($60): Jake Fetzer, who along with his brother, Ben, run Masút Vineyard and Winery, explains that each year they select a wine from one of the blocks in their estate vineyard that they think has done very well and bottle a portion of it separately. … Read more

($40): Jacob and Ben Fetzer have their work cut for them.  As grandchildren of the famed Barney Fetzer, who founded Fetzer Winery and put Mendocino County on the world’s wine map, they have big shoes to fill.  Judging by this Pinot Noir, they are up to the challenge and will succeed. … Read more

($45): Practically a single vineyard wine — the two vineyards that provide fruit are less that 250 yards apart in the Rutherford Bench and are composed of the same gravelly loam soil — this bottling speaks with precision and focus.  It delivers ripe, but not jammy, black fruit enrobed in silky tannins. … Read more

($50): You’d expect that J Vineyards, one of California leading sparkling wine producers, would know about Pinot Noir since they use that grape in their bubbly.  And judging from Misterra, a blend of Pinot Noir (90%), Pinot Meunier and Pinotage, they do. … Read more

($60): Laurel Glen Vineyard, one of California’s great producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, seems to fly under the radar for reasons I don’t understand. Except for a tiny amount of rosé, Laurel Glen makes only Cabernet Sauvignon — and superb Cabernet at that — and they sell them at reasonable prices. … Read more

($35): This lush Cabernet has plenty of concentration, a whiff of vanilla from oak aging and mild tannins, making it lovely for current consumption.  Herbal notes add complexity.  Its depth and polish make it a good choice for a steak this winter.… Read more

($30): Patrick Campbell, who founded Laurel Glen Vineyard, one of Sonoma’s iconic wineries, in 1977, sold it to Bettina Sichel in 2011, who brought in David Ramey as consulting winemaker.  Their 2011 Counterpoint, their second label, is a great success.  Made for earlier drinking compared to their first label, it delivers a seamless combination of dark fruit, with glimmers of black olives and spice. … Read more

($30): I’ve always considered Grgich Hills Estate one of California’s top producers.  I expect their wines to be distinctive.  Despite their fantastic track record, successive bottlings continue to thrill.  Take this 2012 Sauvignon Blanc.  It’s fabulous — creamy, mineraly, with just the perfect hint of pungency. … Read more

($50): As impressive as Grgich’s Fumé Blanc-labeled Sauvignon Blanc is, this one, labeled Essence, a selection of their best lots, is even better.  What’s amazing is that Grgich has amplified all the components of their regular (though it’s not at all a “regular” wine) Sauvignon Blanc bottling while maintaining its impeccable balance.  … Read more

($20): St. Supéry has fashioned a bright and zippy Sauvignon Blanc that has enough creaminess and body to offset the inherent pungency that grape delivers.  This nicely balanced wine would be a good choice for sushi.
89 Michael Apstein Jan 21, 2014… Read more

($23): It’s a pleasure to find a California Pinot Blanc that strikes the right balance.  There can be a temptation to beef up this delicate wine either by using super ripe grapes or overwhelming it with barrel aging.  Valley of the Moon has avoided both. … Read more

($75): The Foley Johnson interpretation of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon focuses more on fruit than on earthy notes.  Ripe sweet red, almost strawberry-like, fruit buttressed by fine suave tannins makes it easy to love.  There’s a lovely purity and focus in this wine that makes it very appealing for current consumption.… Read more

($72): The Rutherford section of Napa Valley is rightly known to be an ideal place for Cabernet Sauvignon.  The line-up of wines from the Rutherford Dust Society — a group of producers who make wines from Rutherford grown fruit — shows the uniqueness of the region. … Read more

($135): Combine a great producer, Agustin Huneeus and his team, with a great place, Rutherford, and bingo — you get great wine.  The 2010 Quintessa delivers a little bit of everything — fruit, herbs, earth, minerals — and not too much of anything. … Read more

($35): Though best known for their stellar Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Grgich makes a stylish and dare I say, refined, Zinfandel.  It has plenty of up-front fruit and briary spice, as befitting a Zinfandel.  But what sets it apart is its lack of flamboyance. … Read more

($60): If anyone needed additional proof (I don’t) that Grgich Hills is a brilliant producer — one of California’s best — they should try this Petite Sirah.  It’s a category I try to avoid judging at wine competitions because most Petite Sirah are massive and ponderous, lacking finesse and complexity I value and look for. … Read more

($28): Though their wines are consistently among the best in Napa Valley, Clos du Val is not — and never was — a “cult” winery.  All their wines have the same grace and balance of this Chardonnay.  It’s toasty and rich without being oaky or obnoxious. … Read more

($38): Judy Jordan founded J Vineyards and Winery in 1986 and has been making stunning sparkling wines every since.  Its grapefruit-tinged nuances impart a pleasantly cutting edginess.  This fresh and floral style of rosé works well as an invigorating aperitif or as an accompaniment to smoked salmon or scallops in a decadent cream sauce.… Read more

($32): I’ve had so many excellent vintages of Merry Edwards’ Sauvignon Blanc that I should no longer be surprised.  But I am because I still associate her with stellar Pinot Noir and only few producers anywhere in the world show their talents with both grapes. … Read more

($25):  Laetitia could be considered a pioneer in Arroyo Grande Valley having planted their vineyards over 30 years ago.  They make a line of distinctive vineyard-specific Pinot Noir.  This one, a blend from their vineyards, delivers a whiff of herbal elements that adds great interest to this otherwise classic fruit-focused California Pinot Noir. … Read more