Best Buys in the Market, 1 star When the discussion turns to white wines long on value, Sauvignon Blanc remains among the very best...while the * MATANZAS CREEK Alexander Valley 2017...are balanced, solidly varietal bottlings that give equal play to fresh fruit and herbs.

Estate of Arceno, Sense of Place Valadorna, on the other hand, is a blend based on Merlot grapes (61%), mainly from the Valadorna and Capraia vineyards, with 19% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot ( 6%). A wine that significantly conveys the complexity and richness of the terroir. Notes of morello cherry, black figs and the sweetness of brown sugar are part of scents that taste like earth, iron and graphite. A rich and velvety wine with a full palate, a long and persistent finish characterized by the use of a new and of a second-hand French oak barrel.

Estate of Arceno, Sense of Place All the tastes of the Bordeaux blends that embody the diversity of the estate, are superb, in particular the Di Sotto, Curva, Colombaio and San Giovanni vineyards that originate Il Fauno di Arcanum and Valadorna Igt Toscana. The first, Bordelais blend, with a prevalence of Merlot (51%), 31% of Cabernet Franc, 17% of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% of Petit Verdot, is a balsamic wine with scents of aromatic herbs, mint and cedar. The velvety tannin meets a decidedly persistent finish.

Estate of Arceno, Sense of Place In contrast (it is an absolute preview in tasting) Arcanum Igt 2016, 100% Cabernet Franc. A small number of bottles produced from about one hectare of vineyards. Wine of great charm and elegance, particularly suitable for long aging but pleasant even when young with its aromas of violet, rose and delicate spicy notes. At the nose dark fruits, black currants and berries are dominant. The palate is an explosion of cocoa and coffee, the fruit is well defined, the tannins are complete.

Estate of Arceno, Sense of Place Sangiovese find its full expression in Strada al Sasso, a vineyard planted in 1998, from which the Gran Selezione comes, the perhaps most intense and deep wine of Tenuta di Arceno. Complex wine, an olfactory palette of black fruits, undergrowth, bay leaves, roasted coffee aromas, nutmeg. On the palate it is dense and concentrated, fresh and savory. The acidity is typical of Sangiovese.

Zinfandel one of the best values in wine Good values for everyday: Edmeades. Established in 1972, Edmeades has long been respected as a zinfandel specialist, even as the winery has branched out to other varieties. The 2016 Mendocino County has juicy raspberry, admirable depth and a touch of herb.

Intense, sweet, deep zin, with soft contours, complex fruit.

Best Edmeades I've had in years, deep, rich, quality fruit.

Incredible zin, very fine grained, detailed, spicy, vibrant, elegant.

The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Guide To Celebrate All Things Love The acidity found in unoaked Chardonnays stands up well to sweet caramel, while traditional California Chardonnays offer strong oak, buttery notes that pairs perfectly with creamy desserts like banana cream pie or vanilla pudding. Choose either a newfound favorite like the classic Vintner’s Reserve.

The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Guide To Celebrate All Things Love Fresh, fruit-forward wines are the perfect pairing for this Valentines (or Galentine’s) Day — sip on a grapefruit and strawberry forward rosé like Kendall-Jackson’s 2018 Vintner’s Reserve Rosé and pair it with your favorite charcuterie plate combination.

Well aren't you adorbs. Here we have a really nice American Cab that’s wrapped up in a nice little package checking off all the boxes; and it’s only a little over twenty bucks. Dark fruit vibes, check. Cracked black pepper woven in, check. Good tannin structure that is prominent but blended well, check. If you bring this to any gathering let’em know who brought it and tell’em VinePair sent ya. B+.

Try these great winter wines to get you through to spring Another winner from Jackson Family Wines founded by the late Jess Jackson, this wine is 87 percent cabernet sauvignon with the balance filled out by cabernet franc, malbec, and petite verdot. Cassis and black cherry elements with a hint of chocolate form the core of this classically made wine. Although approachable now this wine will age gracefully for 10-plus years.

New Year, New You How Cocooning Can Help You Relax in 2020 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon recommended during the segment.

Top 10 wines for 2020 My taste in Pinot Noir typically resides in the old world Burgundy realm and, as such, I find many California examples a little overripe for my tastes but there are exceptions to almost every rule and this is one of them. Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton founded this winery in 2005 and sold controlling interests to Jackson Family Wines in 2017 but remain on as part owners and winemaking team. This is really impressive Pinot crafted in the Burgundian mould with notes of cassis, dried figs, spice and cranberry. Try it with duck confit, roast chicken and baked salmon.

Anderson Valley is justifiably receiving more attention for their restrained, elegant versions of pinot noir. Located in Mendocino County near the coast this cool climate area produces fine pinot noir that tends to be lower in alcohol and featuring less jammy fruit than some of their more southern cousins. This version by Kendall- Jackson offers delicious strawberry and plum notes and light tannins in a very easy to drink style and affordable style.

Four Expressions of Siduri Pinot Noir The fruit for this wine came from three different appellations in Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, and Eola-Amity. It comes from seven different clones from seven different vineyards. This accounts for the acidity up front and the juicy modest textures in the mid-palate.

Four Expressions of Siduri Pinot Noir The fruit in this wine explodes in the mouth. The tannic backbone creates an enduring sensation on the palate. Best with food, especially pork, veal, duck, rabbit and Asian dishes. Maybe Thai chicken curries'. This wine was fermenting when the winery became surrounded by fires, making it inaccessible for three days, and without power or gas for a week. Despite these hurdles Siduri produced a successful wine.

Four Expressions of Siduri Pinot Noir This example is very Russian River in character with gushing, dominant fruit and approachable tannins. Can be quaffed or served with pink meat.

Four Expressions of Siduri Pinot Noir Ready to drink. This seductive style makes this as good for quaffing in front of a movie as it would be paired with duck, noodle dishes such as Vietnamese vermicelli soups, or grilled pork chops. In fact, pork’s affinity for fruit makes this a liquid surrogate for e.g. apple sauce.

50 Great Wines of 2019 Exceptional

50 Great Wines of 2019 Exceptional

50 Great Wines of 2019 Exceptional

WINE WITH…Potato Gratin with Ham and Cheese A tad sweet, with jammy cherry fruit, this Pinot feels seductively silky on the palate. That sensation, even more than any particular flavor, helped it pair well with the creamy potatoes and gooey cheese.

Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of cherry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth, tightly wound tannins wrap flavors of cherry, cedar, and wet earth. There's a hint of bitter orange as the wine finishes. This one needs a bit of time. 14.2% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.