Summer Wine Guides 2021: Reds Winemaker’s Notes:The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is located in Santa Barbara County between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton. It is the only East-West Valley on the north coast of North America. This unusual geography funnels the wind and fog in directly from the Pacific Ocean to the vines and makes this one of our coolest grape growing regions. The soils in our Sta. Rita Hills vineyards are also unique as they possess an extremely high amount of calcium. This combination of unique geography and soils yield smaller berries which leads to our most concentrated, structured, and dark colored Pinot Noirs.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: Reds Winemaker’s Notes:This Merlot-led blend is sourced primarily from the Valadorna and Capraia blocks, which produce the estate’s most complex and mineral-led expressions of this variety. The wine exhibits high-toned aromas of ripe black cherries, vanilla bean and cedar. With bright acidity, the wine expands quickly on the palate. Plush tannins carry through the center with a fine, tingling finish. The palate shows flavors of tart cherry pie, dried red berries and black licorice, with a long finish of white pepper, dusty roses and stony minerality.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: Reds Winemaker’s Notes:This Pinot Noir opens with a complex, site-driven aroma profile characterized by expressive dark fruits interwoven with classic notes of black cherry, black raspberry, baking spices and traces of forest floor.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: RosésWinemaker’s Notes:The 2020 Rosé is refreshing and sophisticated in style. This wine exhibits notes of passion fruit, citrus blossom, guava and watermelon rind. Those flavors carry through to a palate that is energetic, lively and well balanced.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: RosésWinemaker’s Notes:The 2020 Rosé has aromas reminiscent of strawberry, grapefruit, Mandarin orange, white peach along with delicate kiwi and floral hints. The fruit flavors lean towards ruby grapefruit and cranberry with a subtle mineral and refreshing acid component that brings complexity and a food-friendly character to the wine. Enjoy our Rosé at cellar temperature (54? F) for maximum complexity or chilled on a hot summer day as an aperitif.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: RosésWinemaker’s Notes:Presents aromas of strawberry, white raspberry, and mandarin orange followed by flavors of cran-raspberry, blood orange, and flinty minerality. On the palate, the 2019 vintage is delicate, crisp, and vibrant.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: SparklersWinemaker’s Notes:On the nose, aromas of white flowers, Braeburn apple and crushed oyster shell. Flavors of lemon meringue, wild strawberries and fresh ginger on the palate. A lively core of acidity is followed by a vibrant lingering finish.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:This highly textured wine displays aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle and tangerine skin. Fresh flavors of Granny Smith apple and Meyer lemon are intertwined with layers of spice and crystallized ginger. A rich and weighty mid-palate is followed by a very long exotic, mineral-infused finish.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:Aromas of Meyer lemon, gala apple, and Jasmine are followed by flavors of pear, Cara Cara orange, and lemon meringue pie. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and juicy with a lingering finish.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:On the nose, this wine shows white flowers, orange blossom and stone fruits. On the palate, you’ll find a generous burst of Meyer Lemon is backed by pineapple with hints of brioche and vanilla, all interwoven on a long, succulent finish driven by vibrant acidity.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:This Chardonnay is energetic and balanced with notes of lemon zest, sourdough bread and a hint of mustard seed.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:Aromas of orange blossom, warm pear and ruby red grapefruit with integrated flavors of white peach, pomelo, crisp apple and baked lemon tart on palate. Balanced acidity and texture invite your next sip.

Summer Wine Guides 2021: WhitesWinemaker’s Notes:This wine is meticulously blended from nearly all parts of the Anderson Valley: from the Skycrest Vineyard located on the eastern ridgetop at 2200 ft. elevation to the softer soils at Ferrington Vineyard on the valley floor near Boonville. And to far reaches of the Anderson Valley appellation of the historical Dupratt Vineyard up high on the western ridgetop at 1600 ft. elevation

Wine of the WeekThis moderate priced Bordeaux is ruby red in color with ripe, red fruit flavors along with hints of spice and nutmeg. Silky smooth tannins and a long finish.

