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...

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 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...

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...

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 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 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...

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...

A bright and brilliant red in the glass, this has an herbal scent of tobacco, its black cherry fruit wooly and rich. The flavors are forward but balanced, with juicy intensity for duck. —P.J.C.