Shows an impressive, focused and generous mix of salted and preserved lemon, grilled pineapple, and guava notes that are aromatic, precise and juicy. Details of sesame seed candy, brown butter, crunchy sea salt and crispy shortbread add complexity, as does the floral thread of orange blossoms. There’s plenty of harmony and a persistent finish. Drink now through 2038.—M.W.

Coming from the same site used for their Blanc de Blancs, the 2023 Chardonnay Red Point Vineyard is a more golden yellow color and has layered complexity and dark flinty reduction giving way to grilled pineapple, ginger, and honeyed citrus oils. Full-bodied and deeply textured, it still retains terrific energy and bright acidity throughout. Drink 2026-2040.

The 2023 Chardonnay Gravel Bench Vineyard is a bright yellow/silver color and features a gravelly mineral drive that defines the wine. Once heavily marked by new oak, the élevage has been reduced dramatically and now sits closer to 20% new oak, allowing the terroir to shine through. Aromas of saffron-like spice, lifted minerality, and subtle flinty smoke emerge from the glass. Silky and rounded, it has terrific balance, saline energy, and a refined backbone that should allow it to improve over the next decade or more. Drink 2027-2042.

Stonestreet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith Pouring a youthful black/purple color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith Vineyard reveals notes of pen ink, espresso crema, blackcurrants, and plum. The thick skins bring intensity and angular tannins, though the structure never feels monolithic. Full-bodied, it remains balanced, with a silky texture, refreshing lift, and exceptional persistence despite its power and warmth. Very impressive all around. Drink 2026-2050.

Bright medium yellow; intense flinty reduction over smoked charcuterie and underlying lemon and grapefruit flavours. The acidity is energising and the wine has superior concentration and decent length. A generous and powerful chardonnay which also has poise and finesse

The 2022 Maggy Hawk Unforgettable Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, aged 16 months in 34% new French oak, perfectly straddles the line between power and poise. The wine achieves harmony between fruit, spice, and earth, delivering both vibrancy and depth without leaning too far in either direction. The bouquet unfolds with aromas of black cherry, wild raspberry, and dried rose, accented by subtle notes of clove, cedary herbs, and cocoa husk. The palate is plush yet finely tuned, offering layers of ripe strawberry and black tea supported by polished tannins and a gentle lift of acidity. Hints of allspice and forest air weave through the long, refined finish, adding complexity and nuance. It’s graceful now, but the structure promises an elegant evolution over the next decade. Pair this Pinot Noir with roasted squab served over lentils and pancetta, accompanied by a drizzle of balsamic reduction. 111 cases were made. Highly recommended.

The 2023 ‘Cascade’ utilizes clone 115 and 667 Pinot Noir. The wine was aged for 10 months in 44% new French oak barrels and it is fat and deeply concentrated stuff. Loaded with black and red fruits, with thyme, bay leaf and fresh sage notes, alongside salty soils, this beauty has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2026-2042

Nothing is quite as it seems. The focus is intense, with aromas showing a searing line of bright lemon pith cased in a stern mineral grip. Yet while the nose suggests severe austerity and an especially tight line, the flavour palette immediately ushers a flowing rhapsody of soft, supple lemon pith and fragile white peach with a lick of marzipan. The flavours may seem supple and subtle but they carry on and on, with remarkable persistence. Bright citrus rings like a crystal bell at the finish. This is only Giant Steps’ second release from this extensively re-worked vineyard, already showing serious elegance, but with the promise of much more excitement ahead.

Delicious dark fruit flavors in this
smooth, full-bodied wine. Nicely
framed by moderate tannins, offering
black cherry, dark plum, orange zest
and floral flavors. Excellent
concentration and balance. Drink now
or hold.

A luscious, mouth-filling, fruity and
spicy wine that’s silky in texture, with
good richness balanced by tangy
citrus acidity. Green apple, Bosc pear,
lemon zest and subtle ginger flavors.
Long and lingering finish. Drink now
or hold.

Super ripe and fruity at first, with
lavish flavors of oak spices, poached
apples, cinnamon and vanilla bean.
Sleek, full-bodied and well balanced,
energized by lemon zest, lime curd
and vivid acidity. Drink or hold.

The W.S. Keyes Vineyard is one of the last remaining Chardonnay blocks on Howell Mountain. Approximately 30% of the fruit is sent directly to press and then to barrel, where it undergoes native fermentation. The remainder is fermented on the lees and divided between barrels and 130-gallon new French oak puncheons, with the balance aged in used barrels. The wine sees 22 months of lees stirring and does not undergo malolactic fermentation, with just 12% new oak overall. In 2023, the wine is incredibly bright, fresh, and mineral-driven, bursting with vivid citrus fruit, anise, and pressed floral notes. Ultra-fresh and inviting, it delivers mind-boggling saline acid tension, crushed Marcona almond nuances, and a finish marked by subtle beeswax and honeycomb.

Sourced from blocks at the front of the Cardinale estate on the east side of Highway 29, this wine comes from the same Bale clay loam soils found across the road in To Kalon Vineyard. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 19 months in 56% new French oak. In 2023, Colline is notably acid-driven, a trait that accentuates the tannins, which are profoundly layered, expressive, and build steadily through the finish. Threaded throughout is a distinctive crushed-graphite and wet-rock mineral character, shining through layers of mixed berry fruit and Asian spice. Powerful, distinctive, and complex, this is a wine with clear cellar potential and the structure to reward patience.

