($28): This refined Pinot Noir focuses on ripe, but not jammy, fruit flavors complemented by subtle spice and enough savory nuances to keep it interesting.  The mild tannins appear even milder because they are so polished, giving a pleasing overall texture. … Read more

($45): Merry Edwards consistently makes a stunning array of Pinot Noirs.  Four recent releases from the 2012 vintage continue her streak.  This one, a blend from grapes grown in several vineyards in the Russian River Valley, delivers a wonderful tension between ripe fruit flavors and smoky savory nuances. … Read more

($54): One of the things I admire about Merry Edwards’s Pinot Noir is that the single vineyard bottlings are different one from the other.  The 2012 Flax Vineyard is more muted and more fruit focused at this stage compared to the Klopp Ranch with less savory character. … Read more

($60): The 2012 Merry Edwards Klopp Ranch Pinot Noir really sings.  The first whiff announces an exciting savory and earthy component that ultimately balances the ripe, but not jammy, California fruit component.  It’s more concentrated than her Russian River Valley bottling, but the increased power is not at the expense of elegance. … Read more

($57): At this stage — and I qualify it because this wine, like Merry Edwards’ other Pinot Noir, is still evolving even though bottled — combines attributes of her Klopp Ranch and Flax Vineyard bottlings.  Engaging aromatics grab your attention immediately, while a seamless combination of bright fruit flavors and savory nuances hold it. … Read more

($28): There’s not a lot of Albariño, a white grape that makes an aromatic and energetic wine in Rías Baixas (an area in northwest Spain’s Galicia area), grown in California.  Indeed, at last count (2013) there were just over 200 acres of the grape planted in the entire state. … Read more

($40): Petite Sirah is, of course, misnamed because there’s nothing petite about it.  And that’s its major attraction and, simultaneously, its major flaw.  Many Petite Sirah can be overwhelming — boisterous and alcoholic and nothing else.  Clayhouse Estate is robust and intense, yes, but it is balanced and not overdone considering the grape. … Read more

($55): Despite being one of the pioneer wineries in Napa Valley, ZD Wines, established in 1969 and named after the founders, Norman deLeuze and Gino Zepponi, flies under the radar of many consumers.  Originally focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Carneros, they added a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon a decade or so later. … Read more

($14): It’s abundantly clear that David Stare’s decision in 1972 to plant Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek Valley was brilliant.  That grape brought — and continues to bring — acclaim to Dry Creek Vineyard.  The 2014, labeled, as always, Fumé Blanc (an allusion to the Loire Valley’s Pouilly Fumé) is marvelous with a rich texture offset by grapefruit rind-like bitterness and delicate bite. … Read more

($18): Dave Stare, who founded Dry Creek Vineyard, always made superb Sauvignon Blanc.  Though he is no longer making the wines, the tradition continues.  For the first time, they are including two clones, estate grown Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Musqué, with Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more

($11): This Viognier is an unbelievable bargain.  Viognier is notoriously difficult to get right because it often comes across as a heavy wine.  McManis got this one right.  It leads with a delicate whiff of white flowers and then dances delicately on the palate, finishing with a bright and racy signature. … Read more

($92): Miljenko “Mike” Grgich put California wines firmly on the world’s wine map in 1976 when a Chardonnay he made when he was Chateau Montelena’s winemaker beat out a bevy of white Burgundies for first place at a comparative tasting in Paris. … Read more

($60): The Nickel & Nickel Harris Vineyard Merlot, though similarly floral to their Suscol Ranch bottling, is firmer with more backbone and structure at this stage.  The tannins are more apparent, but still not aggressive or astringent.  It delivers a marvelous leafy character that compliments and reinforces its dark, warm fruit and dense minerality. … Read more

($42): If all Merlot tasted like this one from Grgich Hills Estate, the varietal would not be lampooned but rather lionized.  This one manages to be plush and seductive without be flabby.  Indeed, its structure shows it’s serious wine, not to be confused with the “I’ll a glass of Merlot” category. … Read more

($60): Nickel & Nickel specializes in single vineyard wines — not as a marketing tool, but because the wines are different and unique.  Their two 2012 Merlots, sourced from Suscol Ranch and Harris Vineyard, show, in clear relief, the value of their approach. … Read more

($40): One word describes this wine — graceful.  Truchard Vineyards has resisted the temptation to join the crowd with an over-the-top blockbuster Cabernet.  Instead, they’ve chosen the graceful path with a wine displaying an alluring herbaceous quality without being under-ripe.  There’s plenty of power here, but it doesn’t scream or overwhelm your palate — or the food for that matter. … Read more

($20): Beckman, known best for the stylish red and white Rhône blends, also produces a Sauvignon Blanc, a grape not known to the Rhône Valley, from their own grapes.  The 2014 is a balanced version with a touch of expected bite offset by a hint of creaminess. … Read more