This is a big, powerful Chardonnay that impresses for sheer volume. Crisp acidity provides a keen balance to the ripe pineapple, white peach custard, sweet green apple purée, buttered toast and vanilla flavors that finish with a smoky swirl of dusty spices.

The 2006 Chardonnay Upper Barn (a 1,700- to 1,850-foot elevation vineyard) has a beautiful integration of wood and is the biggest, richest, and longest of all these Chardonnays. It seems to have a more noble pedigree, with additional complexity, depth, and intensity. This is a superb Chardonnay that is so full, rich, and well-endowed, it could have been made by the master wine goddess herself, Helen Turley. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

Showing a flavor concentration unusual in California Chardonnay, this mountain wine is massive in baked tropical mango, guava and peach flavors, even a decadent taste of ripe bananas sautéed in butter and spiced with cinnamon, cloves and ginersnap cookie. Its' also rich in smoky, caramelized oak, yet there's a firm backbone of minerals that, together with crisp acids, gives the wine structure.

Strong aromas of black cherry paste and clove are made more elegant with smashed wet slate minerality on the nose of this wine. The palate is complex, with big and bright red fruits, white pepper and tarragon playing off of the earthy structure.

The 2017s From Sonoma One of the standouts in the lineup is the 2017 Pinot Noir Van der Kamp Vineyard, which comes from a site in the Sonoma Mountain AVA and was completely destemmed and brought up in 45% new French oak. Candied violets, cherries, mulberries, leather, and flowery incense notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, textured, sexy Pinot Noir that’s already hard to resist. It should evolve nicely for 7-8 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma The 2017 Pinot Noir Lingenfelder Vineyard is also brilliant. Coming from a cooler site in the Russian River and fermented with one-third whole clusters, it has lots of spice and cola notes as well as hints of violets and sassafras. Complex, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and just with tons of character, it’s a gem of a Pinot Noir to drink over the coming 7-8 years.

Oregon: An Embarrassment of Riches and Richness Brilliant ruby-red. Smoke-accented blackberry, cherry and candied violet scents are complicated by hints of star anise and vanilla. Supple, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering juicy red and dark berry, cola and spice cake flavors that pick up a hint of cocoa powder on the back half. Rounded, even tannins add shape to a smooth, wonderfully persistent finish that leaves behind sappy dark berry liqueur and mocha notes.

One of my favorites in the lineup was the 2016 Pinot Noir Perry Ranch Vineyard, which comes from a cooler site in the Russian River (this use to be Keefer Ranch Vineyard). Medium-bodied, silky, and beautifully balanced and elegant, it has complex notes of salty minerality, ripe cherries, currants, and crushed violets. I love its balance, purity, and length, and would happily drink bottles over the coming decade.

Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Lucia Highlands The 2016 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard comes from a great site on the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills and was completely destemmed. Black raspberries, smoked earth, graphite, and ample minerality give way to a fresh, focused, nicely concentrated Sta. Rita Hills effort that has good acidity, and spice, pepper, mineral, fresh and focused, with plenty of focus and cut. It too has a decade of longevity.

Deep bright red. Musky dark berry cherry cola and floral oil aromas are complemented by smoky mineral and exotic spice flourishes. Broad and sweet on the palate offering intense black raspberry cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows outstanding energy and floral lift on the strikingly long seamless finish which betrays just a hint of fine-grained slow-building tannins.

Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Lucia Highlands An estate Adam has worked with since 2000, the 2016 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard saw 35% stems and roughly 40% new oak. Bing cherries, strawberries, rose petals, and spice all emerge from this complex, elegant, layered beauty that has fine, fine tannin. This beauty has a vibrant, perfumed character and is another beautiful wine.

This is a heady, powerful and delicious wine from a famous vineyard by veteran winemaker Adam Lee. Plump red cherries, star anise and vanilla shine on the nose, leading into a beautifully full palate loaded with red currant, dark cherry and baking spice. The acid sings into the finish.

Limpid ruby. Heady aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and candied rose, plus exotic spice and vanilla flourishes. Sappy and impressively concentrated, offering cherry liqueur, dark berry and spicecake flavors complemented by sweet suggestions of mocha and cola. Comes off rich as well as lively, with no rough edges. Tightens up slowly on a sweet, extremely long finish shaped by smooth tannins that add gentle final grip.

