The 2021 Pinot Noir Hapgood is a powerful wine, but it is also the Pinot in this range with the most pronounced stem character. Blue fruit, sage, leather, spice and dried flowers fill out the layers. Theold personality of this site and the year are very much in evidence.

The 2022 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard is powerful, driving and quite savory. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, dried herbs and earthy undertones all run through this distinctive, super-expressive Syrah.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is laced with crushed red berry fruit. Spice, tobacco and mint are some of the notes that grace this expressive, nuanced Pinot. The 2021 was done with fully destemmed fruit, but there is a sense of savoriness here that is quite attractive.

The 2021 Ex Post Facto Syrah is all from the new Perilune development, done with 100% stems. Blue/purplish fruit, black pepper, menthol, licorice, lavender and dried herbs all run through this nuanced, layered Syrah. All signs suggest this will be an even better wine as the vines age. It's another superb wine from Greg Brewer.

The 2021 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is a fabulous introduction to this range and the year. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint and chalk all grace this delicate, understated Chardonnay. The appellation Chardonnay is terrific in 2021.

The 2021 Chardonnay Perilune is a new wine in the range from the development in the northern part of the Sta. Rita Hills. Soft, open-knit and very pretty, the 2021 is an impressive wine for a vineyard in its first release. Apricot, white flowers, tangerine oil and light tropical notes all run through the Perilune. I imagine this wine will only get more complex as the vines age. The clones here are Wente and Robert Young.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Perilune is a terrific debut. Kirsh, sweet red cherry, tobacco, cedar, mint and dried flowers are all beautifully laced together. Silky and nuanced, with wonderful depth, the 2021 Perilune is quite impressive for a wine from such young vines.

The 2021 Pinot Noir 3D is a dense, savory wine. Red/purplish fruit, sage, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and crushed flowers are all nicely lifted. Delicate and perfumed, the 3D has a good bit to offer. I would give this a year or two in bottle, as the tannins need time to soften a touch.

Polished, well-balanced and agile on its feet, this offers raspberry and blueberry flavors laced with bittersweet mocha and savory spices

Packs generous pear, lime and apple flavors, with notes of lemon zest, fresh-clipped herbs, smoked salt and toasted green tea. Shows fresh, crisp acidity on the juicy finish.

A pretty shade of bright pink in the glass, this bottling offers potent aromas of strawberry, cherry and orange peel on the nose. There’s a bit of power to the palate, with juicy cherry flavors that would pair well with roasted chicken, grilled salmon and summer salads.

The 2021 Pinot Noir 459 is aromatic and nicely lifted, as all wines are this year. Blood orange, crushed red berry fruit, mint and spice are all nicely laced together. This lithe, delicate Pinot Noir sure is a charmer. The purity of the flavors is quite attractive, but I would have liked to see a bit more depth.

Mouthwatering up front, showing lemon, lime zest and tangerine flavors that are fresh and energetic, with a savory thread of minerality. Offers hints of lanolin and honeycomb that add an appealing note on the long finish.

This light-bodied, graceful wine leads with a singed sandalwood note, followed by light red tea, damson plum and mulled cherry accents. Reveals a subtle sous-bois gloss on the finish.

Remarkably balanced, with details of fresh, crisp apple, citrus and pear that mingle with salted butter pastry and touches of brown sugar on a supple, creamy frame. Reveals a touch of lemongrass on the finish. Drink now. 70,000 cases made. –MW

93% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot. There’s no questioning the presence of oak here. It’s hand in hand with the bright fruit on the nose in tension with a deep earthy and brackish, musky note of scuffed up autumn leaves and damp soil. Gentle on the approach, this wine will have its fans in those that appreciate the plushness Merlot can deliver; light footed and gliding over the palate in soft focus. The acid provides a bright note, and puts a shine on the fruit. It finishes a little more abbreviated than anticipated, with the oak trailing in the fruit’s wake.

Silky in texture but grounded in fine-grained tannins, this aromatic and complex wine is tempting now but will improve with time. Black fruits, redwood forest, black tea and black cherry notes crowd onto the palate and linger on the finish. With great acidity and moderate tannins, it will be best to drink from 2025-2032

Concentration and depth are the strong points of this seriously structured Pinot Noir and set it up for a potentially long life. Very dense and compact black cherries, black currants, rhubarb and mint crowd onto the palate and won’t quit on the finish. Best from 2026-2035.

After short time in glass, this Pinot blossoms into a graceful, multifaceted wine. Bright and fruity, it offers delicate blueberry and raspberry fruit threaded softly with clove, vanilla and rose petal notes. The palate is elegantly structured with sandy-textured, fine tannins, juicy acidity and a long tangy finish. Harmonious and capable of aging for seven to ten years, this wine is equally delicious now. Jackson Family Wines.

Like other wines in Giant Step’s suite of Pinots, this vibrant, juicy red-fruited Pinot has both drink-now appeal and the ability to age. A bright cherry-juice color, it offers heady aromas of strawberry tart and cherry blossom, with earth spice and an umami mushroom nuance. A touch of vanillin oak shows but should dissipate with time. The midweight palate is mouthcoating while still being fresh and elegant, framed in fine, chalky tannins, with a savory, mineral core. Drink now through 2033. Jackson Family Wines.

Small but mighty describes the 2021 vintage in Victoria. This may be Giant Step’s more affordable Pinot from a multi-vineyard blend, but it’s as delicious and delightful as the single-vineyard stuff. Fleshy primary cherries and strawberries are underpinned by white spice, vanilla bean and soft florals, with a mineral core. The palate is crunchy and vibrant, with a silky lusciousness, purity of fruit and a long finish. Elegant but also highly crowd-pleasing, the wine has a tannin struc ture that means it could age gracefully through 2028 to 2030. Sovereign Wine Imports.

Juicy and detailed aromas of black-raspberry compote, crushed cherry, a hint of lavender and nutmeg cream make for a heady, appealing nose on this bottling. The boysenberry laced palate is layered in earth, meat, soy and oak elements, combining to present an exotic spice note through the finish

Winemaker Matt Revelette manages to make his appellation blends sing. This bottling is wonderfully ripe and juicy with red-fruit aromas but also cinnamon brioche and loamy earth on the nose. The texture is tense and the acidity tingles on the palate, where juicy black cherry, baked strawberry and cocoa-spice flavors work in harmony.

While this is Siduri’s “regular” Pinot, it’s a real standout. Charming fruit and spice aromas seem perfectly aligned with the complex, layered, intricate flavors that follow. The wine is firm textured, concentrated and impressive, offering everything from bright raspberries to rich black cherries to cedar and clove accents. Best from 2025-2032

From the highest elevation of this winery’s single vineyards, this vintage of Applejack is rounder and creamier than Giant Step’s other Pinots. Succulent cranberry and strawberry fruit is accompanied by white pepper, florals, umami and savory spice. With a mouthcoating texture, the savory tannins tug gently on the pure, fresh red fruit. Although this Pinot has the capacity to age, it is complete and ready to drink now. Jackson Family Wines.