Wines under $20 to spring into spring withThe 2018 Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon from California is — well, good. It’s also a great value for an easy-drinking, food-friendly cabernet. Made from grapes sourced from vineyards throughout California, it delivers abundant plum, cherry and chocolate notes across the palate and ends with a pleasing hint of licorice on the medium finish.

Exploring The Cabernet Sauvignon Of Napa Valley, Part Two: Rutherford And St. HelenaKirsch, black raspberries, dark chocolate, and mineral precede a palate of wonderfully detailed and assertive structure, with flavors of Amarena cherries, red and black currants, dusty tannins that are very much classic of Rutherford’s reputation, toasted fennel seeds, bay laurel, and a dash of coffee. This is built for the long haul, with balance and acidity to spare, and should continue evolving in fascinating ways until the late-2040s.

The Best Sonoma Syrah Wines Any Syrah Lover Must TasteCopain Wines is a Sonoma winery that hosted at my Inagaural Pinots & Plaid Pinot Noir Tasting and adore. I had the chance to visit this beautiful Sonoma gem and fell in love. Read more about my visit to Copain Winery, a Sonoma Winery You Won’t Want to Miss. As for their Syrah which comes from Anderson Valley’s Yorkville Highlands it is a bold Syrah with Red Rasberry and Boysenberry fruit flavors, with elements of stone and spiciness adding to the complexity of this lovely wine.

The Best Syrah Wines Under $35I’ve loved Penner-Ash Cellars for quite a while, and all of their wines are absolutely fantastic! Wineries in Oregon are stunning, read about The Most Incredible Oregon Wineries I’ve Visited on my blog here. The Penner-Ash Syrah is $35 and you can find it on the website here.

The Best Syrah Wines Under $35Kendall-Jackson produces some award-winning lines that combine the cool, coastal, mountains of California. See the Kendall-Jackson website to try their fantastic Syrah for $17.

The Best Syrah Wines Under $35Cambria Wines Syrah is a deep, dark purple color with the perfect balance of flavor. Located in the Santa Maria Valley, their vineyards add for the perfect taste. See the Cambria Wines website to grab your bottle of Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah, one of the Best Syrah Wines for $32.

While Chardonnay is only 2% of Willakenzie’s output, it is growing. The 2018 is aromatic, with floral, apple, and lemon notes, plus a hint of spice and vanilla on the palate.

Sourced from nine different blocks, each broken down further into a variety of small lot ferments. Unusually for the areas, the vineyards do include some basaltic bedrock among the more common sedimental formations. Aromatic, the wine shows red fruit, floral, and spice notes on the nose, supported by an almost oyster-shell mineral character, and a savoriness on the finish. Lighter, and elegant, with more overt structure, tighter tannins, and good length.

The Best for $15 or LessA sunny pinot with earthy tannins framing simple red fruit.

Sommelier Tries 20 White Wines Under $15So next up, we have Kendall Jackson. This is the Vintners Reserve chardonnay and this is from California 2018. This is a name that we all know, it's one of the big players in the wine industry. First off, lots of tropical fruit. Pineapple, papaya, a little bit of green mango. Get lots of like luscious vanilla. And that's due to the oak. It's not over the top buttery and rich in that style. And there's kind of just, just whack, it just like hits you right in the mouth. You know, I think at $11 I think you could find some other great interesting wines at that price point. But if this is your jam, this is your jam and $11, you know, it works.

A very elegant pinot, with dark aromas, silky texture, stunning flavors.

A big ripe cab from one of the leaders in the field, at a great price.

A classic California chard, stylish, with finesse, light oak.

The slice of Cambria Estate Winery dubbed Julia’s Vineyard, named for Julia Jackson in 1986, consists of ancient soils with fossilised seashells, shale, limestone and sand, with fog swept vines that have endured since the 1970s.And Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir is the Californian estate's crowning glory; vibrant garnet in colour with a wonderful swirl of juicy red fruits on the nose. Ripe cherry, bold black grape and strawberry flavours on the palate are complimented by a touch of cinnamon spice and subtle underlying earth tones, followed by a well-rounded, mid-palate and a deftly defined elegant finish.

