I rarely find white Beaunes, let alone ones I like. This showed a nose of buttered pear and flowers. Tangy acid, full-bodied, with golden apples and ripe pears. The hazelnut and butter is integrated well. Lacking a bit of oomph, but solid stuff for sure.

I wanted more acid and nuance. What I got was one of the most intensely floral Sauvignon Blancs I've had in years. Like drinking liquified white and yellow flowers, mixed in with a hint of jalapeno. Lacks verve and focus.

Not the best vintage of Musar I've tried, but this is still great. I get pickles, beef, leather and some red hot candies on the nose. Silky tannins, brisk acid, flavors of sour cherries, dried berries, menthol, smoke and beef brisket. Really unique, tasty and food-friendly stuff.

Obviously not as good as Lopez's other reds, but this is still high-quality Rioja. A bit of musk on the nose, berries and plums, tobacco and roasted red peppers. Fine tannins, moderate acid. I like the mix of sour cherry, plum, olive and tobacco notes. Not super deep or complex, but very tasty.

I'm usually much more enthusiastic about Merry's Pinots, but this one didn't seem to possess the depth or intensity of the other wines I've tasted. Silky and smooth, with plums, red berries and cocoa powder. Tasty and elegant, but lacking the power I usually associate with Merry's wines.

I've enjoyed previous vintages of this wine, but this one didn't impress me as much. Rich and high in alcohol (duh!), with flavors of coconut, bourbon, toasted oak and brandied plums. Overblown and lacking nuance. I still enjoy the purple, but this was just too much for me to handle. 51% Zinfandel, 19% Cab, 15% Syrah, 12% Petite Sirah with a dash of Charbono and Grenache. Not worth the money for my palate.

Smoke, fig paste, plums and dried flowers on the nose. Juicy and fleshy on the palate, with firm tannins, some acid for balance. Pure, silky, full of blueberry, blackberry, smoke and green pepper. I need to drink more Howell Mountain Zinfandel.

Nose: salt, lime, slate and a shot of jalapeno. Creamy body mixes with nervy acid on the palate. White peach and lime is accented by jalapeno and white pepper. Solid stuff, just not the most complex.

Classic LdH Blanco nose of oil, lanolin, mixed with slightly oxidized orange and lemon. Some zip to the acid, with an oily, waxy mouthfeel. Dried apricot and orange peel flavors play with notes of almond and sunflower oil. Fun stuff, perhaps not the most accessible white, but unique and fun, as always.

Nose of plums, cocoa powder and toasted oak. Silky tannins, mild acid, with strawberry and cherry fruit. Mocha-toasty notes. Not very complex, but tasty.

Smells of juicy cherries, red licorice, along with some earth and hints of tobacco. Fresh and vibrant on the palate, with some moderate acid. Cherries and red currants mix with notes of caramel and soil. I like the tanginess of the wine. Would be great with pizza or simple pasta dishes.

Showing all sorts of kick-ass Musar aromas: green olives, campfire smoke, sweet berries, sweat, musk... so complex and evolving. Silky and fresh on the palate with ripping acid. Dusty red fruit, earth, sour ale and musk flavors abound. Seems to be drinking well now, but, as usual, I'd love to see how this ages further.

A delicious Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot. Aromas of dark plums, currants, cedar and tons of spice. Pure and bold on the palate, with chewy tannins and medium acid. Loaded with cherry and currant fruit, mixed in with cocoa powder, cinnamon, cranberry sauce and cedar. Long, full and delicious, I'd love to try this again in two years.

Nose of olive tapenade, smoke, charcoal and some blackberries. On the palate, more olives, earth and smoke, the black cherry fruit seems a bit muted. Dry, firm tannins and medium acid. I like this a lot, but I think it might be stuck in a phase right now, and I'd hold off on popping the cork for a few more years to see if it gets more expressive.

Wow, what a big and velvety wine. I love the rich texture, and the tannins are like silky. Tons of juicy blackberry and blueberry, mixed in with earth, nuts, river stones, tobacco and pepper. Complex, hedonistic and delicious with an intensely long finish.

A good amount of flowers on the nose, with apricot and yellow apple setting the aromatic foundation. Creamy and rich (this Chardonnay goes through 100% maloactic fermentation), but the wine maintains a zesty feel because of the acid. Apricot and green apple blend well with notes of hazelnut and toffee. A moderate, balanced, easy-drinking Chardonnay that sees only 20% new oak.

A blend of 50% Carignan (from 100+ year-old vines) and 50% Petite Sirah, a concoction I'm not sure I've seen before. Lots of pepper and blueberry on the nose. The palate shows firm tannins and a creamy, velvety texture. Blueberry jam and earth from the Petite mixes with pepper, bacon and charcoal notes from the Carignan, and the combination is a lot of fun. Seems like this wine could use a good decant or a year sideways to open up. A unique and definitely tasty Napa red.

I friggin' love this wine. A blend of 50% Petite Verdot and 50% Cabernet Franc, it shows earth, tobacco, dark plums and bell pepper on the nose. Full on the palate, with fine tannins and a creamy mouthfeel. Acid keeps it fresh. Fleshy plum fruit plays with black and green pepper, tobacco, sage and charcoal flavors. Seamless texture and impressive balance, with a long finish. The founder is a New Orleans native, and he told me he calls this wine Double Shotgun because Cab Franc and Petite Verdot, being the less heralded Bordeaux varieties, wouldn't be able to afford to live in the French Quarter. Instead, they'd have to split a double shotgun house. If you're looking for something a little different, an off-the-beaten-path kind of Napa red, try to find this wine. Reasonably priced at $35.

A bit of funk and portobello mushroom mixes in with the cranberry and red plum araoms. The palate is tangy and fleshy, with some grit to the tannins. Bright red fruit blends with loads of pepper, earth and rich soil. Equal parts Souzao, Montepulciano and Tannat. Tell me you've ever tasted such an off-beat blend. I'd love to see how this does in two or three years. Made in Napa, but a lot of the fruit comes from Lodi. The name pays homage to the dark, chaotic fun of Clockwork Orange.