($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

($40): Matanzas Creek, a pioneering Sonoma County winery founded in 1977, produces five different and distinctive Sauvignon Blanc, each reflecting the origin of the grapes.  You can practically taste and feel the volcanic soil in this Helena Bench bottling, which gives the wine individuality rarely found with this variety in California. … Read more

($32): Matanzas Creek has always had a reputation for top-notch Sauvignon Blanc.  With this Bennett Valley bottling, they maintain their exceptional track record.  It’s a beautifully balanced wine with an innervating bite you’d expect from Sauvignon Blanc couple with a suave richness. … Read more

($60): Jayson, Pahlmeyer’s second label, offers an introduction to the luxurious style for which Pahlmeyer has become known at a lower price.  The wines are typically released earlier — the 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is Pahlmeyer’s current release — because they are more approachable. … Read more

($65): The Pinot Noirs from EnRoute (a winery started by the same talented people who founded Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel and Dolce) just get better and better.  The 2013, only the 7th release, shows considerably more complexity and suaveness than previous vintages. … Read more

($53): I am an enthusiastic fan of Jordan’s Cabernets because the team there has, thankfully, resisted the California trend toward super ripe, super rich, bombastic wines.   Although much has changed at Jordan since their founding — the grapes no longer come solely from their vineyards — they continue to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and continue to produce harmonious wines. … Read more

($38): Kristy Melton, Clos du Val’s new winemaker, has achieved her stated goal of making a bolder style of wine with the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.   Though the texture is still silky and suave, some will complain about the diminished subtly in the flavor profile. … Read more

($38): Comparing Louis Martini’s Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with its stable mate from Alexander Valley shows that the French do not have a monopoly on terroir.  These two wines made from the same grape from the same vintage made by the same winemaking team truly reflect their respective sites. … Read more

($35): Kristy Melton, who joined Clos du Val in 2010 as assistant winemaker and is now its winemaker, is aiming for a bolder style that reflects the California sunshine. Though there’s no question that this 2012 Merlot is richer and lusher than past vintages, she’s managed to retain the silky finesse that characterizes Clos du Val’s wines.… Read more

($32): The Carneros region of Napa, its southern end abutting San Pablo Bay, has always been a prime locale for grapes, such as Pinot Noir, that thrive in cooler climates.  This lacey Pinot Noir reflects its origins with a subtle dose of earthiness that balances the bright fresh fruit profile for which the new winemaker, Kristy Melton, is aiming. … Read more

($34): Louis Martini was one of the pioneering giants of California wine.  Although the Martini family is no longer involved with the label, the wines bearing the Martini name still express the best in California wine.  This Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, has a harmonious mixture of bright dark fruit flavors offset by subtle herbaceous notes that add complexity. … Read more

($25): Beckman has a knack for making excellent wines, such as this one, from traditional Rhône grapes.  Unlike many California rosés, this one is truly dry, actually with a touch of pleasant bitterness in the finish that complements and amplifies the spicy wild strawberry-like flavors. … Read more

($25): From the first whiff, this typical Rhône blend (Grenache [43%], Syrah [34%], Mourvèdre [15%] and Counoise) is immediately engaging.  It delivers a seamless combination of spice and fruit flavors — both black and red — supported by black cherry-like acidity that keeps it fresh and lively. … Read more

($42): Talbott Vineyards has been one of the leaders in Pinot Noir in Santa Lucia Highlands with their wines from their Sleepy Hollow Vineyard.  The 2013 is a powerful, yet balanced, Pinot Noir with great energy and freshness.  Ripe cherry-like fruit flavors dominate, while savory nuances add complexity. … Read more

($65): Grgich Hills Estate gets my vote for Napa’s most consistently excellent Cabernet that’s widely available.  Though not inexpensive (although it is considering the price of top Napa Cabernet), you don’t need to be a hedge fund manager to buy it. … Read more

($55): Nickel & Nickel’s Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay, with its seductive subtle creaminess, comes across as a tighter, less ripe wine than their Truchard Vineyard bottling, despite a similar stated alcohol — 14.5%.  A citrus element, especially in the finish, amplifies its appeal. … Read more

