au

Creamy and plush may not be traditional Cabernet descriptors, but they're what this wine delivers. Vanilla and graham cracker notes swaddle mixed currant fruit in this big but cuddly teddy bear of a wine. Drink now–2022.

pt

This wine is perfumed with geranium aromas and rhubarb flavors. It is strange and not likely to improve.

fr

A balanced wine that showcases the ripe fruit while preserving freshness and layers of melon and spiced pear flavors. It has some concentration, leaving a final rich texture.

us

There's a little oak on this Chard, but you can hardly detect it. The flavors are all about ripe pineapples, oranges, peaches and apricots, accented by crisp acidity. A fine example of coastal California Chardonnay, it will marry well with grilled salmon.

us

Crisp apple perfume builds on the palate, suggesting unusually lifted notes of raspberry, strawberry and cherry in this semidry Riesling. It's a plush, slightly rounded white with easy, juicy fruit and a brisk finish.

us

Seductive and complex, the inviting aromas mix incense, blueberries, cassis, licorice and threads of herb and graphite. Flavors are wrapped tightly and unfold gracefully through a long finish. The herbal side of Cabernet is noted without being intrusive. Classic, deep and expressive.

us

A bit rough on the palate, this is dryish and rich, with flavors of citrus, sourdough bread and spice that are wrapped into the creamy texture.

pt

Full of ripe tropical fruits, this is rich and opulent. Apricot, mango and peach all feature along with spice from wood aging. All this ripe fruit is balanced by fresher acidity. It's a powerful wine touched with pepper, full in the mouth and packed with fruit and toast. Drink from 2015.

us

A light, subtle nose is followed by simple but elegant Chardonnay flavors and a successful play of oak and acid. The mouthfeel is equally appealing, round and supple. The wine could use more complexity but overall, is enjoyable and will be good with a variety of richer poultry and seafood dishes.

us

Lots of fresh apple flavors, a crisp balance and smooth mouthfeel make this light-bodied wine refreshing and fun to drink. It has some richness on the midpalate and finish, but basically keeps its lively, tangy personality going.

it

Concentrated black cherry, exotic incense, blue flower, vanilla and white pepper jump out of the glass after pouring this structured wine. The delicious palate is balanced by fresh acidity and silky tannins. Drink now through 2021.

us

This wine from a prolific Sierra winery is dark in color, ripe and full in flavor, showing blackberry jam, chocolate and raspberry flavors while coating the palate with soft tannins and good concentration.

pt

Rich and smooth, this is a ripe and fruity wine. It has hints of wood aging as well as dried fruit to bring out a tawny character. The wine is nicely poised between freshness and some maturity.

us

Rich, dense and cool, with an overt menthol streak. The fat, tangy fruit has a cedar edge and also a pronounced piercing quality. Round, voluminous, tannic and in general quite big. Now the wood is a bit heavy-handed. A year or two on its side should help it along.

it

This landmark Italian wine continues to show the best of Tuscany, as it faithfully does year after year. The quality is obvious, thanks to rich notes of chocolate, black cherry and spice that are wrapped tight within a lush, soft and texture. The close is velvety and very long.

it

This full-bodied red opens with aromas of ripe plum, crushed violet, leather and dried aromatic herb. The firmly structured palate delivers dried black cherry, aniseed, tobacco and clove accompanied by tightly knit, assertive tannins. Wait a couple of years for the tannins to unfold then drink up to capture the remaining fruit richness. Drink 2017–2021.

it

This is a distinctive Prosecco Extra Dry with a fruity, soda-like quality and abundant notes of sweet fruit and fragrant flowers. It has a broad, full feel in the mouth and a slight note of sour almond on the close.

fr

In its classic Provence skittle bottle, this is a wine for quaffing at a patio or restaurant table. Pale in color but packed with red fruit, it is an immediately attractive fruity and lively wine. Drink now.

nz

This is a sturdy, tannic wine, but one that should come around in a few years. Vanilla, cedar and dark fruit notes have the spotlight for now, with hints of mocha coming on strong on the long finish. Drink 2018–2025.

ar

This waxy, heavily oaked Chardonnay regularly pulls the same score. This vintage has aromas of grapefruit, quince and garlic. Blasting oak and modest acidity result in flatness, while oak resin is by far the dominant flavor, with creamy apple and pithy bitterness lurking.