The 2024 Pinot Noir Parsons' Vineyard is understated in the glass, opening with a savory-inflected bouquet of turned earth, white pepper, truffle and grilled herbs that adds complexity to the core of classic Russian River cherry-berry fruit. There's lovely restraint here, not to mention an attractive spine of fine tannin. Oak integration is spot on.

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench comes from a site on volcanic red gravel, which lends the wine a mid-palate heft that is so attractive. Mountain structure provides a framework to the core of yellow plum, dried apricot and lemon zest, all presented in a voluptuous yet just-restrained-enough body that finishes long and salty. Beautifully rendered.

True to its name, the 2023 Pinot Noir Jolie is remarkably pretty. Subtle and understated, the 2023 has a slight rustic edge in its underbrush, turned soil and mushroom aromas that lurk beneath its lifted floral top notes. It's another balanced, elegant wine that speaks in hushed tones but doesn’t have a single hair out of place. Gorgeous.

The 2023 Chardonnay Skycrest is quite a bit more generous than the Aurelia tasted alongside. White peach, toasted hazelnut, marzipan and orange peel ride atop a vein of mineral-laced acids, leaving behind an echo of jasmine on the finish. This very much strikes the right balance of energy and body.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters comes from Anderson Valley. It’s a totally different style within this range. Dusty floral notes, black tea, rhubarb and fresh wild blueberry nuances build nicely in a crunchy, juicy wine that’s more about texture than overt fruit. Powdery tannins coat the tongue through the finish. There’s an old-school feel here that fills an attractive niche in the Hartford lineup.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Seven's Bench Vineyard, from the southern end of Carneros, is potent and intensely savory. Black truffle, petrichor, grilled herbs and orange peel introduce a complex bouquet, with that truffle character carrying over to the palate and especially the finish. Broad but focused, the 2023 is long on identity.

The 2023 Chardonnay Jennifer's has a distinctive coastal feel despite its location on the southern end of the Russian River Valley. It’s a more finely chiseled, structural, phenolic wine in the context of this range, but it also shows the same textural polish as the rest of the Chardonnays. Sea spray, lemon pith, tarragon and white pepper are all articulated with good focus and delineation. The 2023 has an attractive sense of reserved power.

The 2023 Chardonnay DuPratt Vineyard comes from Mendocino Ridge. It’s a wine of notable inner tension that also shows the same textural plushness that runs through all the 2023 whites at Hartford. Thick layers of minerality march down the centerline of the palate as shades of orange peel, golden apple and white flowers build with aeration. Very nicely focused and fresh.

Nuanced and elegant, with aromas of citrus, resinous herbs and delicate white flowers. This is a fresh and pretty medium-bodied wine with thirst-quenching acidity. The crisp palate carries some savory notes as well. Drink now.

A full-bodied and flavorful wine with aromas of warm spices, apples, juicy limes and tart
pears. The palate shows succulent, just-ripe stone fruit flavors and a tangy finish. Drink
now.

Aromas of salted caramel, Bosc pears, wet stones and pine bark lead to a plush, fullbodied palate with juicy flavors of stone fruit and citrus oil and a long finish that shows a
resinous, herbal quality. Drink now.

Aromas of candied lemon peel, perfumed pears and delicate spices. Mouthwatering fruit flavors like ripe citrus, green mangoes, papayas, honeysuckle, sweet toasted oak and tangy acidity. Full-bodied. Clean, round and luscious. Drink or hold.

Based on 81% Merlot and 19% Malbec and aged in 51% new oak, the 2023 Merlot offers juicy black fruits, sappy herbs, sage, and violets, as well as some chocolaty goodness. It's medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured on the palate, and is already impossible to resist. I'd be shocked if it didn't have 15-20 years of overall longevity. There are 262 cases produced. Drink 2025-2040.

The 2022 Cabernet Franc has 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of kirsch, black raspberries, and red currants, leading to suggestions of wild thyme, rose bud tea, crushed rocks, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, delivering savory-laced red berry flavors and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and fragrant.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has 3% Petit Verdot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it springs from the glass with notes of black raspberries, blackcurrant pastilles, and kirsch notes, plus suggestions of cinnamon stick, dried mint, red roses, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers intense, muscular fruit with a solid backbone of firm, grainy, and approachable tannins matched by lovely freshness, finishing with long-lingering earthy nuances.

Aged nine months in neutral French oak, this complex white shows notes of fresh linen, lime chiffon, pine nuts, and parchment. It has sleek, clean lines with a nice body feel. Herbes de Provence season lemon zest with a lilt of wet stone on the finish.

The NV Blanc de Blancs Souverain represents all the crus of Henriot planted to Chardonnay. It is 100% Chardonnay with less than 5 g/L of dosage and at least 3 years on lees. The vintage base for this is 2018, disgorged in 2024. Notes of juicy grapefruit, lemon tart, and lime blossoms pop from the glass, plus nuances of crushed rocks, coriander seed, and baker’s yeast. The palate is tightly wound and energetic with very fine bubbles and a very crisp backbone. It has a bone-dry signature, finishing long and zesty.

The 2022 Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton was matured for 16 months in 15% new French oak and an additional four months in stainless steel. “This vineyard got hit very hard with frost, and we got about one ton per acre,” winemaker Shane Moore says. “But the quality I thought was really, really high.” It has singular, arresting aromas of ripe stone fruit, honey, dried mushrooms and soft ripened cheese. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and mouth coating with powerful, honeyed flavors. It’s balanced by slowly building acidity and has a long, dynamic finish. 1,456 cases were made.

Matured in 43% new French oak, the 2022 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton has intense aromas of pomegranate, rhubarb, damp earth, mushrooms, tea leaves and spice. The medium-bodied palate is silky and seamless with layered, nuanced flavors, vibrant acidity and a long, spicy finish. 4,818 cases were made.

Base wines for the 2017 Blanc de Blancs were matured in barrels and stainless steel without malolactic conversion, and it spent six years en tirage. Disgorged in March of 2024, it has savory aromas of brioche, honey, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate is dry and savory with a very fine, small-beaded mousse. Its energetic acidity is tempered by three grams per liter dosage, and it has a long, seamless finish. 201 cases were made.

The 2023 Grenache Flavorscape was fermented with 20% whole clusters and matured in around 50% new oak. It has a medium ruby color and gregarious aromas of raspberry, blueberry, cherry, powdered sugar and spicy undertones. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with elegant berry flavors and offers tempered ripeness. It’s framed by soft, chalky tannins and bright acidity and has a long, spicy finish.

Silene uses grapes from three comparatively cool sites in Stellenbosch and is the cheapest of Capensis' outstanding range of Chardonnays. Fermented in 30% new oak, as well as Austrian foudres, it has subtle wood spices, some cream from full malolactic, peach and citrus fruit flavours and a balanced finish. 2026-32

From Helderberg fruit, 2023 includes splashes merlot & cab franc. Masterclass in seamless integration of firm but lithe tannins into sumptuous core of dark fruit. Composed & fresh, 14 months in 30% new oak adding some dry cedar spicing to plush texture. Approachable, should give many more years drinking pleasure.

The 2018 Armoniza is a very pretty, appealing Knights Valley red. Dark plum fruit, mocha, incense, gravel and dried flowers all build in the glass. Persistent, sustained Knights Valley tannins lend shape and energy throughout. A closing burst of fruit punctuates the finish. The 2018 is impeccably done.

The 2021 Chardonnay Journey caresses the palate with tangerine oil, sweet spice, marzipan and a kiss of French oak. Understated and quite gracious, the 2021 emphasizes softness over textural richness. Floral and tropical overtones lend an exotic flair throughout.