We love Gran Moraine's Pinot Noir rosé and are just as enamored with their dry red Pinot. There is a lot going on on the nose here from classic cherries to savory notes of rhubarb and a whisper of anise. It is also nice and unctuous with a hint of a distant barnyard. The palate has nice natural acidity with a slight tannic frame. The mouthfeel is a little lean but there is so much here to make up for that.

The 2019 Lassègue is packed with super-ripe dark cherry, plum, sweet spice, new leather, licorice, kirsch and a kick of sweet French oak. This is an especially ripe, succulent style, but it works well.

Spiced, herbal and powerful on the palate, this is a sound wine with plenty of richness and plushness to appeal widely. A length of blue and red berries is cradled in oaky vanilla and spice.

Dense and brooding in blackberry, currant and crushed rock, this wine is refined and moderate in style, with wellintegrated oak and lengthy tannin. Structured and graceful, it offers understated power.

This is a rich, tropical white from the great site, oak-driven and floral in jasmine, with wisps of green apple, peach and pineapple. The woody notes are spiced in nutmeg and vanilla bean.

Dried lime peel, seared lemon pith, white flower and a hint of grass show on the nose of this bottling. There’s an earthy, crushed rock element to the palate, where dried apple and herb flavors also arise.

2019 offers pomegranate, dried cranberry and tart cherry aromas. On the medium-bodied palate, smooth tannins, pinot berry fruit, barrel spice and earthen notes. Long, clean, smooth finish extends the flavors. 2019 is already drinking well.

2017 has dried cherry, strawberry and sage aromas, raspberry and thyme flavors with a long finish that has pleasing vanilla notes.

Brilliant red. Aromas of black raspberry, cherry and pungent flowers pick up hints of licorice and vanilla with aeration. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering spice-laced bitter cherry and dark berry flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. The floral and spice notes repeat on a persistent, gently tannic finish that shows no rough edges.

Firm and direct, with accents of graphite and gunflint to the structured dried currant and cherry flavors. Taut finish, with minerally richness. Drink now through 2024.

Fleshy, with hints of hazelnut to the baked apple and ripe pear flavors, which feature concentrated cooking spice accents. Offers buttery and toasty richness on the finish. Drink now through 2024.

Steely and tart, with tightly focused cherry, crushed stone and dusky spice flavors that build tension toward lively tannins. Drink now through 2029.

This bright medium yellow colored Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson opens with a under-ripe pineapple bouquet with hints of Anjou pear and lemon. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied with medium acidity. The mouthfeel is round, bright, and balanced. The flavor profile is a mild oak influenced gentle pineapple with notes of cantaloupe. I also detected hints of butterscotch and vanilla. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. This Chard is made in a crowd-pleasing manner. It is versatile and will pair well with many food. I would pair it with pasta carbonara.

One of my favorite Pinot Noirs has for a long time been the La Crema from Russian River, and once again it does not disappoint. This is a classic style Pinot Noir from one of the premier vineyard areas in the entire country. It is pretty hard to beat Pinot Noir grown in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley! The nose is elegant with the scent of both black and red fruits fresh from the orchard. The rich flavor suggests plum, blueberry and dark cherry, with a touch of chocolate toward the finish, which has just a hint of oak. This one certainly begs for another sip! The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm’s score is 90. We have enjoyed this wine many times in the past with grilled meat, and it is also a great match for grilled salmon.

California meets Saint-Emilion in this broad-shouldered Merlot/Cabernet Franc-dominant blend. The unnecessarily heavy bottle predicts the wine’s style. Though mostly black fruit-driven at this stage, a lovely mineral tarriness appears in the finish. I suspect more complexity will appear with bottle age. For now, this voluptuous wine has a suave and supple texture that makes it a good choice for current consumption with a steak for those who gravitate to that style.

Perfumed nose showing summer fruits, crushed violets and a bit of vanilla. Lively acidity supported by ripe concentration.

Lovely floral aromas, black cherry and strawberry, mushroom and earth. A rich and powerful style with seamless tannins.

This wine from Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, a relatively new DOCG, seems to be a tip of the hat to the new world, showing a little more oak and a little more ripeness than the regular Chianti Classico specs allow. “Strada Al Sasso” is a very sexy wine, with a rich midpalate and a long, fruit forward finish. It’s quite approachable now after a good decant, and it will certainly reward some additional bottle aging.

Bold extraction and a fair amount of oak take centerstage here, with black cherry, sage, charred oak and brown spice aromas and flavors. This will need a long decant near term, or age long term for full enjoyment when the oak folds in. Black tea-like tannins require food; no surprise there!

Firm, with a flinty aspect to the dried dark fruit and cooking spice flavors, framed by medium-grained tannins and leafy accents. Loamy finish. Drink now through 2023.

Crushed cherry and raspberry tart flavors are lively and open-textured in this fruity style. Red licorice hints emerge on the zesty, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2023.

Fresh and fruity, with buoyant raspberry and cherry flavors, backed by crisp acidity. The lithe finish offers light mineral and spice notes. Drink now through 2023.

Well-built and elegantly focused, with expressive raspberry, sweet anise and black tea flavors that take on richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2026.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Parsons' Vineyard is a supple, fruity and easy-going wine with all of the soft curves and overall approachability that are typical of Russian River Pinots. Dried cherry, dried flowers, spice, mint and cedar meld together in an open-knit, curvy Pinot to drink now and over the next few years.

Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Lingenfelder Vineyard is pretty and fragrant, if a touch lithe in this vintage. My impression is that this fruit might have been picked just a touch early, as the 2017 lacks some mid-palate presence. On the other hand, it is fresh and not at all cooked, so that is a positive.