Wine Region: California

(2025) From the dry-farmed Alta Vista vineyard, planted in 1972. Far Mountain say the natural contours of this hillside planting give many different expositions, and that such old, bush vines may well have created some mutations, or perhaps there is some Cabernet Franc co-planted. This was matured in French oak, 27% new barrels. It has a deep and saturated crimson/violet colour, and classic cassis and deep plummy aromas fringed by cedar and tobacco. There's a little glimpse of black olive too. Classic stuff on the palate, that juicy black fruit but a firm Sandalwood and spice background. Tannins are really quite grippy, which work with firm acidity to give the finish structure.

(2025) The bulk of the fruit comes from a dry-farmed vineyard at the highest point on Bald Mountain, planted on volcanic soil. The wine was aged in French oak. Lightly candied but clear on the nose, the fruit dominates, but a subtle stone fruit and citrus character rather than anything tropical. There's a little ozoney hint of saltiness. In the mouth it is juicy, fleet-footed style. Only 30% goes through malolactic fermentation.The fruit is racy and tart, the creamy almond oak just fills out toward the finish, but this has some phenolic heft too, giving it some grip into a nicely balanced, clear and acid-driven finish.

(2025) Wow. This is is fabulous. The nose is pure seduction: an unctuous, deep, glossy pool of pure and ripe black berries, underpinned by a bottomless depth of cedary pencil-shavings, cocoa, clove spice and yet a meaty, savoury edge too. The palate has similar gloss and velvet richness, but it is a profound wine, so plush and intense, softly caressing in the elegance and ripeness of the fruit. Everything is polished to precision, including the super-fine tannins and ripe cherry acidity. Its spicy, chocolaty finish is near endless. A majestic effort this. It will be released in September 2025, and afterwards will be available from Mann Fine Wine, Bon Coeur Fine Wines, Farr Vintners, Honest grapes and Noble Rot Fine Wine Ltd.

(2025) Viognier is a variety that is naturally high in sugar and low in acidity, so some examples can weigh in with 14.5% or 15% alcohol, sweetness, but without the necessary acid to balance. Because of that many producers now pick the grapes early and make a drier, lighter, lower-alcohol style with more acidity. Unfortunately for me that's sometimes at the expense of true Viognier character - what made it so appealing in the first place. Cline are bucking that trend with a hedonistic, 14.5% blockbuster that overflows with honeysuckle, apricot and spice in a luscious aromatic. On the palate it has richness, a little sweetness, but great fruit density and texture. A big mouthful for sure but, crucially, it is balanced. Maybe not for everyone, but I really enjoyed this example of unabashed Viognier at its most unapologetic. Watch the video for more information.

(2025) I've been a great fan of this wine over the years and the 2018 follows up on the 93-point 2017 in some style. The Don Miguel vineyard is in the west of Sonoma County and benefits from cooling breezes and fogs funneling through from the Pacific. It is aged 11 months in new French oak barrels. A medium garnet colour, attractive aromas of cherry and small redcurrant fruit mingle with some smoky spice and cedar. There's a glimpse of something floral too. In the mouth it has weight and texture, and becomes quite lush, the fruit fleshy and supple, tannins creamy and fine and the acidity adding a red berry tartness that lifts the picture. Spice again and a little mocha and toast the barrels into the long finish.

(2025) From the Doña Margarita vineyard, six miles from the Pacific Ocean. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 33% new, and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Full, rich, with bramble and blackcurrant aromas, it's a bold style. The barrel adds smoky, chocolaty spice, and the bottle age of this 2018 has added a subtle earth and undergrowth touch. In the mouth it is textured and supple, plenty of oak showing still but the fleshy density of the fruit carries the wine into a spicy finish, freshened by cherry pit, dry acidity.

(2025) Feom the Don Miguel vineyard, this is whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented wirh indigenous yeast. The wine was aged on its lees in French oak barrels, 33% new, for nine months. What an attractive nose: Caramac, nut husks and wheat add interesting nuances to nutty apple. On the palate, nutty, rich, with a succulent core of ripe fruit, honeyed, with delicate lemon blossom acidity and fine texture and length.

(2025) This is a Californian cab in a pretty much 'fruit bomb' style, overflowing with cassis, plum and chocolate aromas and flavours. The fruit comes from Lodi, inland from the much more expensive Napa Valley area, and the wine is aged in American oak. I note that it does have a moderate 13.5% alcohol, though the richness might suggest higher, and while it might not suit the Claret-loving classicist, it offers great bangs per buck and put a smile on my face. Note that Allaboutwine has a very keen price just under £10, but only by the six-bottle case. Many independent merchants sell it by the bottle for around £11. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) From Rutherford in the Napa Valley, organically-grown Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 91% of the blend, along with Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It spent 22 months in a complex mix of 65% New French Oak, 32% Neutral oak and 3% Terracotta Amphora. What a svelte and elegant opening, silky aromas are so polished, succulent black fruit is touched by violet and kirsch, a dark cocoa and cedar in the background. The palate follows on seamlessly, plush and intense, the tannins chocolate-smooth and the acid really juicy and fine. That extends the wine into a long, tapering finish.

(2024) Quintessa's white comes from their vineyard planted in 2002, but blends 60% Napa and 40% Sonoma fruit. The blend itself consists of 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué (a fragrant clone of Sauvignon) and 10% Sémillon. Initial impression is of great succulence, ripe and juicy pear, creamy lemon curd and a hint of nettle. There is a tiny grace note of something rosemary-like. In the mouth it is supple and quite firm. It was fermented with wild yeast, and made in a combination of oak and acacia barrels, steel tanks and concrete eggs, so there is a little spice and a taut, flinty and steely character that plays beautifully against sweet mid-palate fruit with a tang of grapefruit in the finish. It is being sold en primeur at £252 per six at time of review.