

This Pinot is a great introduction to the Pinots of the Santa Lucia Highlands, which are generally fuller-bodied and higher in alcohol than most California Pinot Noirs. What I enjoy about SLH Pinots in general, and this one in particular, is the fact that they maintain all the qualities I love in Pinot – just in a bigger, bolder package.

Top 14 Wines For February 14th! This wine has amazing concentration and opens up after an hour or two. It has notes of black fruit, menthol, and tobacco with smooth tannins and a balanced finish. This wine can easily age but is certainly drinkable now and would go well with meat sauces, pasta, eggplant parmesan, and more!

Snatched up by Jackson Family Wines, Siduri’s vision – and quality – prevail Dark cherry, pomegranate and herbs, along with a distinct minerally/wet stones aspect (like San Pellegrino), on the effusive nose. Truly a dark star of a pinot on the palate, supple but concentrated, rich with deep, dark cherry fruit, raspberry, pomegranate and damson plum. Fascinating and mysterious (the more you swirl, the more you get), it's a blend of six different cool-climate vineyards wherein somehow the whole effect is greater than the sum of the parts. A beguiling and sultry pinot in all aspects.

Saturday Splurge The 2016 Siduri Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir begins with a very pleasing aroma of cranberry, lots of red and black cherry and some savory undertones of herbs and spice. Tasting reveals a smooth and balanced palate with excellent spice notes. There’s quite a bit of oak influence as well but it blends beautifully with the concentrated berry fruit. The wine gains a lot of complexity as it has more air so this is definitely one to sip and savor in your glass as it evolves. It ends dry and quite long. This is really excellent Pinot Noir!

This is a lovely pinot noir that impresses with its breath. A touch earthy, with aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis and tobacco. Rich, yet balanced. Smart. 4 stars.

Spice Girls: The Delicious Pinot Noirs Of Santa Lucia Highlands Concentrated layers of spice and deep red raspberry fruit define this wine. The winery suggests decanting prior to drinking—there is a lot to unpack in this wine.

A beguiling transparent medium ruby hue; immediate impression of fresh cherries and raspberries; warm, ripe and fleshy but with a core of dusty graphite minerality; brings up seductive elements of rhubarb and pomegranate, cloves and sandalwood; clean acidity drives energy through to a dry, spicy, slightly tannic finish. Now through 2021 to ’23. Very Good+.

‘Highlanders’ like this will make you feel high on life all around. A-.

To this palate, the most impressive current Siduris include the husky yet silken Siduri 2017 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir; the lean and precise Siduri 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; the unusually aromatic, dynamic and layered Siduri 2016 Willamette Valley Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir; the fresh and charming Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir; the deep, weighty and assertive Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Perry Ranch Pinot Noir; and the elegant and sharp-edged Siduri 2016 Russian River Valley Ewald Pinot Noir.

Weekend Wine August 18 is National Pinot Noir Day! One of the best ways to discover the Siduri magic is to try their entry level wine the Russian River Pinot ($35). This is all the Pinot most people will ever need, amply proving the seductiveness of the grape with big red fruit and berry aromas and the kind of mouthfeel that matches so seamlessly with everything from Beef Bourguignon to broiled salmon. If the perfumed aromas grab you and you want to move up, try the Rosella’s Vineyard wine from the Santa Lucia Highlands ($55). If that sounds like a lot of cash, start saving your money. It’s cheaper than most addictive drugs, and certainly a lot more pleasurable.

A number of vineyards contributed to this utterly delicious and layered Pinot. It brims with tangy cherry, pomegranate and raspberry fruit, accented by hints of black tea, cola, vanilla and spice. It’s structured, polished and perfect for grilled duck and lamb burgers.

All four wines have screw cap closures, and all are excellent wines. The 2016 RRV is a luscious, complex wine that is full bodied, velvety in texture, moderately rich, and lightly oaky wine with a long finish. In aroma/flavor, it tastes of black cherry, raspberry, plum, black tea, and spicy oak. 4 stars, excellent.

All four wines have screw cap closures, and all are excellent wines…The 2016 Willamette Valley is a medium rich, complex, lightly tannic Pinot Noir with cherry, plum, herb, pepper, vanilla, and oak aromas/flavors, and a very long finish. Can be aged further. 4+ stars, excellent.

DIY Four-Course Dinner Paired with Oregon Pinot Noir As the starter, I chose a vegetable that can traditionally be tough to pair with wine – brussels sprouts. Pinot Noir tackles the challenge of pairing with this veggie because its earthy characteristics don’t overpower the brussels sprouts, while the Pinot’s savory notes play nicely with the nutty parmesan cheese and the tangy mustard. Siduri’s 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25) was our favorite pairing for this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard & Parmesan. With hints of dried berries, earthy notes and a bright acidity, it was the perfect match for this tangy, umami-filled salad.

Snatched up by Jackson Family Wines, Siduri’s vision – and quality – prevail No matter who makes wine from this vineyard, it's outstanding and this Siduri is no exception. Deep dish black fruit on the nose, all big and boisterous, plus red fruit in the mix as well. On the palate, luxurious flavors of black plum, blackberry and boysenberry plus mushroom and earthiness around the edges. When I say deep and dark, this one plummets down the pinot noir rabbit hole. Big but balanced, this has all the elements of pinot perfection perhaps because of the grape grower. As Mr. Lee readily admits, sometimes he just has to stay out of the way of great grapes and let them go down their natural path. A very complete and well-rounded wine that you will not soon forget. I know it's early in the year, but there's no question in my mind that this will be on my top pinot list for 2019. Extraordinary.