Hand picked and wild fermented. The norm here. Long, gentle extraction in amphorae, with 69% on skins for 198 days, gleaning long-limbed tannic nourishment and the sense of pixelated freshness that marks so many of the grenache wines. While the buzz is around Blewitt Springs, Clarendon expresses a more ferrous and firm iteration. Pithy. Nobly bitter, if not a little unresolved at the finish. Cherry cola, licorice root, dried thyme, bergamot, raspberry and persimmon. Latent but very fine. Your patience will be appreciated.

The second release of this wine. Hand-picked grenache blanc (73%) and roussanne (27%), with small portions macerated on skins for a whopping 112 to 121 days. The rest, whole-bunch pressed to ceramic eggs for fermentation under natural yeast. Culled and blended to the tune of compelling exactitude, richness and uncanny freshness, belying the overtones of stone fruit, Mirabelle plum and tea tree as much as the baritone of marzipan, truffle and pine resin. This wine marks the future in these parts, auguring real greatness.

The 2012 Le Desir has a medium garnet color and woodsy, musky scents of mossy bark, fi r needles and desiccated fl owers. The palate has firm, velvety tannins, unexpectedly bright currant fruit and a long,tobacco-laced finish. I would be inclined to drink this over the next 5 to 7+ years.

Deep ruby-garnet, the 2014 La Joie is alluringly tertiary on the nose with tones of iodine and truffl e, old cigars,dried tobacco and blackcurrant. The medium-bodiedpalate is velvety and seamless, and the wine isshowing a structural harmony and ideal balance offruit and umami character. It's drinking beautifully!

All Syrah from the Sta. Rita Hills (I'm not sure about the vineyard sources here) and made by Greg Brewer, the deep ruby/plum-hued 2021 Syrah Sta. Rita Hills has textbook aromatics of ripe red and black fruits, gamey meats, bay leaf, ground pepper, and marine-like nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, concentrated, layered profile, and flawless balance, it has a distinctly cool climate style while being gorgeously textured, layered, and elegant. It might be the finest vintage of this wine I’ve tasted.Drink bottles over the coming decade.

More exotic flowers, honeyed lemon zest, tropical fruits, and buttered green almond notes all emerge from the 2021 Chardonnay Machado, a beautifully textured, ripe, opulent, sexy Chardonnay with
good acidity and terrific balance. Give it a year and enjoy bottles over the following decade.

Leading off the reds, the 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills offers a pure, complex, intense perfume of ripe raspberries, peppery herbs, exotic flowers, and underbrush. This deep, rich, medium to fullbodied Pinot Noir has a layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish. It will stand up to anything in the vintage and should be snatched up by savvy readers.

Another savory, spicy, marine-influenced effort, the 2021 Pinot Noir Perilune reveals a mostly translucent ruby hue as well as complex notes of mulled raspberries, darker cherries, dried herbs, loamy soil, and hints of leather. As with the other 2021s here, it's beautifully complex, medium to full-bodied, has a gorgeous texture, and outstanding length.

Bright raspberries, framboise, spring flowers, and sappy herb notes emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir 459, a pretty, lifted, floral Pinot Noir that’s medium to full-bodied and has a vibrant spine of
acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a great finish. It's another beautifully layered, complex, complete wine in the lineup. It's going to age as well. Give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar if you can and enjoy over the following decade.

An exemplar of warm-climate shiraz, full-weighted and plush, yet managing to come across as fresh, poised and eminently drinkable all at once. Not an easy feat. Hand picked and extracted gently, with the cap kept wet across a three-week period on skins. Matured in oak (30% new) for eight months before blending and transfer to an old 25L foudre and a concrete egg for a further 10 months. Raspberry coulis, clove, star anise and black plum. The tannins, impeccably managed, as is the wont here, with a fine line of savoury chew. The freshness, bright and salty. Excellent wine.

A large-framed wine defined by a serendipitous ripening season and skilled craftsmanship. The tannins, impeccably managed and refined. The oak, all sex appeal. The sheer density of currant, sage, black olive, rosemary and thyme, an immaculate forcefield. This is built for the cellar. An Australian wine that tastes, as it always has, as if it was made by an American with a deep comprehension of tannin management.

A joint effort from Chris Carpenter and Pete Fraser. Majority cabernet (60%) riding riffs of cassis, mint, rolled sage, tapenade and bay leaf over shiraz's warmer chord below. A rich wine of immaculate tannic cladding, attesting to optimal fruit quality and a deft hand. Like alloyed ballbearings running through the mouth. The mocha-cedar of the oak is salubrious of feel rather than obtuse or excessive. Maritime freshness, a classy undercarriage infusing energy while towing impressive length. This is an immensely classy wine that sets the bar very high for the quintessential home blend.