This is juicy up front, with generous notes of plum, cherry and blueberry, but the savory, umami thread of porcini, loamy earth and hinoki accents is what sets this wine apart. Herbal details of sage, bay leaf and palo santo, along with malty Assam, leave a strong impression on the finish, where the tannins firm up slightly. Drink now through 2039.—M.W.

Blood orange, raspberry and cranberry flavors are plush, supple and juicy, with notes of matcha and cumin, plus a touch of wild thyme. Impressive for its vividness and precision, with a long, expressive finish, where details of lavender and tomato leaf linger. Drink now through 2039.—M.W.

This red’s range runs from winey to floral, mulled to fresh, with a core of blackberry, blood orange, and Bing and morello cherry notes, all of which meld steadily together as they move through alongside flashes of black tea, singed mesquite and pennyroyal. There’s a vibrant mineral streak buried underneath, providing a lengthy platform for the fruit to cruise over on the mouthwatering finish. Gorgeous. Best from 2027 through 2039.—J.M.

Black cherries with sweet and savory spices like cardamom and pink peppercorns on the nose. The palate is structured yet juicy and refined, showing approachable red and black fruit flavors and silky tannins. Very lifted and elegant. Drink or hold.

Pure and precise, this is a delicate, light- to medium-bodied wine with sanguine minerality and aromas of wild red berry fruit and red flowers. The seamless palate is very bright and refreshing, with a long, floral finish carrying orange notes. Elegant and drinkable now.

Mount Veeder fruit fills this bottle with the sun in which the vines soaked, the elevation in which the vines cooled, the wood in which it was raised, and it is absolutely delicious. The mountain fruit leads to an elegant yet powerful expression of Cabernet, filled with blueberries, green pepper, and a hint of earthy buckwheat. The deep mouthfeel is framed by grippy tannins and bright natural acidity.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain comes from the Quintessence and Shaw vineyards, consistent sources for this 100% varietal wine, so much brawnier and muscular than Jett’s Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet. The tannins are burly and dominant, as are the black fruit, leather, and black pepper notes, all built around a full-bodied concentration of depth and complexity. Give this time; best 2030–2040.

An opulent crimson purple. Explodes from the glass with its aromas of ripe cherries, raspberry coulis, lavender and spice. It's just so brightly fruited and juicy on the palate, too. Balanced acidity and tannins complete a superb and well-priced Yarra pinot to drink now and over the next three to four years. As good a Giant Steps entry point as I have tasted.

A blend of equal portions of all the Giant Steps single-vineyard wines. With its aromas of white nectarine, lemon verbena, a little cashew and attractive marine scents, this is immediately appealing. On the palate it's concentrated with grapefruit pith and lemony acidity on the long finish. A class act to drink now and over the next four to six years.

The 2022 Zena Crown Vineyard Slope Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills displays a radiant medium ruby center that softens into a delicate pink hue at the edge. Dense and muscular, the palate is saturated with concentrated flavors of marionberry and violet petal that possess a distinctively supple texture. This cuvée underwent 17 months of aging in 69% new French oak, resulting in a complex aromatic profile of tart mountain huckleberry, forest herbs, umami, and sweet spice. Firmly structured yet graceful, the wine is defined by plush, velvety tannins and a persistent streak of acidity that carries notes of crushed stone through the expansive finish. Pair this powerful Oregon red with herb-crusted pork chops, as the wine's iron-like minerality and structural tension cut through the richness of the meat. Almost 700 cases were made. Highly recommended.

The 2022 Gran Moraine Dropstone Chardonnay possesses a golden brilliance that reflects its meticulous 16-month maturation in 20% new French oak puncheons and four-month finish in stainless steel. Its expansive profile leads with a structural tension, where a concentrated, full-bodied palate transitions from ripe nectarine and golden apple into complex notes of volcanic stone and warm sweet Christmas spice. This bottle gains remarkable aromatic momentum with air, unfurling layers of toasted hazelnut and crushed stones that are seamlessly integrated into a creamy, velvety mouthfeel. Vivid acidity provides a persistent counterpoint to the wine's density, ensuring a resonant and lingering finish that suggests a decade of evolution in the cellar. Such a sophisticated and textural white finds its ideal companion in a dish of pan-seared scallops served with a brown butter and sage emulsion, where the wine's nutty undertones and zesty lift cut through the richness of the seafood. Editor's choice.

In its second vintage, this Assyrtiko is already delicious. It’s the only planting of the variety I’m aware of in Sonoma County, high up on Stonestreet’s vineyard in the hills of Pocket Peak. The site’s marginal climate, with ample sun and wind exposure, accentuates the Assyrtiko’s wild, herbal character. Stonestreet had a Greek-born assistant winemaker who helped guide the project from day one, and the result is a wine that’s more aromatically expressive than many traditional bottlings from Greece. The 2024 has 80% of the varietal, resulting in a nose that leads with tart apples and layered citrus, featuring notes of orange oil, lemon pith, and mandarin peel, lifted by a herbal note of bay laurel and early spring chamomile. The palate is stunning, with real structure, vibrant acidity, and a textured, slightly viscous mid-palate. Assyrtiko’s natural phenolics, accentuated by the constant wind on the vineyard, bring subtle grip and shape. A blend of stainless steel and neutral oak preserves freshness and a highly aromatic profile. It’s exciting to see this variety pushed into new territory with such confidence.