J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay 2021 ($14). One of the best buys in chardonnay, this wine draws from 10 clones of estate-grown chardonnay. The palate is creamy with Meyer lemon and vanilla. Aromas are of peach and spice.  

Chalk Hill Estate Founder’s Block Chardonnay 2020 ($100). Most people don’t think about spending this kind of money on a chardonnay, but it can be as rewarding as an equally expensive cabernet sauvignon. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Chalk Hill is the first from an old block replanted in 2014. Very rich with apple and ripe pear flavors. 

 Laetitia Estate Chardonnay Arroyo Grande Valley 2021 ($22). This is a great value in chardonnay. We pitted it against more expensive wines and it excelled.  Generous mouthfeel, apple and tropical fruit notes with a good dollop of spice. 

Suadela Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2015 ($32).  Not every group of international friends can create a wine company that revolves around their common denominator: Italy. The wines in this collection are from all over Italy, ranging from Tuscany to Piedmont, and are put together by different winemakers. We enjoyed this cannonau – a relative of grenache – for its simple yet delicious red berry flavors. For depth, turn to Suadela’s montecucco sangiovese. 

Avalon California Red Blanc 2020 ($11).  All of Avalon’s wines are inexpensive. This red blend includes cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and petite sirah.  Jammy blackberry and cherry flavors and smooth mouthfeel. 

Mettler Epicenter Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi 2019 ($25). Zinfandel fans will love this vibrant wine with ripe blueberry and black berry notes, hints of vanilla and spice with a long finish.

CK Mondavi California Merlot 2018 ($9). The price is not a typo. This may not be your most complex merlot, but it satisfies the palate and the pocketbook.  Plum aromas with cherry and blackberry flavors. Very smooth and quaffable.

Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($50). This opulent wine is made entirely from estate-grown, Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon.  Plum and black cherry notes, fine tannins and long in the finish.

Esporao Alentejo Portugal 2018 ($25). Well worth the reasonable price, this Portuguese gem is a blend of aragonez, trincadeire, syrah, touriga nacional, touriga franca, cabernet sauvignon and alicante bouschet. Whew! With lots of American oak aging, it is pack with jammy dark berry fruit flavors but accented by spice and chocolate.

Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Unfiltered 2018 ($59). Although expensive, this red wine packs a lot of complexity for the price. A sumptuously deep and rich display of the classic cherry and cassis flavors that you expect from a premium Napa Valley cabernet. Soft approachable tannins make this fine wine a candidate for near-term drinking, but it has the legs for at least a decade of aging.

Marchesi di Gresy Monte Aribaldo Dolcetto d’Alba DOC 2019 ($19). Made entirely of dolcetto grapes and aged in stainless steel, this delicious wine from Piedmonte has vibrant and fresh cherry and strawberry notes. 

Li Veli Orion Salento IGT 2019 ($15). Made from primitivo grapes – thought to be related to zinfandel – this wine has juicy and ripe dark berry flavors. 

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore 2017 ($30). We are always thankful to find this wine in restaurants because it delivers a lot of quality for the money. Classified an amarone because the grapes are allowed to raisin on the vine before they are pressed, it has dense, ripe blackcurrant and blackberry flavors with a dash of spice. 

Metz Road Pinot Noir Monterey Estate Riverview Vineyard 2019 ($36). From the Scheid Family of wines, this cool climate pinot noir offers elegant wild berry and cherry notes with a pleasant spicy and vanilla background. Very drinkable.      

Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Unfiltered 2018 ($75). Although expensive, this Newton red wine is reasonably priced considering its pedigree. A sumptuous deep and rich display of the classic cherry and cassis notes that you expect from a premium Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. Soft approachable tannins make this fine wine a candidate for near term drinking, but it certainly has the legs for at least 10 years of aging.  

Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019 ($45). Cherry and cranberry aromas with a hint of vanilla. Ripe and juicy cherry flavors make this a delicious quaff and a versatile wine to go with just about everything you put on the table. 

Ram’s Gate Estate Pinot Blanc 2019 ($38). This wine was a pleasant surprise. Using three clones from three blocks of vineyards, the wine has a perfumy and citrus nose followed by pear and mandarin orange flavors. Tart and fresh, it’s a great aperitif or a wine to pair with citrus-based sauces. Very different. 

Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($60). Full-bodied with relatively high alcohol, this dense and unctuous wine is built to be paired with beef or wild game. Ripe black cherries with hints of clove and herb. 