Favorite Finds: June 2021La Crema RoséI’ve been on a personal quest to find the best Rosé this summer (it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it…) and La Crema’s 2019 Monterey Rosé is near the top of my list. It is deliciously smooth. Perfect for sharing with a friend on the patio, sipping poolside, or pairing with a grilled dinner. At $15-16 bucks, it’s also a great value (especially compared to the price of a glass of wine at a restaurant or bar – did NOT miss that while staying home over the past year!) La Crema is easily found in most wine/liquor stores too – give it a try!

Wine of the WeekThe aroma of this very nice Pinot Noir displays the classic Central Coast characteristics of green herbs, dried spices, and the wine has an entry that’s rich and medium bodied. The aftertaste shows good acidity.

Ripe and a touch figgy. Similar on the palate with dark chocolate bitter sweetness. Fresh but a little tough on the finish.

Silly heavy bottle. Very dark purple. Sorry but this is really most unpleasant on the nose. SO overripe! So sweet and over the top. Really I can’t see the point of coming to Bordeaux to make this sort of wine (Jess Jackson’s Bordeaux outpost). So sweet and overblown it may as well be a Russian relic. Sorry, I know this sounds harsh and I have no axe to grind but this is one of the most unpleasant bordeaux I have ever tasted.

Lustrous ruby. Hint of hemp on the nose. Not the freshest. Big and round but a little lacking real fruit concentration on the mid palate.

Food & Wine pairing recommendation

Dark ruby in the glass with a hint of garnet remaining, this wine smells of pencil shavings, cigar box, and red fruits. In the mouth, velvety and smooth, powdery tannins gently clasp flavors of cherry, pencil shavings, mulling spices, and dry earth. Wonderfully floral notes strike a perfumed tone above the mouthwatering core of the wine. Excellent acidity and seamlessness. 13.5% alcohol. Comes in a somewhat heavier-than-needed bottle that weighs 1.6 kg full.

Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry and black currant with hints of dried herbs. In the mouth, fine-grained muscular tannins firmly grasp flavors of black cherry, black pepper, pipe tobacco, and a touch of espresso. Excellent acidity brings some freshness, with notes of dried herbs and dried fennel seeds lingering in the finish., 14% alcohol. Comes in a somewhat heavier-than-needed bottle that weighs 1.6 kg full.

Some wines to go with Father's Day barbecueMore from CaliforniaJackson Family Wines from California is also jumping on the Father’s Day bandwagon.The winery is showcasing its 2018 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay and La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 as wines dads will love.Of course, that doesn’t stop moms and anyone else, for that matter, from enjoying these bottles from the Golden State.So, serve up roasted or barbecued chicken with the Chardonnay, which has a apple-and-butterscotch profile.And the Pinot Noir is a light-enough red from the cooler Sonoma Coast to pair with seared tuna or grilled salmon.

Some wines to go with Father's Day barbecueMore from CaliforniaJackson Family Wines from California is also jumping on the Father’s Day bandwagon.The winery is showcasing its 2018 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay and La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 as wines dads will love.Of course, that doesn’t stop moms and anyone else, for that matter, from enjoying these bottles from the Golden State.So, serve up roasted or barbecued chicken with the Chardonnay, which has a apple-and-butterscotch profile.And the Pinot Noir is a light-enough red from the cooler Sonoma Coast to pair with seared tuna or grilled salmon.

The 42 Best Syrahs to Buy Right NowCrafted by Greg Brewer, this whole-cluster gem spent 60 days on its skins and stems, and the result is a wine of precision and definition: Notably fresh acidity brings tarragon and licorice notes to the fore, where they are joined by green peppercorns, oyster-shell minerality, and a solid core of blueberries, blackberries, and a flowers, especially on the finish. Great price for a wine this layered.