($72):  The dark and brooding 2018 Olivet Lane Pinot Noir is amazingly refined, especially considering its concentration.  Less floral and fragrant than the Klopp Ranch, it expands and explodes as it sits in the glass.  Initially, black fruit flavors predominate, but with air and time, savory notes appear and take over. … Read more

($63):  One of the many attributes of Merry Edwards’ Pinot Noirs, is how different they taste.  Her range of vineyard-designated wines show the importance of site.  The 2017 Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir is almost at the opposite pole compared to the Bucher Vineyard. … Read more

($63):  The Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir, a new addition to the Merry Edwards portfolio, could be considered Heidi von der Mehden’s “baby.”  Heidi, who took over as winemaker with the 2018 vintage, had been working with Merry Edwards since 2015 and was given the responsibility for making the 2016 Bucher Pinot Noir, their first. … Read more

($42):  David Coventry, the head winemaker at Talbott explained during a webinar in the excellent SommCon Geographical Digest Series (a collaboration between The Somm Journal and National Geographic), that the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is truly a cool climate area because of its proximity to the ocean. … Read more

($16):  With roughly twice the acreage planted as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio, in Italian) is Oregon’s second most widely planted variety, after Pinot Noir.  As a wine, Pinot Gris’ spectrum is wide, ranging from light and innocuous to rich with stone fruit flavors and even some sweetness. … Read more

($35):  Gary Farrell is well-known for producing excellent single-vineyard Pinot Noirs.  They also produce a bevy of single-vineyard Chardonnays.  This one, however, their Russian River Selection, is a blend of Chardonnay grown in five vineyards: Westside Farms, Bacigalupi Vineyard, Rochioli, Allen and Olivet Lane. … Read more

($22):  Let me jump to the bottom line: This is a great value Chardonnay.  Racy and clean, this vigorous Chardonnay has the barest hint of alluring creaminess as well.  Though not an opulent style of Chardonnay, it still has plenty of stuffing and terrific energy. … Read more

($68):  Wow!  It’s worth repeating, Wow!  And I don’t mean that in terms of power, I mean that in terms of stature and finesse.  Merry Edwards has always been one of my favorite producers, especially for Pinot Noir, but she has outdone herself with their 2017 Meredith Estate. … Read more

($44):  Full disclosure: I am prejudiced against Zinfandel.  So, perhaps my enthusiasm for this wine is helped by the absence of a varietal name on the label, but I don’t think so because I tasted it in a line-up of Zinfandels at a SommCon Virtual Summit. … Read more

($20):  Founded in 1972 by David Stare and still family-run, Dry Creek Vineyard continues to excel.  Dry Creek Vineyard’s initial focus was on Sauvignon Blanc because Stare loved the wines of the Loire Valley.  So, it’s not surprising that Dry Creek Vineyard continues to make a consistently fine Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more

($22):  The focus of the 2019 Raeburn Pinot Noir is firmly on bright pure cherry-like fruit.  Suavely textured, it is easy to enjoy this mid-weight wine now.  A touch of heat and a hint of sweetness in the finish likely results from the 14.5 percent stated alcohol. … Read more

($90):  An over-sized bottle with the wine weighing in at 15.1 percent stated alcohol accurately predicts the nature of this Cabernet Sauvignon:  powerful.  Fruit-forward and dominant, it’s a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Carmenere and Saint-Macaire, an ancient grape from Bordeaux, which is no longer used there, but was included in the allowed mix for Meritage wines in California. … Read more

($60):  The packaging — over-sized bottle — and 15 percent stated alcohol suggests this Cabernet is from the “bigger is better” school.  And there is no question, it’s a big, ripe wine with plenty of power.  Yet, it’s not overblown or overdone. … Read more

($80):  Site matters.  A skeptic of that statement just needs to taste this Pinot Noir made from grapes grown in a vineyard located in the windy Petaluma Gap of Sonoma next to the Gary Farrell Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley. … Read more

($70):  Santa Maria Valley’s east-west orientation is unusual in California where most of the valleys run north-south.  Its orientation, which allows cooling Pacific Ocean breezes, explains its cooler climate despite its southern California location.  The bright red fruit-like profile reflects the coolness of the site. … Read more

($55):  The warmth of the Russian River Valley compared to the Sonoma Coast or Santa Maria Valley accounts for riper raw material for this Pinot Noir, which is translated into a more robust wine.  Similar to the one from Martaella Vineyard, it delivers power at the expense of subtlety. … Read more

