Inky garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry, earth, pencil shavings, and dried herbs. In the mouth, tight, muscular tannins wrap around a core of black cherry fruit tinged with the tart flavors of plum skin and cola. Notes of licorice root linger in the finish, which has a minty freshness, thanks in part to fantastic acidity. Quite seamless and sensuous. Fantastic. A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.

Inky garnet in the glass, this wine smells of tobacco leaf, green herbs, and a touch of green bell pepper. In the mouth, juicy cherry and cola flavors are bright with acidity and wrapped in a taut, suede-sheet of tannins. Delicious but missing just a hair of the depth of sibling vintages, which seems a ridiculous quibble given how stunning this wine tastes. Notes of dried flowers linger in the finish. A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec.

Inky opaque garnet in the glass, this wine smells of pencil shavings and cherries. In the mouth, spicy cedar and incense flavors mix with bright cherry and sour cherry fruit that is positively mouthwatering as hulking powdery tannins flex their muscles in the background. Brawny yet wonderfully balanced, with very well integrated wood. Built for the long haul, this wine has many more years ahead of it and I predict will blossom (just as the ’98 has) into something transcendent. Already spectacular. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Inky ruby in the glass, with a hint of garnet at the rim, this wine smells of new oak, cassis and black cherry. In the mouth, flavors of cassis and black cherry are held tightly in a muscular fist of tannins that slightly dry the mouth, despite being fine-grained and supple. Good acidity. There’s a surprisingly primary grapey quality to the fruit of this wine despite being 15 years old at this point. With its acidity and tannic structure, it will continue to age well for several more years. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec.

Dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of incense and black cherry, dried flowers, and herbs. In the mouth, gorgeous acidity brings flavors of dried black cherries, licorice, and dried flowers to life. Incredibly fine-grained, supple tannins wrap around a core of fruit that is still juicy. Notes of cola and cedar linger in the finish with a touch of alcoholic heat, but not enough to mar what is overall a fantastic wine. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Dark ruby in color, this wine smells of pencil shavings and cigar box, and red fruits. In the mouth, incredibly juicy flavors of cedar, cherry, and a hint of lavender positively burst with acidity. Gorgeous, supple, fine-grained tannins caress the edges of the mouth as fantastic mouthwatering acidity puts the tastebuds into overdrive. This is a perfectly complete wine, just entering its third phase of aging and singing at full voice. What a song it is. Astonishingly good. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Again, this is the first vintage produced by Seillan, and made in-part because of the immense challenges of the cold and rainy year, which made ripening Merlot quite difficult.

Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of carob, plum, and black cherry. in the mouth, rich flavors of plum and cherry mix with cedar and dried flowers. Expansive and broad, the wine is wrapped in a gauzy throw of tannins and enlivened with beautifully bright acidity. Effortless and gorgeous, the wine moves across the palate as a seamless whole, leaving scents of dried flowers and herbs in its wake. The goal has always been to make this wine 100% Merlot, but it inevitably has some other varieties in it. This year, however, Seillan achieved his goal, and the wine is solely Merlot. And what a Merlot…Quite likely the single best 100% Merlot I’ve ever had from California.

Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of dusty roads, dark fruit, new oak, and cigar box. In the mouth, juicy plum and cherry flavors mix with new oak, wrapped in muscular tannins that are extremely fine-grained. Fantastic acidity keeps the wine quite fresh through a finish scented with dried herbs and cola. A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec.

Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of dried flowers, black cherry, plum, and the vanilla of oak with just a hint of green bell pepper. In the mouth, wonderfully bright herbal notes mix with plum, green bell pepper, and a touch of jalapeño. Excellent acidity keeps things very fresh, and the tannins, while muscular, are quite fine-grained. Notes of mint linger in the finish giving this wine a fantastic freshness and lift. Expressive, layered, and quite stunning. I predict this wine will continue to improve for several years as I don’t think it is at its peak. A blend of 89% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc.

Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black plum, black cherry, and a hint of pencil lead. In the mouth, muscular tannins wrap around a juicy, mouthwatering core of black plum and graphite. The wood here is much better integrated than the 2005 and 2007. Still has some lovely freshness as green herbs linger in the finish with excellent acidity. This one is built for the long haul, give it 10 years and watch it soar. Extremely impressive. A blend of 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of sweet oak, cherry, and plum. In the mouth, bright plum flavors have the tartness of plum skin still, as extremely juicy acidity makes the fruit boisterous while notes of herbs and dried flowers hover in the background. Muscular tannins grip the core of fruit and linger along with notes of sawdust. This wine will no doubt continue to blossom with time. A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec.

