The 25 Best Cabernet Sauvignons for2020It’s big and oaky. The fruit is rich and tart; you’ll smack your lips for real. The tannins are subtle at first but then they settle in, giving the wine a nice long finish. It could use maybe one more year in bottle to soften up a bit, but this is a typical steakhouse red that you can bring to the parents or gift the boss.

The 25 Best Cabernet Sauvignons for2020The cool thing about this wine is that it won’t cost you too much, and you still get some seriously powerful Cali Cab vibes. This bottle is still aging, but is showing some awesome right now. It has nice tight fruit, with classic aromas thatwill remind you of cherries (maybe even cranberries), a forest in October, and a whiff of cracked black pepper. The tannins are young and dry, but create a nice framework for the fruit. It’s such a nice, balanced wine, and would kill as a gift toimpress the boss or maybe an in-law.

The 25 Best Cabernet Sauvignons for2020This wine shows the full power of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s dark and brooding and deserves descriptors such as: dense aromas of mocha and blackberries with slight hints of white and black pepper. All this means that this bottle is straight-up amazing. It has a rustic edge on the palate that will onlysoften over another year or so. If you’re going to spend this much money on Napa, please consider this bottle and buy the most expensive cut of meat you can afford.

Next we venture to the well-balanced Cambria Estate Winery 2018 Katherine's Vineyard chardonnay, which we pair with strawberry yogurt and waffles. The nose on this wine is spring in a bottle: fresh citrus blossom, flowers, and fruit, complemented by apple and wet stone in the body, with oak influence mid-palate. Sitting with my waffles, yogurt, and chardonnay, I start thinking about Hearst Castle and the ridiculously well-to-do: If each millionaire financially adopted each of the restaurants they regularly eat at (just for the shelter-at-home duration), everyone's favorite places wouldn't have to close down after the quarantine.

Rich raspberry, cranberry and spice rack on the La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 showed the winery has really stepped up its game.

In a statewide trend, the Siduri Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2018 seems more like its brethren from California for its ripeness, but stays true to its earthy Oregon roots as well.

On the austere side and true to its site, the Siduri Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2018 mellows out with elegant blue fruit, sage and rosemary.

The Siduri Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 2018 had raspberry, black cherry and spice rack flavors, while the plush mouthfeel of the Siduri Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 had darker fruits and mountain scrub notes.

The Siduri Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 2018 had raspberry, black cherry and spice rack flavors, while the plush mouthfeel of the Siduri Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 had darker fruits and mountain scrub notes.

We also tried the 2018 Naissance Napa Valley sauvignon blanc from Galerie Wine; a perfect wine to enjoy on a group video chat from your lanai.This low-production wine is aged using three methods: stainless steel tank, concrete egg and neutral oak barrels. It is aromatic, tropical and fresh, with nicely balanced grapefruit on the finish.

Very dark purple in the glass, this wine smells of black cherry, graphite and black plum. In the mouth, black cherry, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings mix with darker earthier notes of licorice and dried flowers. Excellent acidity and muscular tannins.

La Crema is always reliable for a straightforward but unsurprising bottle of pinot noir, and this Monterey-sourced bottling offers few twists for the drinker. Notes of cola on the nose are counterbalanced by a fairly meaty, often doughy body, where notes of black pepper interplay with a core of raspberry, cherry, and some rhubarb. Easygoing and uncomplicated — and about as expected for a wine at this price level.

Few people would dispute the assessment that Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, is one of the premier regions in California — if not the planet — for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Of course a lot can happen between the conjunction of nature and human beings in the vineyard and what ends up on the bottling line. La Crema Chardonnay 2017, Russian River Valley, is unfortunately a prime example of that premise. The color is medium straw-gold; the wine indeed displays more density, more complexity that the two models mentioned above, but it also reveals an insidious oak influence that skews its character toward burnt sugar, strident baking spices, roasted citrus flavors and toasted coconut qualities. I know that some people — to my great perplexity — like this style of chardonnay, and for them I bestow a rating of Very Good+ on this wine. It ain’t for me though.

