Santa Rita Hills is becoming, for us, an area of interest for Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) from California — there is clearly something going on here — and there clearly exists the possibility for both ripeness and signature of place, together with minerality and intensity of flavor. We are only sorry that it has taken us so long to begin to recognize this. Gainey Vineyard Chardonnay excites not only for fulfilling against all of this promise, but also for its value. Pale platinum yellow in color with nostril titillating aromas suggestive of saline seaside air, mineral, mirabelle plum, flesh of golden apple (Andrea noted warm spiced apple) and lemon curd on toasted and liberally buttered baguette; at once soft and creamy textured and yet intensely mineral, with a vivid palate feel and flavors that reverberate long and excitedly on the finish.

Produce of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Sauvignon Gris fruit estate grown in the gravelly loam soils at the Home Ranch of Gainey Vineyards in eastern Santa Ynez Valley. Vivid yellow gold with glints of green in color with subtle interplay between taut citrusy fruit (let's say a pristine ripe ruby red grapefruit) and minerality on the nose, together with yellow plum and melon (Andrea noted rubbed sage, Henry noted orchard fruits); intensely flavorful and concentrated, with the aromatic interplay in reprise on the tongue in a delicious call and response from the salivary glands, a tantalizing salinity given proximity to the Pacific coast and an overarching freshness to the finish. Delicious!

Produce of 100% Pinot Noir fruit harvested from vineyards at the western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley. Lovely medium translucent ruby in color; sappy, bramble and berry fruit (Henry was reminded of Volnay, our wine buyer of a ripe vintage in the Hautes-Côtes or Côte Chalonnaise) with a more typical ripe cherry quality revealed with some air (Gainey themselves suggest also pomegranate and a whiff of rose hips); at once supple and energetic on the tongue, nervy, tense, with splendid equilibrium and flavor that just bursts joyfully into being and then melts away ever so slowly, contemplatively into pleasant organoleptic memory; but, thankfully, there's still more wine in the glass.

Family owned and organically farmed, Donnachadh (um, let's get this out of the way quickly, it's pronounced DON-nuh-kuh) Vineyard is located in the Santa Rita Hills viticultural area of Santa Barbara County. The vineyard was planted in 2013, the culmination of a dream for Austinite owners Drew Duncan and his wife, Laurie. The property is 285 acres with approximately 40 acres under vine. The climate here is dominated by the Pacific Ocean, which lies about 9 miles from the vineyard. Morning fog cools the grapes and consistent afternoon ocean breezes keep heat from building up over the course of the day. Quite pure Chardonnay aromas suggest the salt sea, orange zest, mirabelle plum, green/golden berries hanging in the cool of the maritime morning (Henry noted wet stone, Andrea noted lemon curd and sourdough, they both noted pear); quite tactile on the palate, caressing in texture with a gentle minerality and flavors that suggest a judicious use of toasty oak and those same now delicious green/golden berries along with a hint of salinity.

The Pinot Noir vines (California heritage clones Swan, Calera and Pommard) are planted midslope on a north-facing hillside where fog and strong winds provide cooling and prolong the growing season. Well-drained soils derived from marine shale provide a lean nutrient diet and just the right amount of moisture. The fruit was hand harvested at ripeness levels such to retain bright acidity and intense flavors. At the winery, the fruit was destemmed and crushed while still cool, then fermented with its own native yeasts. Translucent medium ruby in color with aromas that are at once sappy, savory and brambley, with notions of Asian five spice, candied orange peel, a hint of wood smoke and, with some air, ripe bing cherry; at once, both supple and nervy on the tongue, with just an inkling of fine-grained grape skin and stem tannins, a touch of salinity and a gentle mouthwatering acidity on the laid back west coast sunset of a flavorful finish.

Ample rainfall in the spring recharged the soil profile and provided a strong start to the growing season. The weather during the summer featured consistent warmth and sunshine without any major heat spells. Cooler than average temperatures in August and September slowed the ripening process, providing long hang time and leading to complex flavor development. October was mostly dry and warmer than usual allowing us to pick each block at optimal ripeness. The harvest was complete before November and the start of an epic rainy season. - https://www.trefethen.com/

Deep, deep ruby purple in color with complex, modern classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon aromas suggesting cassis, torrefaction à la fresh roasting coffee beans, a fine winegrowing earth, graphite, burnished leather and more; seamlessly smooth with fine polished tannins, almost velvety-textured on the palate, holding its shape long with satisfying, mouthwatering flavor that lasts and lasts on the finish; splendid effort, if completely in keeping with that to which we've grown accustomed from Trefethen with this bottling …

