The 2019 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is an attractive, ethereal wine. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco and sage are some of the aromas and flavors that open in the glass. I would give this a few years in bottle to soften...

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills comes from declassified fruit grown at Domaine de la Côte, plus purchased fruit from three other vineyards, including La Rinconada. It's a particularly complex and expressive iteration...

Broad but precise in texture, this exudes green and yellow fruits interspersed with salted caramel and fennel. Justin Willett of Tyler Winery partnered with a group of mentors for the Racines label: Étienne de Montille...

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...

A blend of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Estate Cuvée is another outstanding wine from L'Aventure in the challenging 2020 vintage, offering singular concentration and elegance. Deep...

The 2021 Pinot Noir (Central Coast) is a fabulous introduction to this range. Bright, floral and punchy, the 2021 delivers tons of flavor complexity in its mid-weight frame. Dried herbs, flowers, mint, spice and herbs are...

The EABA is more Syrah-dominated and checks in as 65% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, and the rest Viognier that saw plenty of stems and close to two years in 50% new French oak. Its inky purple hue is followed by a...

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...

A subtle and pretty pinot with a lovely middle palate with a fine dusty tannin texture to it. Medium body and succulent with a savory finish. Orange peel. Lovely finish. This is very tame. Drink or hold.

This is cool-climate Syrah at its finest, full of energy, umami and spice. Concentrated aromas of boysenberry and white and black pepper make a juicy nose. The palate wraps generous, complex flavors of berry, rosemary and...

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...

The 2021 Chardonnay East of Eden Pisoni Vineyard comes from 39-year-old vines in the Pisoni Vineyard. The wine underwent full malolactic conversion and was matured for 16 months in 55% new French oak. It has pure, layered...

Dark cherry and juicy strawberry aromas fit well into the Melville lineup, but this bottling is more brooding, with dark bay leaf and peppercorn depth. Zippy in acidity, the palate is loaded with patchouli and incense...

A fresh and electrifying Chardonnay comprised of three different Sta Rita Hills sites. Herbal aromatics of sweet hay, wild dill and tarragon meld with notes of grilled orange rind. The palate offers flavours of candied...

The 2019 EABA shows the cooler, elegant style of the vintage yet still has classic Jim Binns texture and opulence. Black cherries, kirsch liqueur, roasted herbs, sandalwood, and hints of white pepper define the bouquet...

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...

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...

(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...

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%...

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...

(94+ points) The 2019 Chardonnay Estate comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1973. It was barrel fermented and matured for 12 months in oak and six months in stainless. It's scented of golden apples, dried hay and...

The 2020 Chardonnay The 35 from John Sebastiano, is a potent, savory wine that very much reflects the wild personality of this site. Savory and mineral notes abound, while fruit is very much pushed into the background...

Fantastic purity of aromas of graphite, oyster shell, dark fruits and mandarin orange. Then salt and cloves. Medium to full body, with lots of tannin tension and a savory juicy finish. Salty and umami tannins. Drink now.

The light gold-hued 2021 Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard is straight-up gorgeous, with melon, papaya, minty herbs, and honeyed minerality in its medium-bodied, vibrant, layered, lengthy profile. From a great vineyard in the...

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...

This winery's Chardonnays have existed on their own unique plane since the days when Greg Brewer was the winemaker. There's a yogurt-like dairy kick to the nose alongside orange peel, dried pear and sea salt. The palate...

The 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard segues from wafts of matchstick and saline to baked peaches and apples, pie crust, beeswax and loads of spicy undertones. The palate is mouthwatering, full, ripe and savory...

Apricot, pineapple, tart-tatin and candied-apple aromas. Full and fine tannins. Bright acidity and a tangy finish with pie crust and salted caramel. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Pinot Noir is outrageously beautiful. A vivid, sweeping wine, the 2021 captures all the best qualities of this rugged site. Blue/black fruit, cloves, licorice, menthol, lavender and chocolate all build...