Starfield Vineyards Viognier 2024 ($36). Simple and delicate, this aromatic viognier is blended with a little roussanne and marsanne. White peach and citrus notes with a thread of minerality.  

Starfield Vineyards Hope Rising 2024 ($36).  Our favorite white of the tasting, this is a blend of equal amounts of marsanne and roussanne, plus 10 percent viognier, the latter of which lifts the aromas. Tropical fruit, stone fruit, vanilla, herbs and slate. 

Starfield Vineyards Grenache 2023 ($42). Strawberry and other red fruit flavors with a bit of white plum, vanilla and spice.  

Starfield Vineyards The Miner’s Inch 2023 ($38). This is a collection of grenache, aglianico, tempranillo, petite sirah, mourvedre, cinsault and roussanne. Medium in body with black and red fruit character and layers of spice. 

Summer champagne 

Don’t wait for the next wedding to enjoy champagne, a treat that is often replaced by inexpensive plonk at these celebratory occasions. Pop a bottle when there is no reason other than to feel good. Here are some great French champagnes we recently tasted: 

Billecart-Salmon Le Reserve Champagne NV ($69).  Always a reliable champagne for the price, this producer continues to make a luxurious signature cuvee. Apple and pear notes with a hint of spice. Unlike many champagnes, it is dominated by 43 percent pinot meunier with the balance made up of chardonnay and pinot noir. Exquisite. 

De Saint -Gall Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blanc N/V ($50-60). Produced by a cooperative, this 100 percent chardonnay delivers especially for the price. Subtle citrus and yeasty notes are enveloped in a toasty aged shell that outperforms the asking price.  

Champagne Telmont Reserve Brut ($74). Using all three grape varieties, this classic wine has white

Champagne Nicolas Feuillate Reserve Exclusive Rose ($60). Deep in color and dense, this rich champagne has effusive raspberry and blueberry notes. It’s a perfect wine to pair with fruit or salmon. 

Dom Perignon Vintage 2017 ($250). This limited edition from the well-respected producer is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. Citrus aromas with ripe red fruit flavors. Very smooth on the finish.  

Wine picks 

Wente Family Vineyards Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2024 ($45). New to Wente’s portfolio, this cool-climate pinot noir reveals plum and cherry flavors in a medium body. Simple but tasty with a hint of dried herbs. 

Mendes & Symington Contacto Alvarinho 2025 ($22). This incredible collaboration between vinho verde pioneer Anselmo Mendes and the Symington Family Estates hails from northern Portugal. Alvarinho, genetically the same grape variety as Spain’s albarino, has nice mineral notes complementing a citrus core. Fresh acidity and a dash of grapefruit make this wine an excellent summer quaff. 

Bodegas LAN Verdejo Rueda 2025 ($14). This is an insanely great value for anyone who would enjoy an alternative to sauvignon blanc. It has layers of citrus, white peach and grapefruit flavors with fresh acidity. Perfect sipper on a hot day that would do well with a charcuterie or fruit plate. 

Alma de Cattleya Sonoma County Chardonnay 2024 ($30).  Once again, this reasonably priced chardonnay out delivers. Delicious apple flavors, luscious mouthfeel and accented by citrus notes.  

Bloodlines California Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 ($40).  Fans of Orin Swift wines (Abstract, Papillon, 8 Years in the Desert, et al) will enjoy this newest Dave Phinney invention. Under the broad “California” appellation, it follows a familiar recipe: forward fruit redolent of blackberries and black currants with a dash of black pepper and reasonable tannins to keep it food friendly. 

Carmen Delanz Carmenere D.O. Apalta Colchagua Valley 2022 ($30). A very expressive red wine with opulent notes of cherries and berries. Very elegant. A crowd pleaser.                                   

La Casaccia Franceschi Brunello di Montalcino Il Poggione 2019 ($75-100). If you want to know what all the fuss is about brunello di montalcino, try this wine. A true classic with dried cherries and plum notes. A slight aged note, but this wine will develop for ages.  

Azienda Agricola Le Ragose Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2021 ($65-75). A very complex wine with deep rich and concentrated plum and cherry notes with a hint of fresh berries. A real classic of the genre. 

Davis Estates Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2023 ($115). Generous aromatics of violets and raspberries with a spike of herbs. Blackberry and cherry flavors dominate a soft but durable palate accented by olives and tobacco.  

Davis Estates Zephyr 2022 ($135). This is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (53 percent), cabernet franc, merlot, malbec and petit verdot. Classic Bordeaux-like character with a dark color, herbal and dark fruit aromas, raspberry and black cherry flavors with a hint of dark chocolate. Very concentrated but enjoyable without further aging. 

Davis Estates Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($155). One of the legendary sites for Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, Rutherford produces wines dark in color and earthy in character. We liked the concentrated flavors of black cherries and blackberries. Hint of licorice and mocha. 

Cambria Txiki 2025 ($22). Looking for a light-bodied wine with low alcohol? This chardonnay at 10.5 percent alcohol might be your answer this summer. Pronounced ch-ee-k-ee, the wine is inspired by the effervescent wine of Spain’s Basque coast. It’s lively with just a touch of spritz and easy, clean white peach flavors. Don’t expect the same personality of your regular chardonnay, but it is a refreshing sipper that won’t get you in trouble. 

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