Produce of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon fruit sourced mainly from the Only One Vineyard and the Spring Valley Vineyard in Saint Helena. To craft a wine that can be enjoyed upon release, Heitz farms these blocks to be harvested earlier, then ages the wine for 4 years in French oak vessels both old and new ranging in size from 225 litres to 12,000 litres followed by 1 year in bottle prior to release. The 2015 vintage was known for its unusually warm weather and reduced crop level which resulted in impeccable quality. Deep ruby/garnet to mahogany at the edges in color with aromas redolent of small dark berries, earth, old wood and a touch of eucalyptus; with air there is a more fleshy Cabernet Sauvignon fruit on display, bringing to mind Harry Waugh's (or was it Michael Broadbent's) 'bloodied Cabernet' description of Château Latour; if this is old-style California Cabernet Sauvignon, it is clearly fine and balanced, cool on entry, polished, smooth, flavorful and stimulating to the salivary glands, with a sense of gently bursting freshness of flavor that lasts on the tongue.

Intrigued with making a white wine for Quintessa, Agustin Huneeus planted a small plot of Sauvignon Blanc at Quintessa estate in 2002. Intended for family and friends, this passion project soon appealed to guests of Quintessa and top sommeliers in the country. Produce of 56% Sauvignon Musqué, 34% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Sémillon from both Napa and Sonoma counties; bright platinum-yellow in color with fresh herbal aromas suggestive of chervil and mint, then kiwi and crisp cool melon (Henry noted quince and ripe ruby-red grapefruit); fresh and vivid on the tongue, too, with amplitude but without weight and a nice call and response between the wine and the salivary glands; nervy, flavorful and fresh on the finish; our favorite iteration of Illumination to date. Regularly $40.00 the bottle, on sale now at:

The Martinelli family has been farming their estate vineyards since the 1880s (over 135 years now) and are today 6th generation winegrowers. Their reputation as such in Sonoma County has been and remains solid. Their Bella Vigna Pinot Noir is a selection from the Martinelli estate vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation meant to offer a wine that reflects the characteristics of these vineyards and also the Martinelli style. It has become go-to Sonoma Coast stuff for us over the last few vintages. Medium ruby in color with glints of fuchsia in color; alluring Pinot Noir aromas suggestive of grape confiture, black cherry, Italian blue plum, candied orange peel and holiday baking spices; silken-textured on the tongue, medium in body, both delicate and rich, with lovely ripe berry flavors and excellent nerve giving voice to the jittery intensity of flavors that carry on long on the warming mouthwatering finish. As per usual, Martinelli Bella Vigna is indeed a lovely Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

Scot Bilbro has taken over for his late father and his brothers and is now running the show at Marietta Cellars. Old Vine Red Lot Number 71 is now on the scene. The wine is tweaked ever so slightly drier than in the past, perhaps now ever the more appealing to both west coast and European wine tastes. Produced mainly from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane primarily from vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red replicates the old Cal‑Ital field blends there. Alluring deep ruby purple in color, with Zinfandel-influenced aromas suggesting dark ripe juicy berries with hints of the parched dusty northern California vineyard floor; at once fresh and vibrant, smooth and slippery on the tongue with just an inkling of fine-grained tannins that keep it all on the up and over. And, by all means, do take note of its continuing brilliantly true blue in terms of value!

While it's no secret that we quite typically look to the south of France for most of our rosé needs, its certainly also nice when something from closer to home can turn our heads. And this lovely new entry from Marietta Cellars in northern California makes a crisp splash with its aromatic allure, its refreshingness and restraint. Marietta Cellars Old Vine Rosé is produced from fruit of old vine Syrah, Grenache Noir and Grenache Gris, including some of the oldest examples of these vines in northern California; salmon-pink in color with a hint of wild strawberry on the nose; supple on entry, then building in nerve and vibrancy and freshness on the tongue, leaving one begging for another pull; a quite perfect choice to foil the heat of summer weather 'round here. And, it's Marietta Cellars. So, do take note of the value!

