Siduri Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2017 is another superb Siduri effort. Nice oak notes and delicious red fruits. Supple, silky. Wine gains complexity with time in glass. Ten percent whole cluster fermentation to add tiny—and appropriate—notes of herbaceous, complexity, earthiness, and a dollop of tannin. Nice acidity on the finish. Pair with seafood—salmon, red snapper, swordfish; charcuterie; patés and terrines; lamb; pork; mushrooms; mild cheeses. This also works as a solo sipper with neutral wine crackers during engaging conversations, or even sipped when you are alone with a good book or while binge watching Netflix.

We can always give thanks for wineThere’s a rich spice note that comes with the ripe cherry, blueberry, vanilla and leather aromas of this Pinot. It’s medium-bodied, with bright red berry and cherry flavours, underlying blueberry notes and a white pepper and earthy component on the slightly warm finish. Slightly heavier and more approachable than lighter, savoury/funky Pinots, the La Crema should still satisfy those who are more well-versed in the grape.

Created from three vineyards in the AVA, this is a richer Pinot than the Copain, showing riper fruit flavours such as black cherry, root beer, blueberry, thyme, wild raspberry, vanilla, violet, black tea and orange. A delicious, riper Pinot.

Copain’s entry-level Pinot, the Tous Ensemble, which means stronger together, offers enticing aromas of violet, sandalwood, black cherry, black tea and wild strawberry. It’s medium-bodied, with bright acid, moderate tannins and vivid fruit flavours.

Wine recommendations to ease you into fallFor Chardonnay fans, the Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve 2018 combines fruit from four prime growing regions delivers a nose of banana, mango, vanilla and buttered toast that lead to flavours suggesting nougat, almond and pineapple all wrapped around a ripe, balanced core.

The first sip of the wine will let you know that La Crema is not fooling around. It has rich cherry pie flavors with subtle baking spice aromas. It is difficult finding a quality pinot in the $20 range. I sampled both the 2018 and 2019 vintages of La Crema with this dish. Both years were delicious.

...but if you prefer something a little creamier, there’s the 2019 Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, a fragrant wine with melon and pink grapefruit flavors and an appealing texture.

Grapefruit, grassy, floral aromas. Melon and grapefruit on the palate. Good.

Lemon, lime, apple, grass aromas. A bit of ginger and some salty, stony minerality on the palate. Aromatic, dry, with refreshing acidity and lingering finish. Very good.

These 4 Products Will Give You A Relaxing, Fabulous Thanksgiving to RememberGive Thanks to RoséPSA: We’d love for you to consider including the versatile La Crema Monterey Rosé on your table this year. Not only is this Pinot Noir Rosé pretty in pink, it is also a deliciously crisp wine that will take you from appetizers right into dessert. Try pairing this wine with your favourite cut of turkey, as it works well with white meat, dark meat and everything in between.

The Best Wines For Thanksgiving, All Under $25Here are nine wines under $25—red, white and fizz—that play well with turkey:Bright whitesWhen it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, some chardonnays work better than others. I look for a lightly oaked or unoaked version such as Carmel Road, which is fresh and citrusy with a mellow finish. Save the well-aged, rich and buttery chardonnays for another occasion—there’s enough fat on the table without them. Carmel Road is a certified sustainable pick from Monterey, California, but if you can’t track it down, look for a young, cool-climate option from Canada.

La Crema 40th Anniversary Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, Sonoma County 2018: Exceptional wine; 20-30% whole cluster.

4 stars. A sauvignon blanc that’s light on its feet with breezy notes of papaya, white peach and jasmine. It has nice acid, with a crisp, refreshing finish. It’s solid and balanced, yet delicate. It’s a pretty embodiment of sauvignon blanc.

Santa Barbara also produces great pinot in wines such as the Nielson Pinot Noir 2017 (£19.95 slurp.co.uk) which has ethereal, fresh flavours of ripe strawberries and a touch of spice. Both wines are ideal with lighter meats, duck and anything involving mushrooms.

