Within a remarkable set of wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard gets my nod as the most multidimensional wine in The Hilt's portfolio. While several wines in the lineup display oceanic, kelp and nori-like aromas...

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...

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 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...

Melville's Estate Pinot Noir combines 17 different Pinot Noir clones from its Sta. Rita Hills AVA estate. Nearly half of the fruit was fermented as whole clusters, with just over half de-stemmed into small open-top...

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...

(94 + points) The pale ruby-purple colored 2021 Pinot Noir Seabiscuit Zotovich Vineyard features alluring red currant jelly, lavender oil, and spearmint scents, leading to hints of red cherries and raspberry leaves, with...

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...

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...

(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...

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...

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...

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 2024 Pinot Noir Peter Martin Ray Vineyard is the most delicate of the three Arnot-Roberts Pinots. Haunting aromatics open first. Soft, beautifully perfumed and sensual, with impeccable balance, the Peter Martin Ray is...

The 2024 Pinot Noir Fox Creek Vineyard is a seriously beautiful wine. It emerges from a site in Carmel Valley planted on granitic soils at 1,100 feet in elevation. Dark, layered and resonant, the Fox Creek Pinot is...

Light raspberry-sorbet notes meet with fresh fennel fronds, pepper and cinnamon on the nose of this bottling from Chad Melville and family. It's tight and tart on the palate, with dried cranberry, pine needle and...

Illustrious names like de Montille and Péters are behind this French-American co-production. Smoke and tart, red berry notes rise from the glass, revealing streaks of cranberry and Morello cherry. The palate then reveals...

The 2018 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands comes from five vineyards: Rosella's, Garys', Sierra Mar, Soberanes and Pisoni. Aged in 44% new French oak for 10 months, it has a medium ruby-purple color and a nose of...

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...