Powerful but still approachable upon release, the nose reveals blackberry, cherry, black tea, and white pepper. Notes of rich mocha and dried herbs show up shortly after. On the palate, flint and minerals give a savoury edge to the wine, while acidity breathes freshness into this full-bodied wine. The texture is expansive across the palate with supple tannins and a long finish.

Lush and dense, with both black cherry and blackberry fruit, but firm, ripe tannins too. Fluid and balanced, with a burr to the finish, along with a mineral, mouthwatering impression. Finds nice harmony and length in the end. Best from 2025 through 2042. 960 cases made, 453 cases imported.

Very attractive with subtle aromas of red and blue fruit, ground spices, sandalwood and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with finesse and delicacy. Compact and balanced. It shows layers of fine tannins with depth and polished texture. Long and even. Needs some time. Try after 2025.

Rounded and fresh aromas of boysenberry jam, lavender and rose petal are floral while rich and juicy on the nose of this bottling. The mouthfeel is creamy with fine-grained tannins that slowly grow more rigid, as acidity rips through the boysenberry, strawberry and white pepper flavors, with a hint of herb on the finish. Cellar Selection.

Youthful and lively in the glass. Complex aromas of grapefruit, melon skin, mineral and just-ripe stone fruit, teaming nicely with a mealy nuttiness. Focused and precise on the palate. Up front, there's a core of citrus and nectarine at play, then a swift punch of minerally acidity kicks in and keeps all taut and fine. Plenty of texture and lovely mouth-feel. A very complete wine

Complex aromas of wet stone, struck match, just-ripe nectarine, white flowers and melon skin: there’s a whole lot going on here. Fine, textured, mouth-filling and layered with stone fruit, grapefruit pith, minerals, nuts and talc. Long, layered and very complex with punchy acidity and a nice lick of phenolic grip.

Greg Brewer’s wines manage to reflect both a winemaking style and a specific
site at the same time. In this version, aromas of sour cherry, pepper and herbs lead into a palate loaded with raspberry jellies and more minty herbs, capturing the wind-cooled sunshine and surrounding
nature with glee.

Even Greg Brewer’s appellation cuvée
carries his hallmark, addictive combination of sensory sensations. Light in the glass, it begins with aromas of fresh strawberry, red plum, wild thyme and chaparral spice on the nose. The palate snaps with refreshing acidity, powering through vibrant
red fruit, earthy herb and peppery spice flavors. Delicious, fun, memorable

A medium golden hue, the 2021 Riesling has fresh and attractive aromatics of ripe peach,citrus blossoms, and lime candy. Fully dry, this medium-bodied white has a wonderfulcore of fresh acidity and concentration. It off ers a beautifully elegant texture and revealsnotes of savory herbs, mouthwatering salinity, fresh lime zest, green apple, and darkminerals. I love this wine for its impressive, layered aromatics and its savory character.Drink it over the next 10 or more years.

Pouring a youthful yellow with a shimmering green hue, the 2020 Chardonnay Broken
Road Vineyard has the most energy and focused drive in this lineup. Its aromas of lemon curd, honeycomb, ripe pear, and wet stone are followed by a medium to full-bodied white with a cushion of fruit, a driving feel, and a stony texture that’s balanced well with melon,
peach, and delicate spice. Drink 2024-2034.

Medium yellow with a tinge of silver, the 2021 Chardonnay Jennifer's is ripe but has lift, with aromas of flint, yellow flowers, chamomile, and fresh yellow apple. Medium-bodied, with a driving, vibrant structure, it has more dryness and citrus tones on the palate, with
Meyer lemon, smoky earth, and green apple skin. It’s long on the palate, with a more
linear feel. Drink 2024-2032.

Taking a darker and savory tone aromatically, the 2021 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is a youthful yellow with a tinge of silver and lifts with notes of salty earth, hay, lime leaf, and mango skin aromas. This medium-bodied Chardonnay is ripe up front, with juicy melon followed by a nice spine of lemon-lime citrus on the finish and a more persistent sense of acidity. Give it another year and drink 2024-2032.

A ripe golden hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard offers more broadness right
away with its perfume of jasmine, ripe tropical fruit, toasted spice, and apricot. Fullbodied, with a soft, viscous texture and notes of honeyed citrus and ripe salted pineapple, it’s long on the finish, with a sunny, opulent feel. It’s approachable now or over the next
6-8 years.