The geographical range narrows somewhat here, though Sonoma Coast is still a vast area that actually makes no sense as a unified appellation; the topography and soil are too varied. Still, this region produces many fine examples of chardonnay and pinot noir. The example here displays a pale straw-gold hue that practically shimmers in the glass; classic notes of pineapple and grapefruit, yes, but infused by hints of jasmine and honeysuckle, quince and ginger, with spare touches of cloves and nutmeg; for the price, this is a chardonnay that delivers superb tone and presence on the palate, as well as keen acidity and a plangent element of limestone minerality that dominates the drawn-out finish. 13.5 percent alcohol. Drinking beautifully now and through, I estimate, 2023 or ’24.

The color is medium straw-gold; aromas of ripe pineapple and grapefruit reveal a touch of baked apple and quince, with a bit of cloves in the background; bright acidity balances tasty citrus and stone-fruit flavors with a tide of limestone minerality and slightly creamy oak that defines the finish. 13.5 percent alcohol. A shoo-in for restaurant and bar by-the-glass programs.

What to Drink Now: Wine During a PandemicWild yeast fermented and concrete egg aged, from estate-grown fruit in Australia’s McLaren Vale, Yangarra Roux Beaute Roussanne is well rounded, fresh, and lively, with spicy ginger, apricot, honey, and tangerine.

What to Drink Now: Wine During a PandemicFrom Santa Maria Valley Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay opens with aromatic citrus blossom followed by mandarin and green fig.

Brambles, oak spice on the nose. Cherry, cola, pencil, minerality on the palate. A bit hot, but with a lingering finish. Good plus.

Light reds, rich whites pair well with Easter fareCalifornia pinot noir can be very rich and flavorful, and strong enough to cross over to lamb and kielbasa. One of those is Cambria Clone 4 Santa Maria Valley 2015 Pinot Noir, with spicy cocoa smells and an earthy, cherry character with a very soft landing.

Valadorna IGT Toscana 2013 is a blend based on Merlot grapes that enhances the complexity and mineral richness of the terroir from which it comes. The wine exalts aromas of exotic spices, predominating jasmine, cumin and vanilla bean. The palate has soft and long tannins, accompanied by a fresh acidity. Excellent in combination with lamb dishes, typical of the traditional Easter menu. A wine suitable for lovers of the oenological excellence of Chianti Classico, one of the most fascinating areas of Tuscany. Valadorna IGT Toscana 2013 was awarded the THREE GLASSES by the Gambero Rosso guide "I Vini d'Italia 2019".

Best of Bordeaux: Six affordable fine wines from France’s preeminent wine regionChâteau Lassègue is one of Saint-Émilion’s best-value wines. Purchased in 2003 by Jackson Family Wines – a wealthy Californian wine dynasty – Lassègue is run in partnership with senior winemaker Pierre Seillan. Their investment has paid massive dividends: the style is lush yet refined, with wallet-friendly prices.

Freemark Abbey - A Change In Winemakers, Not In StyleAnother single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Freemark Abbey; the Sycamore Vineyard is slightly more than a mile south of Bosché, and is situated up against the Mayacamas Mountains. Bright, deep ruby red; aromas of black cherry, blackberry and violets. Excellent ripeness, subdued wood notes, good acidity. Silky tannins and balanced acidity. Peak in 10-12 years. Excellent

Freemark Abbey - A Change In Winemakers, Not In StyleThis Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bosché vineyard in Rutherford has been the signature wine of Freemark Abbey for more than three decades. Bright, deep ruby red; aromas of black currant, black cherry and violets. Rich mid-palate, excellent persistence. Lovely wine, with beautiful complexity as well as impressive depth in the finish. Excellent persistence, good acidity. Approachable now, but this will be more impressive with additional time in the bottle. Peak in 12-15 years, perhaps longer. Outstanding

Freemark Abbey - A Change In Winemakers, Not In StyleAromas of black cherry, raspberry and red poppy. Medium-full with very good concentration. Quite harmonious, with round, elegant tannins and good acidity. Very well made, this offers bright, ripe Cabernet Sauvignon fruit that is very appealing. Approachable now, but best to wait another year or two, with peak drinking in 7-10 years. Excellent

Freemark Abbey - A Change In Winemakers, Not In StyleBright ruby red; aromas of black cherry and red flowers. Medium-full - 60% of the fruit is from Howell Mountain - the tannins are quite soft and the wine is nicely structured. Balanced acidity, elegant finish. Enjoyable now- drink over the next 5-7 years. Excellent