($65): Larry McGuire and his partners created EnRoute, a sister winery of Far Niente, Dolce and Nickel & Nickel, to focus on Pinot Noir.  They have now expanded their range to Chardonnay with this one, their second vintage of Brumaire, a stunning example of what I hope is the new style of California Chardonnay. … Read more

($55): Nickel & Nickel is an exemplar for highlighting terroir — the differences between vineyards — in California.  For years, their lineup of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay dispel the notion that all wines from Napa and Sonoma Valleys taste the same. … Read more

($75): Pahlmeyer, the $150-a-bottle Bordeaux blend, has become one of the “hot” Napa Valley wines.  Jayson, made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon, is Pahlmeyer’s second wine.  It’s no shrinking violet.  Inky purple, it’s juicy and concentrated with heaps of dark, blueberry-like fruit flavors. … Read more

($40): With its ripe dark fruit character, Rodney Strong’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon clearly reflects its origins, the Alexander Valley, the second warmest (behind Knights Valley) AVA of Sonoma County.  The dense black fruit character is laced with allspice and other exotic notes. … Read more

($55): Similar to Rodney Strong’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, their Meritage wine, Symmetry, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), and other Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot), is big and ripe with a seductively plush texture.   With the blend, however, comes complexity, which becomes even more apparent as the wine sits in the glass. … Read more

($90): A tribute to her son, Warren, who died in 2006, this is a monumental Pinot Noir, in the best sense of the word.  One whiff predicts its grandeur.  What follows is a glorious explosion of flavors — smoky, fruity, earthy — that flow seamlessly one into another.… Read more

($13): One of the great things I love about judging at wine competitions is the opportunity to taste wines blind that I might not otherwise run across.  And often, the surprises are extremely pleasant, as in this case, with a wine in the under $14 category of Sauvignon Blanc at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  … Read more

($15): Robert Oatley, the iconic Australian winemaker who founded the famous and widely popular Hunter Valley-based Rosemount Estate wine company, is the man behind Wild Oats.  Using purchased fruit — as he did for years at Rosemount — his team has produced a value-packed California Pinot Noir.… Read more

($39): With a forty year history of working with Pinot Noir, it’s no surprise that Merry Edwards is one of California’s star producers of that varietal.  While her single vineyard bottlings show the diversity of sites, this one from the Sonoma Coast is a great introduction to her engaging style. … Read more

($60): Merry Edwards and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, own this vineyard.  Though the glossy texture is similar to the Georganne bottling, the darker, riper and denser flavors distinguish Coopersmith from the rest of her single vineyard Pinot Noir.  It’s a bigger, but no less elegant, wine. … Read more

($57): One of the reasons I admire Merry Edwards is because she makes Pinot Noir that reflect their origins — she is not trying to make red Burgundy.  To be sure, she understands the subtlety and delicacy of Pinot Noir but also knows that grape expresses itself differently in the Russian River Valley than in the Côte d’Or. … Read more

($62): Though similarly plush and polished, a thread of red fruit flavors is woven into the fabric of the Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir, which sets it apart from both the Coopersmith and Georganne bottlings. At this stage, with its charming subtleties, the Olivet Lane is the most expressive of her these three single vineyard bottlings.  … Read more

($30): Tony Truchard and his wife Jo Ann were early advocates of the virtues of the Carneros region of Napa Valley when they started to acquire their now 400 acres in the 1960s.  It turns out the cool climate of Carneros is ideal for their Chardonnay, a consistently balanced wine. … Read more

($42): Comparing Grgich Hills Estate’s 2012 Chardonnay with their 2013 Sauvignon Blanc puts the limitation of a numerical scoring system for rating wines into sharp relief.  Since I scored the Sauvignon Blanc slightly higher than their Chardonnay that must mean that I think it’s a better wine, right? … Read more

($55): Mike Grgich embarrassed the French judges in 1976 with the Montelena Chardonnay he made that took first place in the famous Judgment of Paris.  If he had been making this Sauvignon Blanc at the time, I’m sure it would have done equally well. … Read more

