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The 2019 Onomatopoeia is all Chardonnay from the cooler Edna Valley, and it’s a bright, medium-bodied, beautifully balanced white offering classic citrus and lemon fruits, notes of sappy herbs, vibrant acidity, and a great finish. Aged 14 months in 48% concrete eggs, 26% in new barrels, and the rest in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s incredibly impressive.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Chardonnay Onomatopoeia is creamy, open-knit and inviting, all of which make it a good choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Lees stirring and full malolactic fermentation add textural richness. Hints of apricot, lemon confit, sage and chamomile linger.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

The 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is terrific. A blend of 76% Grenache, 15% Graciano, and the rest Syrah, sourced from multiple sites throughout the Central Coast (mostly Ballard Canyon), it has a cool, lively, incredibly elegant style to go with textbook Grenache notes of red and blue fruits, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence. It has fabulous purity of fruit, and I’m a fan. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Grenache 2 2 Tango is a blend of Grenache, Graciano and Syrah. Boisterous and racy in the glass, the 2019 has a lot going on. Bright red berry/plum fruit, licorice and spice all open in the glass. This is an exuberant style, but the tannins are pretty fierce. Give it a year to soften.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

In the same ballpark quality-wise, the 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango (89% Syrah and 11% Graciano) is riper and more exotic, with lots of violets, bay leaf, game, and peppery notes as well as a core of dark fruits. Full-bodied, balanced, and just impeccably put together, it’s a seriously good Syrah to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango is a gorgeous, sumptuous wine that marries fruit from top sources in Ballard Canyon and Willow Creek. Juicy plum, black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice and spice are all kicked up. Readers will find an exuberant, open-knit wine that is ready to deliver the goods.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The 2019 Petite Sirah 2 2 Tango is dense purple-hued and has an assortment of black and blue fruits as well as bouquet garni and sappy herb notes. With full-bodied richness, a monster of a mid-palate, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish, it’s a brilliant Petite Sirah that should evolve for a solid decade in cold cellars. The blend is 77% Petite Sirah, 14% Graciano, and 9% Syrah, aged in 69% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Petite Syrah 2 2 Tango is mostly Stolpman and a touch of Rancho Boa Vista, both in Ballard Canyon. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol saturate the palate. The 2019 has plenty of Petite intensity, but with tannins that have been expertly managed. There is a lot to look forward to.Antonio Galloni | 92-94 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Myrna shows just how compelling the vintage is for white wines. Lemon oil, white flowers, chalk and mint give the 2019 a brilliant upper register that almost comes as a surprise once the wine shows its superb depth and persistence. This highly expressive, nuanced Chardonnay has a lot going on and plenty to offer.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA polished, minerally chardonnay with sliced apple, lemon rind and some stone and flint. Laurel and other herbs, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a creamy texture and balance. Phenolic texture. Lively and stony. From mountain vineyards in Sonoma and Mount Veeder. Nice debut wine. Drink or hold. 1,500 cases made.James Suckling | 94 JSHigh-toned and floral, this wine offers a generous mouthfeel of salty oak, mineral and wet stone. The elegant fruit profile combines pear, apple and Meyer lemon with ease, complementing the body weight with ample acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2019 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills is characterized by broad, intense flavors foiled by tangy acidity. It offers aromas of apple pie, honeycomb, toast and white blossoms and is intensely flavored, ripe and textural, finishing with energetic freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPretty aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, lemon tart and flint. It’s full-bodied, yet bright, with tangy acidity. Textured and fleshy. Some spice and hay notes to close. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSWonderfully floral on the nose, sappy and rich on the palate, this expressive wine is packed with flavorful fruits perfectly set against tangy acidity. White peach, Asian pear and a touch of lime combine on a full-bodied midpalate. The juicy fruit flavors energize the wine and set the taster up for sip after sip.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEToasty with a lean oak frame, this smoky chardonnay’s aromas are mildly oaked at first. But the flavors are refreshing, lean and balanced, with an oyster-shell duskiness that suggests a pairing with shellfish, particularly seared scallops. Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

This bold but light-bodied wine wraps phenomenal fruitiness and freshness in lively acidity and fine-grained tannins for a rare mix of vibrancy and concentration. It stops short of full ripeness and lures with red cherry, sour cherry and rhubarb flavors that are intense and long. Best from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Faîte de Mer Farm is the most elegant and complete of the Mendocino wines in this range. It is distinguished by layers of bright, red-toned fruit and soaring aromatics. Bright acids support a core of crushed raspberry fruit, wild flowers, mint, spice and crushed rocks. I very much like the vibrancy and cut here. The Faîte de Mer Farm is simply gorgeous.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Mountain Estate Vineyard is bright and high-toned, as it often is, but it also has gorgeous depth and fabulous balance. Citrus peel, white flowers, chalk and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Readers will want to give the 2019 at least a year or two in bottle. Today, it is a bit nervy in feel, but it is all there.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