Santa Cruz Moutains and the Santa Lucia Highlands Seeing 30% whole clusters, the 2016 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard is a fruit-forward, rounded, sexy wine from this estate. Bing cherry, violets, wild strawberries, and sappy herb notes all flow to a vibrant, fresh wine that changes in the glass beautifully. It has good acidity and a lightly textured, elegant style that’s a joy to drink. It should keep for upwards of a decade.

Blueberry, shitake mushroom and floral aromas follow through to a medium to full body, fine and silky tannins. Long and flavorful. A fascinating blend of various clones that comes up so well. Screw cap. Drink now.

Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. A love able nose, with hi-tone aromas of redder fruits, potpourri and bark. Very charming in the mouth, with vivid flavors of earth-kissed cherry and strawberry backed by genteel tannins. Impeccably balanced with a compelling finish. This wine exudes charisma and is quintessential Central Coast in character.

Blue and red fruit wrap around ample, tangy acidity in this medium-bodied, velvety textured wine, so classically styled for the appellation. Pomegranate, rhubarb and floral rose are all highlighted along its gradual evolution in the glass.

Another brilliant wine from Adam is the 2015 Pinot Noir Bellflower Vineyard, and it comes from a tightly spaced site on Piner Road. It's a big, ripe, sexy wine that has considerable elegance and purity. Cassis, black raspberries, smoked earth and graphite notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, supple, gorgeously textured Pinot Noir that has polished tannin and a great finish. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.

Black raspberries, spice, dried flower and a touch of forest floor emerge from the 2015 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard, and it's a charming, rounded, ripe Russian River Pinot that has plenty of fruit and texture, a plump, sexy style and a good finish. It’s a downright classic example of the region and one of my favorites in the lineup. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.

Expansive on the palate, with lively acidity, this is robust, ripe and complex. Its powerful core of strawberry-rhubarb fruit is layered with forest pine, rose, and crushed rock notes, the texture velvety thick but balanced.

Sporting a deeper ruby, almost purple-tinged color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Betty Ann Vineyard sees 50% new French oak and is completely destemmed. This is another rich, concentrated wine that offers terrific notes of crème de cassis, spice, toasted bread and licorice with full-bodied richness, ripe tannin and a great finish. It's not for those looking for lightweight aromas and flavors, but it has tons to love. I was able to taste Adam Lee’s full-lineup for this report, including his Russian River Valley, Sonoma and Oregon releases. It’s a big lineup, but there’s some gorgeous Pinot Noirs here. I’ve listed the wines in the order tasted, starting with Oregon, followed by Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills.

2017 Oregon Pinot Noir All-Americans Second Team Wines Light ruby red color in the glass. A real charmer with seductive aromas of cherry, cranberry baking spices and earthy flora that hold up nicely over time in the glass. Juicy, forward and elegant, with a light to mid weight core of delicious Bing cherry, cola, red licorice and spice flavors. The wine has a balletic character with impeccable harmony and is thoroughly delightful.

Aromas of cherries, pomegranate, raspberry, red apple peel, complex combination of rose petal, floral tea, elegant yet the nose pops. Medium/full-bodied with a chewy texture, suave tannins and vibrant acidity. Black cherries, raspberries, red apple, cranberry jam, the fruit is complex and pure. Complexities of roses, rhubarb, black tea, light roast coffee. Everything is woven together in a fresh but juicy package. Lovely now but could do interesting things in the next five years. 11 months in 30% new French oak.

Limpid ruby. Expansive, spice-accented red and dark berry aromas show excellent clarity and pick up suggestions of cola and potpourri with air. Juicy, focused and appealingly sweet, offers intense black raspberry and spicecake flavors that tighten up steadily on the back half. Shows impressive depth and power and finishes sappy and impressively long, with slow-building tannins and an emphatic echo of juicy dark fruit.

2015 PINOT NOIR, PISONI VINEYARD The nose is massive slate, tobacco, herb, plum and botanicals. The palate is a solid black fruit with a silky underlying texture of spiced plum and assorted black fruit and berries with gorgeous layering.