Denise Shurtleff makes this wine from an estate block planted on rocky, well-drained benchland soil in the mid-1990's. Exuberantly ripe and framed by plenty of new oak, this manages to strike a deft and opulent balance. It seems big-boned and primary at first, but reveals plenty of complexity, its dark fruit charged with scents of violets, hawthorn and bay leaf. Lavish oak (all new) contributes a textural chewiness without being overly intrusive, and ample acidity drives it forward. Give it another year or two in the cellar, then serve it with grilled squab.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Bench Break is a big, bold wine packed with dark red fruit. Sweet floral and spice notes are woven throughout. The round, inviting finish is harmonious and very nicely articulated. The Bench Break was fermented in oak barrels and aged on its lees with bâtonnage for ten months.

Another lovely Julia's Pinot from Cambria, at a fair price. With its light tannins and transparency, it's definitely Pinot Noir, and the acidity testifies to a cool climate. You might even pick out the Santa Maria Valley from the crushed Indian spices. Subtle but intriguing cherry, cola and plum flavors round out the picture.

Cherry-berry festival for your mouth. Lively, medium- to full-bodied and silky.

Bright red. Highly perfumed, exotic aromas of strawberry and raspberry preserves, Asian spices, candied rose and incense. The most vibrant of this set of pinots, offering juicy red berry flavors and strong suggestions of candied rose, star anise and cinnamon. Very pure wine, with impressive finishing cut, precision and persistence.

One of the Year's Best Pinot Noir's - Cambria produces a small collection of pinot noirs from individual clonal selections, including 115, the clone proprietor Barbara Banke considers a top performer at the estate. This contrasts bright, strawberry-red fruit with subtle, earthy darkness. The flavors are transparent, the tannins smooth and pleasingly sweet. Tightly built, this will benefit from a year or two in bottle as well as decanting for roast quail.

Shows the acidity and firm tannins of this fine vineyard, and also the incredibility ripe fruit of the 2007 vintage. The combination of the two makes for a wine to cellar. It's dry and full-bodied, with masses of blackberries, black cherries, cola, licorice and sandalwood. Good now, with decanting, with roast lamb, but should begin to develop bottle complexity after 2012.

Shows the ripe, California character of a fine Pinot Noir, with masses of black cherries, red currants and cola, and also the dusty spices of Santa Maria Valley. Tastes a bit direct and primary now, but elegant and dry. Nice with a perfectly grilled steak.

Juicy and fresh; lovely red fruit; generous and ripe; lush and tangy.

The alcohol is pretty high, but the wine is nice and dry, and shows impressively ripe flavors of red cherry pie filling, red licorice, beef jerky, Dr. Pepper cola and smoky cedar. The texture is pure silk and satin. Best now with lamb, steak, even a super burger.

Bring on the grilled salmon, ahi tuna, pork chops and smoked country ham. This gorgeous Pinot will let them shine in a supportive way, not overwhelm them. Dry, crisp and elegantly silky, it shows complex flavors of cherries, cola, rhubarb, licorice and beef jerky that finish in a swirl of dusty spice. Best now and through 2010.

Balanced and complex. Chocolate with jammy cherry and leather characteristics.

2015 SYRAH The nose is aromatic cedar with tarry black plum and blueberry. The palate entry is a supple raspberry with notes of violet and cherry in the core. The acidity is well-integrated.

The 2014 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard is one of the most compelling wines in this range. Rich and explosive, with layers of dark fruit that build effortlessly, it possesses superb intensity and volume. It also appears to have more than enough depth to handle the 100% new French oak. The 2014 was done with fully destemmed fruit.

The 2012 Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard is voluptuous and racy from start to finish. Plum, dark cherry, cloves, smoke and lavender are all super-expressive in a powerful, intense Syrah full of near and medium term appeal. The style is distinctly fruit-driven, with all the elements in the right place.

2015 VIOGNIER The nose is a rich, creamy vanilla and white blossoms. The palate entry is a bright lime, grapefruit and floral. Very well put together.

With the massive honeyed sweetness, this dessert wine is easy to enjoy, but it has more going for it than just that. There are also polished apricot, pineapple brûlée and vanilla custard flavors.

Concentrated and powerful, this is anything but your average California chardonnay. In fact, it's a bit unorthordox, Burgundian in the sense of its orientation toward terroir expression rather than fruitness or oak. Yes the wood shows in scents of walnuts and exotic spice. And the fruit turns up the power with flavors of mandarin orange, accents of primose and other floral notes. Yet the core of the wine seems to come from a melding of these elements, from a combination that plays as distinctly Santa Maria. There's a fine line of acidity to keep all the fruit toned and lifted, a balance that would carry its flavors with buttery escargot or grilled salmon.

Richer than the regular bottling, a monster of a wine, with fig, apple, pear and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Even novices will know this is an "important" white wine.

2015 CHARDONNAY, CLONE 4 The nose is a toasted lemon with underlying peach and pineapple. The palate entry continues the tropical element of pineapple, with chalk and toasted grain on the finish.

Santa Barbara Dreamin'…Part Two The 2015 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard Signature Collection presents a richer expression of this site. Pineapple, passionfruit, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes grace this super-expressive, creamy Chardonnay from Cambria.

2015 CHARDONNAY, KATHERINE’S The nose is an expressive, barrel-influenced toast, lemon and pear. The palate is crisp, honeyed stone fruit topped with vanilla crème brulee.

COMMENTARY: Always a player from California's Central Coast, the Cambria Estate Vineyards & Winery Benchbreak Chardonnay—made from certified sustainable vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley AVA—has produced a solid effort. TASTING NOTES: The 2015 Benchbreak Chardonnay deftly intertwines ripe core, savory oak, and a long palate presence. Enjoy this wine with scallops sautéed in brown butter.