Ramon Bilbao Albarino 2020 ($16).  From the Rias Baixas region of Northern Spain, this juicy albarino with balanced acidity shows off granny smith apple flavors and pear aromas.  It’s a perfect aperitif or it will do well with seafood. 

J. Lohr Fog’s Reach Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir 2019 ($35). Always luscious and fruit forward, this reasonably priced pinot noir from Monterey County has bright red cherry fruit flavors with a slight hint of spice.  

Copain Wines DuPratt Chardonnay 2018 ($55).  This well-respected winery draws grapes from Anderson Valley to make two distinct chardonnays – Les Voisins and this DuPratt.  We liked this one in particular because of its special qualities that come from grapes grown on a small vineyard atop a ridge at 1,550 feet. It bares good acidity and austere character that make it a good match with food. The 2018 Les Voisins ($36) is equally notable. It has more opulent pear and apple notes. 

Banshee Pinot Noir Sonoma County 2019 ($28). A very consumer friendly pinot noir presenting deep rich and ripe black cherry fruit with a hint of cinnamon. Some new French oak aging. Very well balanced.  

Pierre Cabernet Franc Cite de Carcassonne 2020 ($15). We really enjoyed this unique wine from a beautiful United Heritage Site in France’s Languedoc region. Matured in concrete tanks, it has fresh but rich red berry flavors, a lingering finish and sumptuous mouthfeel. 

Alma Rosa Sta. Rita Hills 2018 ($30).  We like the chardonnays from this cool microclimate region of Santa Barbara County. The fog-drenched mornings cool the grapes and provide good acidity. Melon and tropical fruit dominate the aromas with citrus flavors and long finish. 

Tbilvino Saperavi Red Dry 2018 ($15).  From the country of Georgia, this delicious wine – if you can find it – offers ripe fruit flavors. Made from the indigenous saperavi grapes. 

Clean Slate Riesling 2019 ($13).  We were intrigued by this partnership between Moselland of Bernkastel-Kues of Germany and Winebow. From the Mosel region, the wine is low in alcohol and slightly sweet like many rieslings from Germany. The fresh peach and apricot flavors are spiked with notes of spice and mineral. It’s a good sipper or a wine to pair with spicy oriental foods and seasoned chicken. 

Ram’s Gate Estate Pinot Blanc 2019 ($38). Using three clones of grape varieties, this delicious and fresh pinot blanc from the Carneros region has spicy aromas and pear flavors. Although it may seem light to the palate, it’s quite elegant and makes for a perfect match with seafood. 

JUSTIN Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($16). A perennial favorite of ours, this sauvignon blanc has herbal and citrus notes with refreshing acidity.

Querciabella Chianti Classico 2017 ($30).  This pure sangiovese from the heartland of chianti has effusive cherry and mint aromas followed by rich black cherry and raspberry flavors.

Castiglion del Bosco Rosso di Montalcino Gauggiole 2018 ($35).  Vibrant cherry and plum fruit flavors with generous violet aromas and bright acidity.

Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2017 ($40).  We loved this aromatic chardonnay from mountain vineyards in the Stellenbosch winegrowing region of South Africa. Rich, citrusy and intriguing. 

Hahn SLH Chardonnay 2018 ($25). From the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey, this rich and buttery chardonnay exudes luxury.  Apple and mango notes dominate the palate. 

Vigne Surrau Naracu Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2019 ($16). Named after the remnants of ancient fortresses whose ruins can still be seen in Sardinia, this simple but pleasing wine is made from cannonau grapes.  Fresh, red berry fruit. 

Vigne Surrau Limizzani Vermentino di Gallura DOCG 2020 ($16). Home to Sardinia’s only DOCG, this special vermentino is a blend from all of the producer’s estate vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel, it retains its fresh tropical fruit character. 

Kosta Brown Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 ($165). There are few pinot noir producers who have been awarded the reverence of Kosta Brown. Its reputation was built over two decades of refinement in both the vineyards and at the winery. Today it uses only the best sources and a combination of fermentation vessels to achieve a complexity and luxurious elegance few others have been able to achieve in this cool portion of the Russian River Valley.  Three types of fermentation vessels were used in the Keefer Ranch pinot noir made up of seven different clones. Red berry flavors, effusive aromas, layers of red berry and spice flavors with soft tannins and balanced acidity.  

