Pretty, with a high-pitched cherry and damson plum fruit profile laced with sanguine and red tea notes, which linger on the understated finish. Drink now through 2027.

A fresh and racy-styled Pinot, with a savory spine amid raspberry and red currant coulis flavors. Presents pretty red tea and floral accents on the finish. Drink now through 2026.

A rich, forward style, offering a velvety wave of crushed plum and boysenberry preserves, with melted licorice and sweet toast gilding the finish. Shows more weight than purity but will have fans. Drink now through 2026.

The 2018 Fijnbosch comes from fruit on their own Fijnbosch estate in the Groot Drakenstein mountains in the Banghoek Valley. It is an amalgam of blocks designed to represent the property, originally contributing to the main Capensis blend before being parsed out to create this cuvée. It has a precise bouquet with citrus fruit, white peach and light floral scents; this is nicely focused, but like the regular Capensis, remains quite understated for its class. The palate is medium-bodied with more roundness and depth than the Capensis, certainly more power and concentration, though perhaps the Capensis has a touch more tension on the finish.

The 2020 Silene is a cuvée that used to be sold off in bulk that comes mainly from younger vines supplemented by out-sourced fruit from the Stellenbosch hillsides. It essentially undergoes the same maturation as the Capensis, whole bunch pressed at around 2.6 bars and raised in foudres, small French oak and cement. It has an attractive lime leaf and citrus peel-scented bouquet that unfolds in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a phenolic, texturally-satisfying opening. Fine weight and acidity with a light sour lemon note on the finish. Enjoy this over the next five to seven years.

Murphy-Goode California Merlot is a rich and velvety smooth crowd-pleaser you’ll want to try this fall and enjoy all year round. Chalked full of ripe dark berries, cherry, plum, vanilla and sweet spices, this easy-going California red is ready to enjoy now with wood-fired pizza, BBQ fare, or even spicy cuisine. Enjoy 2022-2024.

Supple and fresh; juicy and bright. Light red cherry and plum fruit with good acidity. Shows freshness and poise, and a tapering finish, with a hint of pepper and cedar.

La Crema's pinot gris is a ripe, fullish, fleshy and fruity white wine, with white pepper flavour and well-measured lees influence, and long, warm, pleasantly bitter finish. There's considerable depth and concentration on offer in the category, also very good length. Clearly well-made wine from carefully tended vines.

A generous red, fruit-forward yet well-structured, offering cherry and red currant flavors accented by toasty oak and espresso. Drink now through 2028.

All varietal from a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, the 2020 Chenin Blanc Jurassic Vineyard reveals a medium gold hue to go with interesting notes of buttered orchard fruits, white flowers, spice box, and some subtle nutty, toasty nuances that emerge with time in the glass. It brings some richness and depth on the palate and is medium-bodied, has a round, supple mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. It's a variety you don't often see from the Central Coast, but this is terrific and well worth seeking out.

The 2020 Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard is terrific and shockingly good given the quantities produced. Burgundian-like aromas of stone fruits, chalky minerality, honeyed flowers, and brioche all define the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a supple, rounded texture, integrated acidity, and a great finish.

The 2020 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is bright and punchy, with effusive aromatics, vibrant red fruit and fine balance. Drink this supple, vibrant Pinot over the next few years, while red flavors remain vibrant.

The 2020 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is a powerful, driving wine. Black cherry, licorice, gravel, dried herbs and earthy undertones add to an impression of virile intensity. Savory and earthy flavors dominate, while fruit is pushed to the background in this decidedly powerhouse Pinot from Siduri. I would open this well in advance, as aeration works wonders here.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is bright, punchy and full of character. Crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, spice, mint, star anise and dried herbs give the 2020 lovely exotic flair. This mid-weight, nervy Pinot from Cambria is all class.

Sinewy and tightly focused, with black cherry, smoked meat and cracked pepper flavors that finish with a tannic bite. Best from 2023 through 2030.

Fermented and aged in both stainless steel and neutral oak, this is a fine, friendly and approachable white, that’s tropical and fleshy with underlying richness. Pineapple, mango and hints of fennel and dill give it a contrast of fruit and herb.

Thick and earthy in forest floor and black tea, this wine is spiced in integrated oak and ripe in rich, dark-cherry flavor, made in a fullbodied style that shows the site and vintage well.

Rich and ripe in style, this wine is layered in dark cherry, vanilla and bolts of tea, with underlying accents of forest and oak.

Blended with small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this is an approachable, well-made appellation wine that shows a backbone of structure and power. Supple tannins wrap around a thick midpalate of black and red currant, cassis and toasted oak, finishing in clove and cedar.

Adam Lee made the name Siduri through his adept handling of some of the best Pinot Noir fruit in California. Since he sold the brand to Jackson Family Wines, the focus has shifted somewhat to incorporate other varieties and regions. Case in point. This light straw, tasty Willamette Valley Chardonnay has oodles of citrus fruit, a fair amount of toasty goodness, and an abundance of white flower aromas. The palate? Perhaps better than what the nose portends with fruit (albeit subtle), crisp acidity, and more than an ounce of verve. Sure, there are better Chards out there with more “interesting” pedigrees, but for around twenty-five bucks? It would be difficult to beat this one. Excellent.

The 2020 Riesling is fresh and reserved at first on the nose, and then opens to show vibrant lime pith and petrol. The palate is ripe with peach, lime candy, and wet stone. Medium-bodied, with fresh acidity that is refreshing without being aggressive, drink it over the next 8-10 years.

The 2020 Chardonnay Alexander Valley leads more with its citrus aromatics, fresh green apple, and baking spice, while the palate is fresh with pear, green apple, and lemon curd. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Journey has aromatics of pilsner, fresh peach, candied pink grapefruit, and chive. The palate is concentrated, with a long finish noted by fresh guava, tangy citrus, and pith. Drink this now or over the next 5-6 years.

The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Knights Valley has a light flinty aroma, with white flowers and grapefruit zest. The palate is upfront, with candied peach, baking spice, and lemon citrus on the finish. Drink over the next 3-5 years.

Sourced from the Maggie Hawk Vineyard, the 2020 White Pinot Noir is savory and red-fruited, with notes of white strawberry and fresh earth. The palate is soft and savory, with pithy citrus and orange rind. This is a great wine for the table that will drink over the next few years.