($65):  Those who love a more robust style of Pinot Noir will embrace the Martaella Vineyard bottling from Gary Farrell, in relation to the rest of this producer’s lineup.  The focus here is on the ripe, plum-like fruitiness.  As with all of Farrell’s Pinot Noirs, the tannins are fine and the textured refined, which makes it easy to enjoy now. … Read more

($55):  This wine presents a fascinating comparison with the Farrell’s Dijon Clones Pinot Noir from the same vineyard.  The winemaker says it’s a blend of five clones of Pinot Noir instead of two Dijon clones.  It has the same power as the Dijon Clones bottling, but reveals less complexity at this stage. … Read more

($60):  The warmer Russian River Valley compared to Farrell’s Fort Ross bottling explains the riper style of this Pinot Noir.  Black fruit flavors mingle with savory earthy components in this juicy, bright, and long wine.  Though slightly bigger and bolder than their Fort Ross Pinot Noir, it remains impeccably balanced. … Read more

($75):  The Fort Ross Vineyard is a cold site, lying less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean and roughly 1,500 feet above sea level.  The temperature rarely exceeds 85º, all of which explains the wine’s profile: a fabulous combination of beguiling fruitiness and smokey savory nuances. … Read more

($30):  To borrow Sosie’s phrase, first things first: people will either love or hate this well-made sparkling wine because it’s different.  Composed entirely of Roussanne, a white grape indigenous to France’s Rhône Valley, it conveys stone fruit — think nectarine-like — flavors. … Read more

($35):  Full disclosure, Zinfandel is one of my least favorite wines.  Petit Sirah runs a close second because both usually are impossibly overdone wines.  So, I shuddered when I read the blend:  Zinfandel (76%), Petit Sirah (22%) and Carignane.  But that’s why you taste. … Read more

($40):  This Merlot shows why it’s such a popular kind of wine.  Silky tannins enrobe plummy-like fruitiness and make this wine a delight to drink now.  In the Frog’s Leap style, it shows restraint, impressing you with elegance and suaveness rather than weight and power. … Read more

($65):  John Williams, owner and winemaker at Frog’s Leap, has a knack for whimsy.  It’s apparent from his website, from his tagline, “time’s fun when you’re having flies,” to the fine print at the very end of the back label —”open other end.” … Read more

($35):  Here’s a Zinfandel for those of us who generally avoid that wine.  Frog’s Leap signature style of restraint highlights the charms of the varietal.  Briary and spicy notes complement its dark fruitiness.  Bursting with flavor, yet not overdone, it’s balanced. … Read more

($50):  Dry Creek Vineyard, founded by David Stare in 1972, has been a leader in the Dry Creek Valley wine renaissance.  Stare started by focusing on Sauvignon Blanc because of his love of Loire Valley wines, but quickly expanded the portfolio. … Read more

($25):  Consumers should be pleased with this well-priced Pinot Noir because it has more complexity than you’d expect at the price.  It’s ripe and supple, but unlike many Pinot Noir at this price, it has some earthy, savory nuances.  It’s not just sweet cherry juice. … Read more

($35):  Full disclosure, Zinfandel is one of my least favorite wines.  Petit Sirah runs a close second because both usually are impossibly overdone wines.  So, I shuddered when I read the blend:  Zinfandel (76%), Petit Sirah (22%) and Carignane.  But that’s why you taste. … Read more

($20):  The inclusion of Sauvignon Gris, a faintly colored mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, and Sauvignon Musqué, which some believe is a biotype of Sauvignon Blanc, helps explain this wine’s appealing fleshy texture.  (Sauvignon Musqué and Sauvignon Blanc have identical DNA and therefore are the same grape, according to Jancis Robinson et al’s Wine Grapes.) … Read more

($58):  Jordan made the difficult decision several years ago to abandon their longstanding and original concept of an estate wine, that is, one made entirely from their own grapes.  They made the honest assessment that their grapes were not always the best ones that were available. … Read more

($30):  The grapes for this multi-vineyard bottling come primarily from the Sta. Rita Valley, whose east-west orientation is rare in California where most of the valleys run north-south.  Sta. Rita’s orientation allows cool Pacific Ocean influences to reduce temperatures, especially close to the coast, making it an ideal locale for growing Pinot Noir, a grape that prefers lower temperatures to higher ones. … Read more

($40):  Siduri, known for their single-vineyard bottlings of Pinot Noir has expanded their portfolio to include ones from a variety of vineyards.   In this case, the grapes come from throughout the Russian River Valley.  Compared to its Willamette Valley bottling, their Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is broader and riper, with dark fruit flavors. … Read more