($16): Bonterra, a label established by Fetzer in 1990, prides itself on making wine exclusively from organic grapes.  Indeed, according to the California Sustainable Winemaking Alliance, it’s the number one selling brand made from organic grapes.  This 2013 Viognier helps explain why. … Read more

($65): Opulent and generous — it is Petite Sirah, after all — Grgich Hills Estate’s 2010 has elegance, not a word usually used to describe that varietal.  Its elegance really shouldn’t be surprising because if anyone can make a stylish Petite Sirah, it’s Mike Grgich’s winemaking team. … Read more

($15): It’s refreshing to find a California Chardonnay that’s balanced and delivers so much enjoyment for $15.  The winemaking team has walked the line nicely by imparting a touch of seductive creaminess and a subtle patina of oakiness without going overboard. … Read more

($10): When people complain they cannot find good inexpensive California wine, I point them to McManus Family Vineyards.  They have a consistent track record of producing good, well-priced wines, such as this Pinot Grigio.  Floral with the barest hint of pears, it has sufficient acidity to match it with a simple fish dish, but not so much that you’d shy away from drinking it by itself as an aperitif.  … Read more

($195): Grgich’s 2010 Yountville Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is one of California’s grandest wines.  It reminds us why Napa Valley, and in this case, the Yountville region, is so revered for that grape.  The winemaking team, led by Mike Grgich’s nephew, Ivo Jeramaz, has hit the bull’s eye with this wine. … Read more

($48): Denser, more herbal and less fruity than their Merlot, this wine is quintessential expression of Napa Valley Cabernet.  At this stage the tannins make it a less “friendly” wine — you don’t want a glass of it before dinner — but it’s a fabulous choice for prime rib. … Read more

($35): This is real Merlot and shows what that grape, when handled properly, can do.  Very aromatic, it conveys ripe black cherry-like fruitiness and a pleasant and subtle funkiness that is characteristic of top-notch Merlot.  Broad and deep, it carries its ripeness — it weighs in at a 14.9% stated alcohol — effortlessly. … Read more

($53): Jordan continues to excel by sticking to the founders’ philosophy of making refined, not blockbuster, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Their 2010 fits that mold beautifully.  The bouquet is explosive, but in the mouth it is restrained and refined, seducing you with polish and persistence, not power. … Read more

($35): This broad shouldered, concentrated Cabernet combines dense ripe fruitiness with more than a whiff of black olives and herbs.  With a hint of bitterness in the finish and fine balance, it would be a fitting choice for a charcoal grilled steak. … Read more

($85): The grapes for Animo, (“spirit,” in Italian), come from the family’s vineyard atop Atlas Peak.  Michael Mondavi, one of the sons of the late, legendary Robert Mondavi, explains that they chose the name because they felt the wine expressed the spirit of Atlas Peak. … Read more

($60): This wine shows you can’t rely on vintage charts.  The 2011 vintage in Napa was terrible for Cabernet Sauvignon, the valley’s signature grape.  Unusually cool wet weather made it a struggle for Cabernet vines to fully ripen their fruit during the growing season. … Read more

($35): Davis Bynum was a visionary in the Russian River Valley when, in 1973, he was the first to bottle a single vineyard Pinot Noir.  Forty years later, the winery is still focused on and making excellent Pinot Noir there.  Though pure clean red fruit flavors is the initial message from the 2012 Jane’s Vineyard bottling, lovely herbal nuances appear over time, creating a harmonious wine. … Read more

($15): Edna Valley Vineyard has hit the bull’s eye with their 2012 Cabernet.  Concentrated without being aggressive or overdone, it conveys both fruit and savory notes.  It has the complexity — not just fruit flavors — that makes Cabernet Sauvignon so revered. … Read more

($10): This Chardonnay is about as good as it gets for the price. McManis Family Vineyards has been — and continues to be — a leader in well made inexpensive wines.  River Junction, essentially McManis Family’s personal AVA since they are the only commercial winery there, is located west of Modesto at the junction of the San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers and is cooler than the rest of the Central Valley. … Read more

($18): Most rosé is an afterthought.  Most of it results from a technique called  saignée or bleeding, used to enhance red wine (once a tank of red grapes has been macerated briefly and the liquid has taken on a bit of color). … Read more