An Elevated Version of an American FavoriteAs a token of your love on the Sweetest Day, gift a bottle of Chardonnay they wouldn’t buy themselves. Producer of America’s #1 selling Chardonnay for 26+ years, Kendall-Jackson‘s 2018 Jackson Estate Camelot Highlands Chardonnay is the crème de la crème of California Chardonnay. Grown on a hillside above the Santa Maria Bench in Santa Barbara, the bottle features vibrant guava and tangerine flavors combined with notes of cinnamon, candied lime, and vanilla bean, leading to a long, rich finish, made perfect for pairing with creamy Butterfinger or a fall pasta dish. At just $45 bottle, it’ll be sure to impress the wine drinker in your life.

This wine is still aging, but it's drinking well now. The tannin is still a little ornery and will soften in a year or so. But it smells like ripe blackberries fresh off the vine and fresh-turned soil. This wine, with the texture of roasted pork, would be divine.

This Merlot-dominated blend, from the historic Napa Valley winery, has such an alluring nose. A quintessential Napa scent that plays mind games. Chocolate cake, cigar box, barrel spice, and the darkest of plums and black cherries mix, mingle, and role play harmoniously like a steakhouse dessert. The decadent characteristics carry over into a silky smooth palate, but not before the finish gets lifted with great structure and acid to cut through some of the richness. The 2014 vintage is perfectly hitting its stride right now. Appealing, well-rounded, and solid for the price, this is a lush and bold Merlot that easily appeals to Cabernet drinkers out there. Purchase problems.

At first taste, if you picked up a handful of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries and just crushed them, and then as it hangs out on your palate for a second, you get blueberry pie with nutmeg. A little bit of spiciness. When I smelled it earlier, I got more floral notes to it, so fresh roses, earthiness, and even sandalwood. But once opened a little, the floral toned down, fruit more balanced. This is really beautiful.

The Hickinbotham 2014 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunner. From the moment your nose goes anywhere near this you know it’s everything cabernet can be. Lifted cassis, black berry with steady steps into the tasting zone, purity of fruit aided by its medium weight structures, while the variety’s necessary tannins are tapered and beneficial to a long languid finish.

The Hickinbotham 2014 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz is fabulous claret that stayed satisfyingly fresh in an open bottle for more than a week. Its transition from cabernet aromas to shiraz power, without overriding sweet fruit is exemplary. When it comes to that “collector’s mindset” the Hickinbotham winemaking team aspires to, these are all destined for cellaring greatness.

Opens quite spritzy. Distractingly so. I put it aside for 24 hours and the spritz had reduced, but was still there. It’s otherwise a medium-bodied wine of momentum and poise. Mulberry, cassis, bay leaves and smoky oak. Most appealing. And impressive. Spritz-aside. Would love to see this again in 12 months; or from a different bottle. No rating at this stage.

There’s more than one way to ditch white (wine) after Labor DayThe 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is full with aromas of black plum, raspberry, and forest floor, complemented by flavors of bing cherry and sassafras and hints of baking spice. This 100% Pinot Noir bottle pairs with a full table spread, from grilled and roasted meats as well as pasta Bolognese to prosciutto, mushrooms, and cured black olives.

Eight Of The Best Values In Italian Wine Right Nowil fauno di Arcanum, 2017: An elegant Bordeaux styled blend from Tuscany, this wine is primarily Merlot-based, and says winemaker Pierre Seillan, “it’s a great value; it is high quality for a great price.” Indeed, Seillan and Lawrence Cronin hand-select micro-lots of fruit across the vineyards, fermenting each one separately and then making a final, optimal blend that sings with freshness, complexity and richly woven fruit. Drink now or consider aging it 10 -15 years. The exceptional quality will last.

The ‘electric acidity’ of Sta. Rita Hills fine chardonnayRecommended