($22):   Qupé, established in 1982, has always focused on wines made from varieties usually associated with France’s Rhône Valley — Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Marsanne and Roussanne.  So where did this fabulous Chardonnay come from.  The Chardonnay came from the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, primarily from the Y Block, which was planted exclusively for Qupé in 2005, according to their website.  … Read more

($20):   American consumers have embraced Albariño, the most important white grape in Spain’s Galicia region, because of the energetic and spicy wines made from it.  And now, with roughly 450 acres of it, almost a one-third of which was planted in the last three years, the grape — and wine — is making inroads into California vineyards. … Read more

($27):  It’s rare to see a Pinot Noir of this stature for less than $30 a bottle.  The grapes for this fruit-forward Pinot Noir come entirely from Laetitia’s vineyards, which means they control all of the farming, and, importantly, the timing of the harvest. … Read more

($40):  The world needs more renditions of Cabernet Sauvignon like this one —  specifically, well-priced and well proportioned.  It delivers ripe, but not over-ripe fruit flavors, and a wisp of vanilla-kissed oak.  But savory and “not just fruit” accents peek through, creating balance and saving it from being fruit-heavy. … Read more

($30):   With raspberry-like nuances, this fruit-forward Pinot Noir has moderate weight and suave tannins.  Lively acidity keeps it fresh.  The 14.3 percent stated alcohol, noticeable by a slightly hot finish, adds a pleasing roundness to the wine.  Thankfully, not being a bombastic wine, it would go nicely with grilled salmon.… Read more

($25):  Here is a polished Cabernet Sauvignon that displays black fruit enrobed in suave tannins.  Despite plenty of dark fruit flavors, it’s not overweight as evidenced by its modest — by today’s standards — 13.9 percent stated alcohol.  Its creamy texture and kiss of vanilla-like notes allows for immediate enjoyment.… Read more

($50):  The contrasting Chardonnay under the Dutton-Goldfield label displays the same balance and suaveness as its brother from the Rued Vineyard. Instead of citrus notes, subtle toasty and nutty ones caress the palate. Still, great enlivening acidity keeps it fresh throughout the meal. … Read more

($55):  Warren Dutton, the renowned Sonoma County grape-growing farmer who tragically died in 2001, planted this Chardonnay in this vineyard in the late 1960s.  Steve Dutton, his son, is now responsible for the farming, while Dan Goldfield takes care of the winemaking. … Read more

($32):  Sequoia Grove is an “old-timer” in terms of Napa Valley wineries, having been founded 40 years ago, in 1979.  Their 2017 Napa Valley Chardonnay delivers richness, opulence and a healthy dose of oakiness. Good acidity keeps it fresh. Those looking for subtlety in their Chardonnay should look elsewhere, but those who embrace sumptuousness in their Chardonnay will love it.… Read more

($15):  Barbera is a workhorse grape from Piedmont that has been grown in California for at least a century.  Unlike Piedmont versions, which often have a briary character with invigorating acidity, this one delivers juicy red fruit flavors and finishes slightly sweet. … Read more

($42):  Jed Steele, who has made wine in California for almost 50 years, is no stranger to the endeavor.  He has purchased fruit from Stymie Vineyard for 15 years before buying it in 2005.  A big wine, it is not overblown (though the bottle is). … Read more

($55):  Warren Dutton, the renowned Sonoma County grape-growing farmer who tragically died in 2001, planted this Chardonnay in this vineyard in the late 1960s.  Steve Dutton, his son, is now responsible for the farming, while Dan Goldfield takes care of the winemaking. … Read more

($50):  The contrasting Chardonnay under the Dutton-Goldfield label displays the same balance and suaveness as its brother from the Rued Vineyard. Instead of citrus notes, subtle toasty and nutty ones caress the palate. Still, great enlivening acidity keeps it fresh throughout the meal. … Read more

($22):  Piper Sonoma, a subsidiary of Piper Heidsieck, the French Champagne company, has been producing sparkling wines in California since 1980.  Their wines have taken a quantum leap in quality recently.  Take this Blanc de Blancs for example.  Made primarily from Chardonnay (75%), with Pinot Blanc rounding out the blend, it is focused, with touches of green apple-like flavors.… Read more

($20):  Scharffenberger Cellars was, and now is again, judging from this wine, a leader in California sparkling wine.  Founded in 1981, at a time when the subsidiaries of French Champagne companies were establishing outposts in California, Scharffenberger showed that domestically-owned producers could make top-flight sparkling wines. … Read more

($65):  Big bottle.  Big price tag.  Big wine.  Despite the all-around size, it is wonderfully balanced and nuanced, combining richness and verve.  Matanzas Creek, which has been an iconic source in Sonoma County since 1977, notes on its website that they’ve built its reputation on Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, which is true. … Read more