Well concentrated in flavor and firm in texture, this vivid, meaty, cherry-infused wine holds its fruit flavors in moderate tannins. The nervy feel balances ripe raspberries and red cherries that build on the palate. Best from 2025.

Mint sauce and tobacco and white pepper underlay plump plum and cherry fruit on this Cab Franc, which vibes more Bordeaux than Loire. There's a lick of polished vanillin oak present, too. Tannins are distinctively textured, raspy and spicy, weaving through the plush red fruit. Well structured, this could be drunk now with a roast leg of lamb or cellared through to 2030.

Lively aromas of citrus peel, lemon blossom and grapefruit flesh entertain the nose on this bottling. The palate is pithy and ashy, offering vibrant acidity and a persistent texture that surround the rich, white-fleshed fruit flavors.

Both very well balanced and flavorful, this medium-bodied wine suggests red and black cherries backed by medium tannins for a good, appetizing grip in the texture. It’s a versatile wine for food pairings, and best through 2028.

This is a plush and polished style of Merlot with oodles of cherry, cola, beets with their stems, green peppercorn and an olive savoriness. The palate is full figured; the tannins are a touch drying. Cut it with a steak knife, which you can then use on the steak beside it. But peek through the power and gloss to get at the balanced and site-expressive wine beneath. Drink 2024–2030.

With attractive aromas of honey, white flowers and lime, this medium-bodied and complex white displays a mineral texture that carries bright flavors of apple and white peach accented by honey. The finish starts out with a hint of sweetness followed by delicious lime and saline notes

Easy-to-like aromas of strawberry and wet stone converge on the nose of this bottling. The palate combines subtle flavors of watermelon, cotton candy and bubblegum, with ample acidity and a chalky texture.

This crisp Chardonnay was fermented in a combination of stainless steel, concrete egg and barrel, followed by 10 months in French oak, 25% new. The aromatics are dominated by tropical fruit, mostly guava and a trace of orange. A nice, creamy texture awaits, along with ample acidity. Flavors of tangelo, lemon zest and saline rule the day.

There's the slightest fizz in the glass on this bottling that offers aromas of white melon, banana, gardenia and tropical flowers on the nose. There's a steely minerality to the sip, where Pink Lady apple slice and honeysuckle flavors align.

This medium-bodied wine offers inviting aromas of lemon thyme. Flavors suggest shallots, lemons and cured ham, with an appetizing, crisp texture.

A robust red that retains a sense of grace and structure, this offers expressive raspberry and tart blueberry flavors that mingle with rose petal, dusky spice and stony minerals as it builds richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2029. 312 cases made.

This has a wonderful sense of restraint, with powerful Meyer lemon, yuzu and tangerine flavors mingling with peppery white flower notes and an appealing thread of sea salt crunchiness. Energetic, showing plenty of verve on the finish. Drink now. 9,000 cases made.

Displays a nice savory base, with cinnamon bark and herb notes up front, joined by rich flavors of cherry and Santa Rosa plum around fine, minerally tannins. Drink now. 175 cases made, 175 cases imported.

Opens with apple blossom and mineral notes, which are underscored by a crème fraîche cast to the melon and Asian pear core. The finish is driven by vibrant mineral acidity. Drink now. 200 cases made, 200 cases imported.

I last opened a bottle of this two years ago and I have to admit that those tasting notes are still pretty spot on. Like I said in the previous note (“golden in the glass, but no signs of oxidation on the nose, just tons of honeyed, even candied lemon curd, laden with heavy doses of vanilla and oak. Yeah, this is a big’un, certainly in the style of those late 90s California Chards“), on the continuum of fruity and fresh to oaky and buttery, this definitely trends toward the latter, way towards the latter. That does not scare me in the slightest (although I prefer my Chardonnay with a defter hand), but this is not a Chard for the Anything But Chardonnay crowd. At. All. Excellent.

I had the chance to sit down with winemaker Kristy Melton to talk about her philosophy of making wine last May. Her wines are beautiful and this one was delicious, nuanced, and elegant. I tasted notes of dark berry, dark chocolate, cherry cordial, herbs, oak, cedar, and spice.

A quintessential Napa Chardonnay has lots of depth and layers. I got notes of baked apple, tropical fruits, candied citrus, Asian spices, and stone fruit with a touch of vanilla.

Cola, bright, juicy, fine tannins.

Juicy, long, intense, fine tannins, fresh

A perfumed nose of wild berries, dark cherries, plums, undergrowth, graphite and some dark chocolate. Full-bodied with fine tannins. The palate is creamy with texture and balance. Flavorful finish with excellent length. Best after 2025.

The grapes come from blocks grown at 400-1800 feet above sea level. The prevalent oak tones mellowed after a day, letting the pretty lemon tones and white orchard fruits shine. Anise notes, creamy and lactic, a pleasant and not overdone interpretation of Sonoma Chard.

Full and waxy, a little Chenin-like. Tropical fruits hit the palate first then lemon compote layered with some buttery tones. Rich mouthfeel, similar to wines coming produced from fossil-rich, limestone parcels. At 14.5%, the alcohol is a little evident, but mitigated with a pasta and mushroom cream sauce dish.

Now to the wine, a lovely combination of ocean-cooled crispness, elegant, sunny fruit, creamy texture, old-vine complexity and flavours of lemon zest, crunchy ripe apple, cashew nut and sourdough toast.

Slick with layers of sweet cream and melted butter, this rich, opulent wine characterises that classic California sumptuousness but with a freshness of pear and quince flavours. While unabashedly soft and hedonistic, it's an elegant, smartly sculpted wine with a cooling, salty finish.

This profoundly ripe, densely concentrated Chardonnay is a bolder expression of the Santa Rita Hills AVA. Weighty and voluminous but still squarely anchored in acidity, this powerful wine pulsates with ripe Asian pear and yellow cherry flavours speckled with hints of dill, candied ginger and toasted brioche.