designation: Red Belly Black

description: A lean, streamlined version of Aussie Shiraz, with leathery notes of dried currants that finish firm and crisp.

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description: Straightforward raspberry and strawberry fruit aromas hit you first, followed by accents of bramble and soft peppery spice. Juicy and vibrant in the mouth with an easy structure and crisp finish. Drink now.

designation: Durello and Chardonnay

description: This 80-20 blend of Durello (a native Italian grape) and Chardonnay opens with lively tones of stone fruit, white flower and honey. The wine is thin and short on the close, but also very refreshing and easy to drink overall.

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description: A sound, everyday Pinot Grigio, with good citrus and spice flavors, brightened with crisp acidity. Gets the nod for simple richness.

designation: Cuve J.J. Lesgourges

description: As its 14.5% indicates, this is a particularly rich wine. Maybe too rich, because it is all superripe black fruit without the balance of structure or acidity. Enjoy it as a blockbuster, probably not with food.

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description: Bright, crisp wine with flavors of caramel, strawberries and some sweetness. The wine finishes with attractive acidity. Screwcap.

designation: Vi?a Temprana

description: Pointy on the nose, with modest fruit aromas suggestive of raspberry. A bit astringent across the palate, with red plum flavors that hit hard then fade fast, leaving bitterness akin to espresso. A crisp, juicy, tight style.

designation: Casal Garcia

description: Apples and strawberry combine easily in this soft, fresh ros. It's fruity, light, with a slight prickle in the mouth.

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description: Pretty green and unripe, but saved at the last minute by some rich citrus, apple and honeysuckle flavors. Finishes nice and dry and acidic.

designation: Twisted Sisters Matriarch

description: Acidic and brittle, with an unnatural tartness to the sweet, jammy cherry, blackberry, cola and oak flavors. This Bordeaux-style blend is best opened now.

designation: Tres Violet

description: This tastes like a hot, simple wine whose berry, cherry and bacon flavors have been acidified, making it strangely unbalanced. It finishes on the sweet, jammy side. Made of roughly equal parts Syrah, Mourvdre and Grenache.

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description: A nice wine in a box, and at the equivalent of about five bucks a bottle, a value. Crisp in acidity and clean, it has flavors of oranges, limes and apricots. A little too sweet, but at this price, who's counting?

designation: Estate Syrah-Mourvdre

description: More than three quarters Syrah, this is made from young vines planted in the estate vineyard in the extreme western Yakima Valley. With such new vines it is difficult to point to specific varietal character. It's tart and lightly fruity, with a pleasant spicy edge.

designation: Serie A

description: Sulphuric at first, with citrus and air freshener aromas. The palate has a certain roundness and fleshy quality, while the flavors are sweet, melony and a little oily. Some almond-skin bitterness rises up late, most likely reflecting the 25% Viognier in the blend.

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description: A straightforward but refreshing white with notes of green plum and underripe peach pit against a backbone of tropical fruit-driven acidity. Great zip and liveliness to the finish. Drink now.

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description: A well-priced, easy-to-like Lake County Chardonnay with lots of minerality and lemony richness that starts to fall flat and sweet on the finish. A little more acidity and a little less sugar would have made this a better wine.

designation: 2 Jakes Red Blend

description: 2 Jakes smells sweet and alcoholic at first, then veers left with cranberry aromas, veers right with a pinch of cola and finishes tannic. Keep the food fatty and simple and it'll go well.

designation: What's for Dinner? Tinto

description: Soft, easy drinking. This red has berry fruits, just the right amount of dusty and juicy flavors. Screwcap.

designation: Dry

description: Wedge Mountain makes a Riesling that is as bone dry as any Riesling can possibly be. It's consistent, and styled for slurping with fresh oysters more than anything. Mouth-puckering acidity, lean citrus fruits and a lingering sense of sucking on a ripe lemon.

designation: Branco

description: Light and fragrant, a perfumed wine, with flavors of almond and refreshing acidity. It feels warm, with pear and lime flavors combining well.