The 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard offers a more exotic, iodine, marine-like style as well as beautiful ripe cherry and redcurrant fruits to go with plenty of briny, mineral, and chalky nuances. This is a wine for those who prize minerality over fruit, and it’s medium-bodied, with a focused, pure texture, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. I think it will show even better in a few years and keep for a good decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDA light shade in the glass, this single-vineyard expression offers snappy aromas of currant alongside earthy hints of dusty rocks, dried herbs and cracked pepper. The structure is taut on the palate, where cranberry and green-peppercorn flavors are fresh and invigorating.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard opens with beguiling aromatics. Spicebox, blood orange, mint, orange peel and a dollop of whole cluster savoriness add nuance. Gracious and medium in body, the 2019 is all class. Interestingly, the Bien Nacido Pinot is quite a bit more reticent than the Chardonnay.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

An open and beautiful wine with green-olive and currant aromas and flavors. Some bark and earth, too, together with mushrooms, herbs, crushed stones and pomegranate. Medium to full body with round, creamy tannins and refined finish. Blood orange at the end. Crunchy. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.James Suckling | 96 JSExuberantly fruity on the nose, the 2019 Napanook is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite seeing 40% new French oak, what shines on the nose are the ripe cherries, delicately brushed with wisps of tobacco, sage and bay leaf. It’s medium to full-bodied, supple and silky in feel on the palate, while the finish lingers easily, adding notes of pencil shavings and mocha. To get this sort of pedigree for less than $100 is a rarity in Napa these days, making it a notable value.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSolidly built and very direct, with a juicy, muscular core of cassis, plum and blackberry flavors lined with singed alder, menthol and sweet bay leaf. Maintains juicy energy through the toasty finish, with a late loamy echo keeping things grounded. A very well-proportioned wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 2,450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This opens with a fruit bomb of wild berry briar patch, then transitions into an appealingly rustic and structured zest fest, revealing heaps of licorice, roasted sage and forest floor accents that build toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030. 1,192 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Extremely aromatic with ripe cherry and berry aromas, as well as flowers and citrus. Medium to full body with fine, polished tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is really well done and one of the most balanced L’Aventures I have encountered. Syrah, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2019 Optimus should be snatched up by savvy readers. Based on 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, it just about jumps out of the glass with gorgeous cassis, floral, pepper, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. As seamless as they come, this full-bodied, elegant, pleasure-bent 2019 is going to evolve for a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLovely aromatic intensity, spicy and nuanced on the nose but incredibly well defined on the palate which is crisp and precise with flavours that glide across, so linear and straight. There’s a coolness to the fruit profile and a refreshing juiciness. Concentration and structure with good tannic grip - lots on offer here. A blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 14 months in 89% new French oak and 11% one-year-old French oak with malolactic fermentation in barrel. No fining or filtering. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 94 DECOpaque violet. Spice-tinged dark berry preserves, fruitcake, incense, toasty oak and vanilla on the highly perfumed nose. Stains the palate with sappy black and blue fruit, exotic spice and floral pastille flavors, while a smoky mineral nuance adds firm back-end lift. Fleshy and deep but energetic as well, thanks to the core of juicy acidity. Finishes on a gently tannic note, displaying sharp focus and superb, dark-fruit-driven persistence. 89% new French oak.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Optimus is a blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and pure aromas of red and black berries with earthy, autumnal accents and a streak of spice. The medium-bodied palate is grainy and fresh, with pretty floral perfume on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2019 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine checks in as a 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from two different vineyards. The Cabernet Franc really stands out, and the wine has a complex, forest floor, herbal, bouquet garni-like character as well notes of woodsmoke, iron, and blue fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it has some background chocolaty oak, a great mid-palate, and a heck of a finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard features leafy, minty nuances and hints of tobacco set against a backdrop of redcurrants. Full-bodied and ripe but remarkably elegant, it finishes supple and long, with a delectable silky texture. It’s undeniably sexy, but I have to admit I didn’t pick up on the "hot chick-just-done-with-Pilates pheromone quality" that Bevan described.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Red Wine EE Tench Vineyard is compelling. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc works so well here. A whole range of floral and savory notes give the 2019 its striking presence. Raspberry jam, blood orange, kirsch and spice add inner perfume and polish. The 2019 EE is such an alluring wine.Antonio Galloni | 94-97 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Quink Vineyard is another fabulous wine from Trail Marker. Mount Eden Clone Chardonnay in this Santa Cruz Mountains site yields a wine that is rich, creamy and vibrant. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint, chamomile and light tropical inflections all build in the glass. Low yields and small berries amplify both fruit richness and salinity.Antonio Galloni | 92-94 AG

