The 2021 vintage of the Santa Lucia Highlands Riesling from Integrity leans slightly away from the fruit forward Rieslings of California and flirts with a more restrained style. On the nose are notes of flinty Asian pear skins, nectarines, and lemon oil. The palate has a softness to it that is a nice contrast to the acidity of the Riesling. As the wine opens with time, all the aforementioned notes become more pronounced in a way that benefits the consumer. Drink now – 2027, serve in all-purpose stemware, and serve alongside crabcakes, lobster rolls, or fries and aioli. - Caileen

As soon as you open the bottle this wine expresses notes of darker cherry and dark plum skins alongside lifted green tones of spearmint and Mentos candies. If you allow time for the wine to evolve, you will be greeted with a warmer profile of wet tobacco wrapper, leather, and mossy forest floor. On the palate the wine has a pervasive softness that coats the mouth evenly and leads you to notes of white pepper oil, cherry juice, and incredibly delicate acidity. The wine has an intense concentration of fruit, typical of Lodi and Zinfandel.

Very light straw in color with a hint of electric lime green. The wine expresses white nectarine pits and flesh, fresh cut alfalfa and baby powder. Palate is golden apple flesh and green apple skin upfront and transitions to mid palate lychee, and finishes with shortbread cookie. As the wine opens you start to smell a very faint saffron quality on the nose that sits alongside the previous notes. - Caileen

Aromas of blueberry, sage, rosemary and campfire smoke. Fantastic Northern Rhone flavors of violets, blueberries, smoked bacon, saddle leather, black granite rock. The 2018 SCM Syrah would pair well with venison, grilled lamb, steak, duck, pot roast, hamburger, linguica sausage, beef jerky, mushrooms, and lentils.

It seems every release there is a wine that stands out among the crowd, and this year the Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon is indicating it’s ready to stand out. There are lovely aromas of eucalyptus, plum flesh, and perfectly ripe red cherries. As you allow the wine time to open in the bottle and glass you are greeted with chocolate (cocoa), tobacco wrapper, sage, thyme and tarragon. Structurally, the wine is present, but certainly not overwhelming. The wine has well integrated tannins, soft acidity, and a finish of mouth-watering caramel. This wine can stand up to a wide array of heavier foods such as roasted red meats, grilled heavier foods, or chiles/stews. Drink now – 2032.