USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The medium to deep ruby-purple colored 2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard simply sings of black cherry pie, freshly crushed blackberries and pomegranate with hints of spice cake, dark chocolate and sassafras. Medium to full-bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, it fills the palate with decadent black berries and a velvety texture, finishing on a lingering peppery note.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Hailey's Block has a medium ruby-purple color and features exuberant notes of Black Forest cake, kirsch and wild blueberries with hints of baking spices and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy red, black and blue fruit layers, framed by plush tannins and finishing on a spicy note.

Red currants, cherries, dried herbs, and smoked earth define the 2015 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard, one of the more fresh, lively and pure efforts in the lineup. It has a sappy, vibrant, spring flower character, good acidity and a great finish. This is a pretty, vibrant Pinot Noir.

This is only the second vintage produced of this wine. Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Warrior Princess opens with warm red currants, black cherries and violets notes with touches of black soil, stewed tea, garrigue and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers up a very firm structure of wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins, with a refreshing backbone supporting the intense earthy/savory flavors, finishing long.

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Muldune Trail features expressive mulberries, stewed red plums and dusty earth notes with touches of garrigue, fresh hay, oolong tea and cloves. Medium-bodied with an appealing chewy grip to the texture, the palate gives compelling savory layers with a long, lively finish.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard has compelling chocolate-covered cherries, raspberry pie and warm mulberries nose with touches of potpourri, Ceylon tea and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, very finely structured and very fresh, it gives intense black berry and savory layers, finishing on a lingering earthy note.

The 2017s From Sonoma From a site south of Sebastopol planted all to old Wente clones of Chardonnay, the 2016 Chardonnay Jennifer's spent 16 months in 23% new French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. It’s deeper colored and has a rich, honeyed bouquet of stone fruits, crushed Meyer lemons, orange rind, and crushed rocks. Rich, powerful, and structured on the palate, I expect this singular, exotic white to age nicely.

Tastes like a box of rocks drizzled with citrus oil. Poached pear, orange rind, stony white peach notes, and striking minerality are reminiscent of a Chevalier-Montrachet from the likes of Michel Niellon. With lovely body, acidity, and purity, it should be drunk over the next 4-5 years.

The 2016 Zinfandel Dina's Vineyard is deep, unctuous and full of flavor, yet also has quite a bit of the freshness that is so typical of Russian River Zinfandels, especially in this vintage. The Dina's has a bit more tannin and structure than the other wines in the range, which makes it reticent. Dollops of Alicante add character and personality to this super-expressive Zinfandel from Hartford.

Jolene’s Vineyard comes from head trained vines planted over 100 years ago. It is aged for 12 months in French oak, 55% new and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2015 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard presents black cherry, baked blueberries and blackberry preserves notes with hints of incense, sautéed herbs and dusty earth. Rich, full-bodied and packed with layers of berry coulis and savory flavors, it has a gorgeous velvety texture and great length.

Bright saturated ruby. Extremely dark aromas of crushed blueberry, violet, bitter chocolate, licorice and camphor. Peppery and precise but not green, with outstanding dark fruit and violet intensity accentuated by an electric impression of energy. This seriously tannic Le Desir will need at least eight years of cellaring before it approaches its plane of peak drinkability.

Deep ruby-red. Terrific lift to the aromas of cassis, licorice, mint, minerals and bitter chocolate, accented by herbs and rose petal. The middle palate offers outstanding depth for 2011, as well as terrific definition and energy to the dark berry, nutmeg and cassis leaf flavors. Finishes classically dry, with subtle building length. Seillan told me he uses the malbec for spice, not to add color or volume. A huge success for the vintage.

Good deep red-ruby. Complex aromas of cherry, plum, musky brown spices, licorice and menthol lifted by a floral topnote. Quite dry and youthfully imploded initially, then opened to show a creamy sweetness and growing pliancy to its red fruit and mineral flavors. This has firmed up since I saw it in barrel a year ago, while La Joie has become more harmonious. The most tannic of this outstanding trio of 2007s today, with the structure for a long and positive evolution in bottle.

Bright ruby-red. Black fruits, licorice and cedar on the nose. Broad and round but backward, with a distinctly medicinal reserve to the flavors of black fruits, menthol and smoke. The middle palate is currently dominated by the wine's spine and yet the very long finish is lush and sweet. The least obviously minerally of these three 2006s today, but offers great potential.

