A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied...

Lovely floral aromas of lavender and rose petal with ripe yet fresh strawberries. Crushed stone. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and bright acidity. Subtle mineral and salt notes with gorgeous fruits. But always...

(97-99 points) The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to show brilliantly. (I rated it 97-100 from barrel last year.) It has a quintessential Cabernet nose of pure crème de cassis, crushed stone, lead pencil, graphite, and...

A great taste of this iconic estate without breaking the bank, this bottling is light in the glass with aromas of dried cherry, scorched earth and chaparral spice. The palate combines cranberry sauce and toasted sagebrush...

From 22-year-old vines, the pale ruby colored 2020 Grenache Lumiere Larner Vineyard features singular aromas of sour cherries, rosewater, powdered sugar, chaparral and prosciutto with loads of earthy accents. The...

Lovely aromas of cherry pie and damp mint make for a fresh and complex nose on this estate bottling, one of the more affordable ones in the Melville lineup. The palate is firm in texture and blasted with acidity, showing...

Similarly hued, the 2021 Pinot Noir Block M (80% whole clusters) has a gorgeous perfume of ripe red fruits, flowery incense, perfume, rose hips, and orange blossom. Complex, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it...

The 2019 Mourvèdre was blended with 20% Syrah and matured for 17 months in 80% new French oak. It has a deep ruby-purple color and pretty scents of blackberries, tar, blood orange and tobacco. The full-bodied palate is...

The 2019 Ingenuity is a supple, fragrant blend of 71% Petite Sirah, 14% Mourvèdre, 12% Grenache and 3% Syrah. It takes plenty of time to unwind its aromas of candied blueberries and blackberry jam, plus touches of violet...

The 2020 Côte a Côte is a beautiful blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre and one of the most successful wines I tasted from the challenging 2020 vintage. Deep ruby-purple, it offers pure aromas of...

The 2019 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is a very beautiful and expressive wine. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender and spice open in a mysterious, sensual Pinot loaded with class. Vineyards site are Domaine de la Côte, La...

Dusty rose and earth tones introduce the 2019 Syrah York Mountain, further evolving to show white pepper, kalamata olive and blackberry aromas. This is cool-toned and racy in style, savory as well, with depths of...

The 2019 Veracity shows nicely, with ample red, blue, and black fruits as well as ground pepper, candied orange, and violet aromas. Full-bodied, rich, and concentrated on the palate, this blend of 44% Mourvèdre, 43%...

(95+ points) The 2020 Pinot Noir Anna's Block is also brilliant, with crunchy black cherry and mulberry fruit as well as notes of iron, loamy earth, and darker herbs. This is a broader, more powerful, medium-bodied Pinot...

Showcasing the Pisoni signature of huge, bold fruit, this wine has ripe and savory flavors of raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, persimmon. The wine tastes of oak, too, in the form of vanilla and smoky butter. It's a...

One of the winery's most celebrated releases each year, this blend of all five major Bordeaux red varieties is an excellent showcase of Carmel Valley's class. Freshly squeezed blackberry and blackcurrant fruit meet with...

Chad Melville’s estate-grown syrah leans on the Estrella River clone, a selection that’s late to bloom and late to ripen—it is typically harvested in November, the whole clusters submitted to a cold soak, native...

The 2019 Oublié is a blend of 31% Syrah, 27% Mourvèdre, 4% Tannat and 4% Petite Sirah with a medium ruby-purple color. The nose offers gregarious mixed berry preserves and accents of potpourri, mint and fragrant earth...

The 2021 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard saw a touch more stems and was fermented with 35% whole clusters, with the aging spanning 11 months in 45% new French oak. It needs air to show at its best and gives up beautiful red...

(93-95 points) Always a good value, the 2018 Todos checks in as a kitchen sink blend of 45% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 9% Petite Sirah, and the rest Merlot and other miscellaneous varieties. Its...

(94-96+ points) Based on 62% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, brought up in 20% new French oak, the deep purple 2018 El Alma de Jonata boasts a rocking Cabernet Franc nose of smoked black...

I loved the nose of the 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley. It just screams Pinot Noir with its spiced cherry, raspberry, white pepper, and sappy herb aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, fresh, and lively...

(96-98 points) Lastly, the 2018 La Sangre de Jonata is 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier brought up in 15% new French oak (8% whole clusters). The 2018 will be a gorgeous vintage for this cuvée, offering lots of bloody blue and...

My favorite of the Pinot Noir releases, the 2021 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard comes from a terrific vineyard in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Mostly destemmed (10% whole clusters) and aged 11 months in 55% new...

Matured for 15 months in 52% new oak, the 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a very pretty expression this vintage. The nose features detailed scents of blueberries, strawberries, Earl Grey tea leaves and forest floor...

Vinified with 50% whole clusters, the 2020 Pinot Noir Sandy's Block is notably detailed and pure. Medium ruby, it has a deep core of cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry with touches of pepper, mossy bark and blood...

Pale ruby-purple, pure raspberry and pomegranate define the 2020 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict, with touches of charcuterie, cracked pepper, mushroom and forest floor emerging as it spends time in the glass. The palate is...

(97-99 points) The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to show brilliantly. (I rated it 97-100 from barrel last year.) It has a quintessential Cabernet nose of pure crème de cassis, crushed stone, lead pencil, graphite, and...