Bold aromas of black cherry, dark plum and woody herb show on the nose of this block-designated bottling. The palate pops with acidic energy that bisects the dark fruit and rich woodspice flavors. MATT KETTMANN

The 2021 Pinot Noir Block M is scented of raspberry and blackberry preserves, blood orange, aniseed, tobacco and wildflowers with amaro-like undertones. The medium-bodied palate has a concentrated core of fragrant fruit...

The 2022 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard sees more whole clusters and less new oak than the other wines in the Pisoni range, a combination that affords it noticeably more clarity and balance. The nose opens with dehydrated...

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...

Leading off the reds, the 2022 Pinot Noir Presqu'Ile Vineyard comes from a cool-climate site just outside of Santa Maria and was completely destemmed and brought up in barrel. Bright cherry, mulberries, forest floor, and...

The 2022 Estate Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is again centered around Radian, which forms just over half the blend, followed by almost equal parts of Bentrock and Sanford & Benedict. It opens with a darker-fruited profile...

For fans of bigger and more powerful Pinot Noir, the 2010 Bernardus Pinot Noir from their Sierra Mar Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands hits all the right notes. Visually opaque with a deep brick red hue, this wine is...

So supple, plush yet structured, this finely balanced wine from Marie-Laure Ammons offers amazing, vivid fruit flavors that are seamlessly integrated with fine-grained tannins and lifting acidity. It feels linear and...

(94+ points) The 2021 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict was vinified with 75% whole clusters and matured in 100% new French oak. It has complex aromatics defined by botanical undertones that complement pomegranate and...

As with the regional Chardonnay bottling, the 2022 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands punches well above its weight and offers a more slender, stylistically refreshing expression of Pinot Noir with less of a winemaking...

The 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard opens with a similar purple-fruited compote note that runs through the Pisoni range. The palate is a touch more juicy and succulent, finishing on an energetic note that is ultimately...

The fruity strawberry, cherry and raspberry notes are firm and inviting, gaining depth and persistence. Ends with gripping tannins and a stemmy note. Drink now through 2022. – JL

The 2022 Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée combines the Pisoni, Garys' and Sobranes Vineyards. The nose is dominated by aromas of dark fruit compote and toasty, charred notes of new oak. On the palate, it is soft and jammy while...

Leave it to this pioneering Central Coast producer to craft an appellation cuvée that tastes exactly like this region smells. Aromas of sagebrush, pepper, iron and red plum lead into a palate of juniper, bay leaf and...

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard is the most bracing and tensile of the Roar Pinot Noirs, opening with focused aromas of ripe red fruits, crushed stones, dried herbs and orange peels. The palate is opulent and...

Aromatics of ripe berries and lively dried spices leap out of the glass from this wine a selection of four blocks across the Bien Nacido site. White and green peppercorn, dessert scrub and wild strawberries mark the...

Ripe and succulent in feel, with friendly flavors of plum, blackberry and boysenberry preserves that drive along nicely, backed by singed apple wood and black tea notes on the focused finish. Drink now through 2030. - JM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard sees more whole clusters and less new oak than the other wines in the Pisoni range, a combination that affords it noticeably more clarity and balance. The nose opens with dehydrated...