(65% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot) Bright ruby-red. Black and blue fruits complicated by licorice, minerals and fresh herbs on the nose. Rich, broad, lush and full, even if it conveys less easy sweetness and personality today than the Muse (but then this is Seillan's Pauillac-style blend). Best today on the sensational back half, which features a major coating of suave tannins and an extremely long, aromatic finish that reverberates with subtle floral tones. Interestingly, this cabernet-based wine has a higher pH than the merlot-based Muse: 3.78 vs. 3.64.

Good bright ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of cassis, black cherry, graphite, iron, tobacco, menthol and spice cake. Lush and broad on entry, then sweeter and lusher in the middle palate than the Muse, with a captivating chocolatey quality and outstanding volume. As rich and full as this is, there's no sense of excess weight. Finishes long, dense and palate-saturating with major dusty tannins. This Pauillac is sweeter and deeper than Seillan's Pomerol, a comment on the comparative quality of cabernet sauvignon and merlot in California's North Coast.

Very pale yellow. Captivating nose combines exotic apricot, white plum, crushed rock, brown spices and a lavender high note. Intense and tactile on entry, then tightly coiled and penetrating in the middle, a step up over the foregoing wines in its impression of acid spine. Very powerful, youthfully aggressive, palate-staining wine that will need time in bottle to open and expand. Less thick and sweet at the same stage than the 2008, but at the same time more glycerol than the 2009 Gravel Bench. A great example of a California chardonnay, by which I mean that I would not mistake it for Burgundy in a blind tasting.

Deep rich colour in the glass, ripe and concentrated nose full of black fruit aromas with liquorice, dark chocolate and some spices. Juicy and succulent, this has power and thrust, really lively but also with muscle. Chewy tannins set the scene with fresh acidities - almost a sweet strawberry element - before the chalky fresh mint and aniseed spice comes in. It has richness for the vintage, really quite balanced with a lovely mineral, salty finish. Glossy and bright, but behind that there’s structure and tension. Nothing lacking here. I love this. 3.60pH. Ageing 60% new oak, 40% one use barrels.

A powerful wine with wonderful tension between acidity and tannins, minerals and tart red fruit. Compelling aromas of rose petals, violets, wild herbs, alpine botanicals, chalk, pine resin and tart red fruit. Well structured with fresh acidity, this wine will age nicely. Drink or hold.

full-bodied yet nuanced wine with aromas oflemon peel, white flowers, pine, pear blossoms, basil and limes. The palate is very juicy and satisfying, with chalky minerality and fine, fresh acidity. Mouth-filling and very fresh, with a long finish. Drink or hold.

An intriguing wine that is both luscious and savory, with aromas of fresh cheese and resinous herbs. The palate shows flavors of citrus and tropical fruit, both mouthwatering, mouth-filling and juicy. A full-bodied wine with incredible acidity. Very flavorful. Drink or hold.

A decadent and full-bodied wine with a plush texture and refreshing acidity. Aromas of ripe
yellow fruit and candied ginger, while the palate shows citrus and tart tropical fruit flavors.
An interesting play of sweet and tart. Drink or hold.

Coming mostly from Coombsville and Carneros and aged eight months in 43% new French oak, the 2024 Chardonnay Napa Valley is a beautiful, classy, rich, yet fresh and vibrant expression of Chardonnay. Stone and orchard fruits, honeyed white flowers, spice, and a kiss of classy wood all shine on the nose, and it's medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, focused, vibrant mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. There are 5,771 cases produced. Drink 2025-2030.

Ripe black fruits, spicy wood, graphite, savory tobacco, and chocolate nuances all emerge from the 2023 Cabernet Franc. It's medium to full-bodied, round, supple, and nicely textured on the palate, with plenty of tannins. Brought up in 74% new oak, with 440 cases produced, it will benefit from a few years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or so. Drink 2028-2043.

Semi-opaque ruby. Dark cherry, plum and a hint of sandalwood show on the nose. Lovely, silky texture with pretty, up front fruit but not as much depth as the Strada al Sasso. On the palate notes of earthy tobacco complement fresh, dark red fruit. Finishes dry. This is the inaugural release of this Gran Selezione. 95% Sangiovese and 5%Colorino sourced from 550m high estate vineyards. Matured in second use French oak barrels for 12 months.