6 Wines Worth Splurging On This WeekOregon has been on a roll the past few years, consistently producing outstanding Pinot Noirs, one year after another since 2014. This voluptuous 2018 Pinot Noir from Penner-Ash Wine Cellars is another stunning wine from another great vintage. Made with grapes from the Yamhill-Carlton subregion in the widely-respected Willamette Valley famous for its complex Pinot Noirs, this wine hits all the rights notes – bright yet subtle fresh berry flavors, a hint of toasted almond, vanilla and fresh herbs mixed with a dash of roasted figs. An outstanding wine that will drink well for at least the next 10 years.

How old are the vines for the Penner-Ash Wine Cellars Old Vines Riesling 2018? The grapes derived from the Hyland Vineyard in Willamette Valley’s McMinnville sub-AVA, planted in 1971, so for this vintage they were 47 years old. Made all in stainless steel, the wine displays a pale but radiant straw-gold hue and enticing aromas of jasmine, lemon verbena, lime peel and spiced pear, with hints of green apple and slightly earthy flint in the background; a few moments in the glass unfurl notes of quince and candied ginger in nose and on the palate, along with pert citrus flavors animated by crisp and taut acidity; a lithe tide of limestone minerality washes through the finish; every element here is meshed seamlessly in a suave, sleek, silky, scintillating package. 12.9 percent alcohol. Production was 300 cases. Winemaker was Kate Ayres. Penner-Ash was acquired by Jackson Family Wines in 2016.

A terrific value that doesn’t skimp on quality. Classic cherry, and berry notes with a hint of cedar and bit of oak make a great package.

Jackson Family Wines’ mountain portfolio a subline collection from a sublime placeEqually concentrated are the 2017 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon and the firm but succulent 2017 La Jota Merlot, a wine that finally gives credit to an often-maligned grape variety.

Jackson Family Wines’ mountain portfolio a subline collection from a sublime placeEqually concentrated are the 2017 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon and the firm but succulent 2017 La Jota Merlot, a wine that finally gives credit to an often-maligned grape variety.

Jackson Family Wines’ mountain portfolio a subline collection from a sublime placeThe 2017 Mt. Brave Cabernet Franc is a wine with incredible concentration and fresh blueberry and plum notes with hints of lilacs and herbs de Provence on the nose. It isn’t your daddy’s cabernet franc with this structure.

Jackson Family Wines’ mountain portfolio a subline collection from a sublime placeThe absolute killer wine of the bunch is the 2018 Mt. Brave Mt. Veeder Malbec, perhaps the best domestic malbec we’ve tasted yet. Rich, boysenberry flavors, soft tannins and a luxurious mouthfeel with exotic spices, intense aromas and an inky color. Delicious yet powerful.

STA. RITA HILLSCALIFORNIAThe first significant vineyard was planted here in 1971, but budding awareness of how great its Pinot Noirs could be hit in the early 2000’s, and now its wines are cool-climate benchmarks. Try the 2016 Brewer-Clifton Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir to taste the brambly wild berries and faint salinity that characterize these wines.

Appearance: Translucent ruby.Nose: Savory tomato leaf. Black pepper. raspberry.Palate:Medium-plus acid, Heavy mouthfeel. Ripe raspberries. Open fruit. This wine is forthcoming structurally.

COOL-CLIMATE CHARDONNAYCooler regions make Chardonnays that tend to be lower in alcohol with bright acidity and less overtly ripe fruit. Chablis is the touchstone, but regions like Australia's Yarra Valley where the vibrant 2020 Giant Steps Chardonnay comes from are rising fast.

Weighted to red fruit, this pinot has notes of cranberry, pomegranate and cherry, with sage in the mix. Firm tannins. Bright acid and nice length. Tasty.