Okay, yes, it's also true that we quite generally look to the old country, to Germany or to Alsace, for most all of our Riesling needs. But, one must admire the effort of any producer who has the fortitude or just the good taste to make the noble effort with this most noble of white wine grape varieties, and from elsewhere. So, here we are — California Riesling, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Riesling. Oh come on, what could Mr. Bilbro be thinking? (We hear there may have been a woman involved.) But, it certainly works from an alliterative perspective: Old Vine Red, Old Vine Rosé, Old Vine Riesling, all on the up and «OVR». From the fruit of some of the oldest (planted in 1965), gnarliest, hand-tended Riesling vines in California, from the Wirz Vineyard, four hours’ drive south (there must have been a woman involved) and atop the San Andreas Fault at about 1,000 feet of elevation in the Gabilan Mountains some 25 miles east of Monterey Bay, on a bed of decomposed granite and limestone: lovely, vivid yellow gold in color with aromas that are at once springtime fresh and yet stone-cold Riesling-bold suggesting apricot, peach and orange blossom on a slab of spring rain-moistened stone; ample on the palate with poise and authority, completely dry, but without undue weight (the alcohol is only 12.5%), with both power and juicy refreshingness, and with that same almost electric charge of peach skin tingling acidity that so titillates the tongue and so begs another delicious pull. And, at its price, simply delicious value as well.

Armé is part of Marietta Cellars' family series, named after the husband of Marietta herself, the late Chris Bilbro's late great aunt and inspiration for the project. Produce of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot from estate vineyards in Alexander Valley, the Yorkville Highlands and McDowell Valley in northern California; dense, almost opaque midnight ruby in color with ripe fruit aromas suggesting grape confiture, blackberry, spiced plum, dried herbs, a parched northern California vineyard floor along with a hint of woodsmoke; full, polished and plush on entry (Andrea remarked 'bold') with that rich slate of aromatics reprised faithfully and satisfyingly, so very flavorfully on the palate; this is by no means a small wine, but there is a certain heft without heaviness, a structure without rigidity, with crisp acidity lending freshness and vibrancy on the finish along with warmth and generous length of flavor; pair this up with red meats (yes, brisket and sausages, too), rich high fat content cheeses, stews, wild-boar cassoulet, air-conditioning … Perhaps the best value in northern California Cabernet Sauvignon that we might imagine.

The 2017 Christo, Marietta's Syrah/Grenache-based red, is another compelling wine in this range. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and floral notes are front and center. Sumptuous and racy, the 2017 is so inviting from the very first taste. Rated (90-93). - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com April, 2020

The Whole Shebang is a wine made entirely by the crew at Bedrock Wine Co., intended to offer "authentic Californian deliciousness" at a most reasonable price. The fruit comes from old vineyards Bedrock are rehabilitating along with younger vine parcels and barrels of Bedrock wines that do not make the cut for their spiffiest bottlings. And, in our opinion, The Whole Shebang is a great success. Translucent ruby in color; medium to medium full in body with aromas suggesting berries, spice, the parched northern California earth and the slightest little sliver of oak (Henry noted one could smell the very California sunshine in the glass); grapey and gently grippy on the tongue, warm and impactful, long and flavorful, this is a real red wine that will appeal to folks who prefer honesty in wine production over marketing puffery and frippery. And at its very modest price, it will give a boost to the old wine budget as well.

Babs (for Santa Barbara) is a project of Adam Lee, co-founder and former owner/winemaker of Siduri Wines and John Wagner, a winegrower of some renown in the Santa Rita Hills. It marries the red fruits of Santa Maria Valley with the darker flavors of the Santa Rita Hills to produce a signature Santa Barbara Pinot Noir; translucent medium ruby in color with aromas suggestive of baies mélangées, say wild strawberry, raspberry and cherry with a hint of spice from what Adam refers to as «a judicious use of whole clusters in the fermentation»; soft and smooth on the tongue with a crisp berryish acidity lending warmth and presence, leaving the mouth watering with gentle tannins carrying flavor surprisingly long on the finish. Quite delicious. And priced for the porch, too.

Vivid yellow-gold with glints of green in color; there's no oak to speak of here, more stone than gooseberry on the nose, more summer rain on gravel than grass or green, oh, maybe there's a little hint of mint there; subtle, crisp, ultra-refreshing and light on its feet, 2nd glass kind of stuff; porch poundable, too.

Trefethen have been producing this wine since all the way back in the mid-1970s. We've been reminded of it more recently by their dynamo sales representative and our longtime friend, Ms. Jane Anthenien, herself a brilliant chef, gastronome and wine lover of the erste Klasse; this is like drinking from a cold mountain spring on a hot summer's day, only its Riesling: Yay! Dry Riesling: Yay!; almost clear in color, such a brilliant light yellow gold with fresh and inviting aromas suggestive of citrus flower, citrus zest and flesh of crisp cool green apple (we've heard suggestion of slate but, nah, there's no slate in Napa, California, it's just Riesling on an alluvial fan); there is a certain crystalline purity on the palate, there is body and breadth, an engagingness, but the wine remains light on its feet, completely dry, tingly, balanced, almost spherical in shape and woops (it just slips right down the ol' gullet); put a nice chill on this and take some delicious Riesling refreshment.