Very dark ruby in color, with just a hint of purple in the highlights, this wine smells of dried flowers, black cherries, and new oak. In the mouth, sandpapery tannins wrap around a core of black cherry and plum fruit that is shot through with the texture and flavor of wood. The tannins are slightly drying, and overall this is not as well integrated as it could be. The wine feels a bit compressed at this stage of its evolution, and I’m not sure if it will ever achieve the seamlessness that is typical of these wines, but I haven’t given up hope yet, as the wine has many admirable qualities, among which are wonderfully lush fruits. Very good acidity. A blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec.

Very dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of dark earth and cedar, with hints of cocoa powder and stewed prunes. In the mouth, the wine has a sort of brooding power, with prune and dried black cherry flavors mixed with deep earthy notes. The remnants of muscular tannins keep the wine structured, but they are ghosts of their former burly selves. Excellent acidity and depth, with the fruit fading a bit more than in the 1998. Savory, with notes of licorice root and Chinese medicine in the finish. A blend of 92.5% Merlot, 7.2% Cabernet Franc, 0.3% Malbec.

Dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of dusty roads and chocolate-covered raisins. In the mouth, juicy acidity brightens flavors of dried cherries, prunes, and cedar with notes of dried flowers and a touch of pencil shavings. Wonderfully juicy and quite delicious with aromatically sweet echoes of fruit still very much alive in the wine. Faint, wispy tannins caress the edges of the mouth. Notes of licorice root linger in the finish. There’s an ethereal, mysterious quality to this wine that makes it utterly compelling. This is the winery’s inaugural wine, made in one of the most difficult vintages in California history, and inarguably, a triumph. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

This northern Syrah with well-drained subsoils of maritime influences traces a clean and refined profile, with the deep fruitiness of tapenade and stone, all framed with admirable freshness.

Top 6 in the 6ix: Wine of the Week - Earth DayWith ‘sur lie’ aging and barrel fermentation the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay has rich layers of flavour alongside a textured and creamy mouth feel. With notes of pineapple, vanilla and honey, this wine is aged for 7 months in French oak for a beautiful balanced taste. It’s truly delicious!

The Gran Moraine Brut Rosé nv, Yamhill-Carlton District, is a blend of 57 percent chardonnay and 43 percent pinot noir that aged two years in bottle on the lees. The color is palest of pale onion skin enlivened by a steady upward stream of tiny bubbles; boy, this one is steely and elegant, characterized by ethereal notes of strawberries and melon, limestone and smoke; even more tantalizing are hints of acacia, lightly buttered cinnamon toast and lime peel; sparkling wine doesn’t come much more crisp and energetic than this model nor as sleek and spare; you feel as if you ought to be well-dressed to sip this high-toned sparkler; what you sniff in the glass comes through on the palate in delicate, nicely balanced manner though the entire enterprise is filtered through glittering layers of limestone and chalk minerality. 12.6 percent alcohol. Beautiful stuff; I could drink it every day.

Transparent ruby. Fresh and grainy on the nose. Round and spicy. Lots of character. A little bit too sweet for my palate but it does have personality and is not too heavy.

Transparent ruby. Damp rope again. And quite a skein of sweetness but the balance is good – acid and tannin at the right levels. Not that concentrated but that’s OK.

Bright garnet. Complex nose that speaks of much more than sweet fruit. Very bright in every way with just a (non-fatal) hint of cappuccino. There is freshness (tick) though quite a lot of sweetness. It has admittedly lasted well.

Deep orangey gold. Pretty mature on the nose. Savoury finish. Interesting! Cool and fresh. Lots of green grassy character. Quite long.

Deep gold. Rich nose but very lively on the palate. A great California archetypal Chardonnay. Racy and round. At peak but not losing it.

Another deep-gold wine. Not much nose. Monterey coolness on the palate but not enough fruit grip in the middle.

Not that deep gold. Lively, green-vegetation nose. Much, much fresher than the average California Chardonnay! Though there is still a bit of sweetness there. But it’s a good example of where it comes from. Funnily enough, without connecting any dots, tasting this immediately reminded me of their neighbours Au Bon Climat. Power to both their elbows…

The Best Wines to Drink This Spring (and What to Serve Them With)Put away your winter coats (and heavy winter wines). This spring, give your at-home wine list a spring cleaning and take your pick of this fresh crop of wines that are just right for the season.Medium-Bodied Reds2016 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, California