The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is a brisk, steely white. Crushed rocks, white pepper, mint and sage abound. The 2022 captures all the bright, citrus qualities of Sauvignon Blanc, while avoiding the greener side of Sauvignon...

The 2020 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block UU is a regal, elegant wine. Citrus, white flowers, mint, white pepper and jasmine are all finely cut in mid-weight, racy Chardonnay that captures all the best this...

This wine is starting to show some age, but that's only making it more interesting, with soy, dried meat, mulberry and pepper aromas on the nose. Tertiary flavors of dried meat, soy and seaweed show on the briny palate as...

This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot shows a slightly reductive, meaty funk on the nose, offering charred beef, black pepper and asphalt aromas. That carries into the...

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills comes from declassified fruit grown at Domaine de la Côte, plus purchased fruit from three other vineyards, including La Rinconada. It's a particularly complex and expressive iteration...

Showcasing the Pisoni signature of huge, bold fruit, this wine has ripe and savory flavors of raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, persimmon. The wine tastes of oak, too, in the form of vanilla and smoky butter. It's a...

A subtle and pretty pinot with a lovely middle palate with a fine dusty tannin texture to it. Medium body and succulent with a savory finish. Orange peel. Lovely finish. This is very tame. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Pinot Noir is outrageously beautiful. A vivid, sweeping wine, the 2021 captures all the best qualities of this rugged site. Blue/black fruit, cloves, licorice, menthol, lavender and chocolate all build...

A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied...

Crushed orange peels, plump lemon blossoms, spun sugar, clarified butter and a slight almond oil touch combine for a lush, layered nose on this bottling from the Carmel Valley producer. The palate presents an expert...

Aromas of forest berries with some subtle cloves. Fresh thyme and sage. Full to medium body. Very fine tannins. Crushed stone and herbs. Hints of spicy dark chocolate. Drink or hold.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is an attractive, ethereal wine. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco and sage are some of the aromas and flavors that open in the glass. I would give this a few years in bottle to soften...

Chad Melville’s estate-grown syrah leans on the Estrella River clone, a selection that’s late to bloom and late to ripen—it is typically harvested in November, the whole clusters submitted to a cold soak, native...

Winemaker Matt Dees is considered one of the best winemakers anywhere, and this blend is ample reason to believe the hype. Intense, focused and dry but rich aromas of dark fruit, roasted wood, crushed rocks and wild herb...

I loved the nose of the 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley. It just screams Pinot Noir with its spiced cherry, raspberry, white pepper, and sappy herb aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, fresh, and lively...

The 2020 Chardonnay The 35 from John Sebastiano, is a potent, savory wine that very much reflects the wild personality of this site. Savory and mineral notes abound, while fruit is very much pushed into the background...

The 2020 Côte a Côte is a beautiful blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre and one of the most successful wines I tasted from the challenging 2020 vintage. Deep ruby-purple, it offers pure aromas of...

(94+ points) The 2021 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict was vinified with 75% whole clusters and matured in 100% new French oak. It has complex aromatics defined by botanical undertones that complement pomegranate and...

The 2022 Chardonnay White Hill is another stellar wine from Liquid Farm. Rich and effusive, with terrific aromatic brightness, the 2022 is so expressive. White flowers, chalk, mint and tangerine oil give this nuanced...

Ripe golden fruits, honeyed minerality, a kiss of iodine, crème brûlée, and white flower notes all emerge from the appellation 2022 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills, and as always, it competes with the best out there, offering...

Starting with the 2022 Chardonnay Central Coast, this comes from a mix of sites and spent 10 months in 10% new oak. Its vivid gold hue is followed by a solid nose of stone and apple-like fruits, as well as some background...

A juicy, well-built red, with a structured core of dark cherry and boysenberry fruit harnessed by streaks of wet stone, savory and tobacco, while bay and sandalwood hints peek in on the finish. This is still tight, coiled...

From a vineyard named after the region's pionering pair of Garys (Pisoni and Franscioni), this utterly satisfying bottling begins with aromas that blend umami-focused hints of soy, shiitake and smoke with fresh fruit and...

A light-colored, lively red with apricot and watermelon. Lemon rind, too. It’s light-bodied and really lively with hints of volatile acidity at the end. Low sulphur. Such fun and so drinkable now.

A lighter, beautiful shade of red in the glass, this bottling begins with crisp pomegranate, tangerine rind and red rose aromas on the engaging nose. The palate picks up a wet-stone minerality that cuts into the red...

Black currants, grilled sage and crushed stone form a darkly enticing bouquet as the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon opens in the glass. This is surprisingly juicy and energetic in character, with racy wild berry fruits offset by...