Badia a Coltibuono “Cultus Boni” RS Chianti Classico DOCG 2018 ($25).  Eight other varieties comprise 20 percent of this largely sangiovese blend.  Bright red berry fruit with medium body and long finish. 

Bonterra The McNab 2016 ($50). Using grapes from the biodynamically farmed McNab Vineyard, Bonterra has a delicious, forward blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and old-vine petite sirah.  Pure flavors of raspberries and plum mingle with dark fruit aromas and a hint of spice. 

Domaine Bousquet Gaia Cabernet Franc 2018 ($20). From the foothills of the Andes in Argentina, this lush and full-body cabernet franc is a treat.  Deep violet color with a pleasant mix of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries with hints of black pepper and mineral.  

 Veramonte Colchagua Valley Carmenere 2018 ($12). Bright plum and blackberry flavors make this a good match to pork and beef. 

 Wine Society “Tempt” Canned Wine 500ml N/V ($12). Canned wines are definitely trending in many markets especially in areas where boaters live. Portable and convenient this red wine is also very pleasing. Crafted from a mélange of red grapes but it is primarily syrah and petite sirah. This wine exhibits elegant smooth cherry and plum flavors with a hint of herbs. A bit of a chill works well with this wine.  

Carmel Road Cabernet Sauvignon California 2018 ($15). A terrific value that doesn’t skimp on quality. Classic cherry, and berry notes with a hint of cedar and bit of oak make a great package. 

• Flying Solo Grenache Blanc/Viognier 2019 ($16).  From southern France, this white blend is just pure fun. Bright stone fruit and citrus notes with a rich texture. 

• The Hilt Estate Chardonnay 2018 ($45).  We have come to admire this richly textured chardonnay from Sta. Rita Hills year after year.  White peach and pear notes with vibrant acidity. 

• Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2017 ($34). Here is a topflight, dependable, cabernet sauvignon from the Paso Robles region. Bright fruit seems to be a hallmark of Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon and Justin is no exception. Plums and cherries with a good dose of appropriate oak makes for a terrific package.  

• Banshee Pinot Noir Sonoma County 2018 ($20-25). We really enjoyed this expression of pinot noir that displayed a somewhat tart version with rhubarb and plum elements. Aged in some new French oak barrels enhances this very food friendly pinot noir that tantalizes the palate.                                                                                   

• Hamel Family Wines Isthmus 2017 ($85). This approachable cabernet sauvignon blend from Sonoma has layered aromas of mint, earth, cedar, and raspberry. The flavors showcase the plum and red berry notes.  Long in the finish and soft mouthfeel, it is delicious now. 

• Dough Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($19). A collaboration of Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners and the James Beard Foundation, Dough Wines is focused on sustainability. This sauvignon blanc from the North Coast offers ripe grapefruit flavors and a nice contrast between bright acidity and mouth-coating texture. 

• Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2017 ($30).  We loved this elegant and fruit-forward sangiovese. Bright dark fruit flavors with good acidity and finish. It’s big brother, the Poliziano Asinone ($63) is a bigger wine made from sangiovese in the property’s top vineyard. 

• Stags’ Leap Winery Block 20 Merlot 2017 ($70). Using the best grapes from one block, Stag’s Leap has a colossal merlot with plum and clove aromas. The full-bodied palate is of rich and silky raspberry and cherry flavors with hints of cocoa and spice. 

• Los Moradas de San Martin Senda 2017 ($13). We can’t remember the last time we fell in love with a wine so much that we ordered a case online. Unable to find it in local stores, we had to pay shipping fees, which raised the price to $15 a bottle – but it’s still a great bargain. From the Madrid side of the Gredos range of hills in Spain, this producer is focused on old vine garnacha. The depth, texture and tannins in this wine suggested a cost of $40 or more. Generous aromas with plum and black cherry flavors, a bit of minerality and vanilla. We also tasted the producer’s 2013 Initio garnacha and it too was showing beautifully.  

• Four Vines The Kinker Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ($18).  Petite sirah and grenache is added to this Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon to give it more color and broader flavors. Ripe dark fruit aromas with fruit-forward flavors of currants, plum, cassis. 

• De Vinosalvo “Auspicium” Montecucco Rosso 2016 ($25). From Tuscany, this sangiovese/syrah blend has rich and ripe cherry and cassis flavors. 

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