This classic blend of Nalle estate old vine Zinfandel and a field blend including Petite Sirah and Carignane from the Bernier-Sibary 'Zinyard' is among our longtime favorites from California, only recently again available in Texas. The estate vines are 90 plus years old as of this writing, gnarly, bush vine things that they are; the Bernier-Sibary vines are planted to slightly acidic, fine loamy soils formed from sandstone and which yield small berries with tempered acidity and weighty tannin structure; the resulting wine is a lovely translucent medium ruby in color with utterly compelling aromas suggestive of ripe berry, bramble, cherry, a hint of toast and a parched northern California vineyard floor; crisp, almost crunchy in texture with taut berry fruit, plenty of nerve and pomegranate-like fresh mouthwatering acidity that keeps everything atwitter on the tongue on and on and long to the finish.

Bruce Neyers has a storied career in the wine trade. And he is one heck of a storyteller too, in the very best sense of the word. Formerly winemaker at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, he helped craft among California's most memorable and iconic red wines, read Joseph Phelps Insignia. In 1991 he joined Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, travelling the larger world of wine serving for years as their National Sales Manager. He and his wife Barbara have now sort of semi-retired back in Napa Valley where they preside over their own Neyers Vineyards production. Having spent a good amount of time in Burgundy, Bruce brings a wealth of experience and, no doubt, expectation to this bottling. This Chardonnay «304» is produce of an heirloom selection of Chardonnay from a cool vineyard site in the Carneros District that gives naturally low pH and high acidity. The soils here are covered with rocks — it was once a creek bed. Initially somewhat austère aromatically, the wine would seem to introduce itself as French (this taster might have guessed it from the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy, only later to learn that the inspiration is actually from further north in Chablis). Fermented entirely in stainless steel, one can almost smell the cool, nervy, vibrant Chardonnay grapes waiting giddily in the early morning for hand-harvesting and the eventual alchemy to follow. Ian noted green apple and hazelnut on the nose. Our winebuyer picked up notes of something cool and almost minty. And that same cool, nervy vibrancy is apparent on the tongue as well, with the call and response, the lively interplay between fresh fruit and acidity making for a delicious and refreshing white wine-drinking experience. And that's what it's all about!

Vibrant and distinctive, with snappy cranberry and cherry flavors that are laced with smoky anise and white pepper notes, picking up speed toward refined tannins. Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Drink now through 2026. 3,000 cases made. Rated 91. - Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

Ed Sbragia honed his winemaking skills under the legendary Myron Nightingale at Beringer Vineyards. Eventually, he took over as winemaster there and for years crafted, among other excellent wines, the highly acclaimed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon that were Beringer Private Reserve, in the process becoming the stuff of legend himself. In 2006 Ed and his wife, Jane, purchased the old Lake Sonoma Winery to fulfill a dream and a promise to his father to start a family winery. His son, Adam, has also now joined as winemaker. Sbragia's excellent Home Ranch Chardonnay is produce of their family estate vineyards, in close proximity to Dry Creek and the Russian River. It is aged sur lies for 11 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. The wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation. On the nose, the wine is immediately reminiscent of some of the great California Chardonnay wines of old, but with more of a sense of freshness what with aromas suggestive of orchard fruits, honeysuckle, toasted baguette and more; the wine has a glycerol and deliciously slippery feel on the tongue, ample in weight, full, rounded and toasty, but with a nice fresh acidity that keeps everything in balance and moving forward. Sbragia themselves refer to this as "Ed’s distinctive and acclaimed style: big, rich, balanced and polished." Superb value, too!

Gundlach Bundschu, established in 1858, was Bonded Winery Number 64 in California. For over 150 years now, as they say 'since buffalo roamed the plains, through an earthquake, prohibition, beat poetry and disco' Gundlach Bundschu has been growing world class wine grapes and producing world class wines. The winery operation itself was resurrected by fifth generation family member, Jim Bundschu, in the early 1970s. Gundlach Bundschu have since been producing superlative wines from their Rhinefarm Vineyard, some 300 acres of contiguous vineyards in the southeastern corner of Sonoma Valley. And they’ve been producing this fine Sonoma Valley Merlot since before anybody cared about Merlot, and then when they did, then didn’t, did, didn’t and now again do. Gundlach Bundschu Merlot transcends fashion. Lovely ruby red in color; aromas suggesting a whole panoply of fleshy red and blue fruits like plum, cherry, cranberry and pomegranate, with hints of savory herbs like oregano and sage; elegantly textured, supple and ripe and round on the tongue with a nice nudge of fruity acidity that keeps flavors bursting fresh and lively into the long, warming embrace of a finish. It’s time for wine.