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Ceniza Vineyard comes from the cooler Coombsville region and offers a deep purple color as well as thrilling notes of ripe blueberries, black cherries, dark tobacco, and earth. It has wonderful purity on the palate and is medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, awesome overall balance, and one great finish. This seriously good juice will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have two decades of overall longevity, if not more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JD

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hen Vineyard from the Oak Knoll District in the southern part of the valley is similarly inky purple/ruby-hued to go with more elegant, medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, black raspberry, spring flowers, and cedar pencil. It’s fresh, lively, focused, and beautifully balanced, and can be drunk any time over the coming 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis is another stunning vintage of this small-production wine, the result of a partnership between Winemaker Maayan Koschitzky and wine growers Miguel Luna and Pete Richmond. Ageable and structured, it opens in dark, brooding tannin, oak and sage, with a thickness to the palate. Notes of crushed rock and iron complement layers of cassis and black cherry.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2020 Promontory is deep garnet-purple in color. It soars out of the glass with notes of fresh black cherries, crushed blueberries, and kirsch, followed by hints of wet slate, Indian spices, candied violets, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly knit, with so many mineral and floral nuances intertwined with the red and black fruits, supported by very firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed. There is so much energy here, it practically vibrates in your mouth! A masterpiece.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIIncredible aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, lavender, violets, hazelnut and black tea. Forest floor. So complex. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that are ultra-fine and melt into the wine, spreading across the palate. Perfectly meshed. This has real presence and energy. Cool wet stones, mountain air, and dark fruits make up the palate. November 2024 release. It will need three to four years to come around. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2020 Promontory is a medium to full-bodied, concentrated 2020 that certainly does well in the vintage, even if it lacks the vibrancy of a truly great vintage from this estate. With everything harvested by September 21, it has a rich, powerful bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and subtle violet and floral notes. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, lots of minerality, and firm tannins, which are common in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL charges out of the gate with vibrant notes of grapefruit, lemon tart, and coriander seed, leading to wafts of struck flint, sea spray, yuzu zest, and peach blossom. Full-bodied, rich, and densely laden in the mouth with lemon and lime oil layers, it has just enough freshness and a pleasant suggestion of oiliness to the texture, finishing long and lifted. Around 1,500 cases of UV-SL are made. It is named after one of Sonoma’s most reputable vineyard managers, Ulises Valdez Sr. (UV), who passed away recently. The vineyard is situated on Stoetz Lane (SL), only six miles from the Pacific Ocean, up on the hills around Graton and Occidental. Aubert and Valdez Sr. collaborated on the planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here.The Wine Independent | 98+ TWIA spicy and salty white with cooked apple and honey character. Light vanilla and pie crust. Medium to full body. Flavorful and very long, Excellent intensity and focus. White pepper and fruit at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSStarts with a sleek laser beam of ripe and pure apricot, grilled peach and Fuji apple, expanding into salted, toasted almond notes and flavors of lemon sherbet, dried ginger and nutmeg. Shows harmony on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,444 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNot since Robert Parker himself reviewed this wine have vintages of it scored in this vicinity. When viewed in isolation, the 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL is a thrilling wine; only in the rarified air of Aubert’s range could a 94-point rating be considered disappointing. It’s more linear and direct than the opulent, flamboyant 2021, with pronounced notes of crushed stone framing lime zest and white peaches. Full-bodied yet zesty, clean and refreshing, it’s a laser beam of bright fruit, seemingly without the typical Aubert fleshy curvaceousness. Some drinkers may even prefer it for that stylistic leaning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard shows good energy and tension. The UV-SL remains a relatively light-bodied wine, but some of the hard edges I saw last year have started to soften. Orchard fruit and white pepper lend attractive brightness throughout.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2020 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard also saw a touch of stems (5%) and was aged 19 months in two-thirds new French oak. Coming from a cooler site, it has a deep ruby/plum color as well as a great nose of ripe blackberry and mulberry fruits, notes of charred meat, iron, and baking spices, full-bodied richness, ripe and integrated tannins, and a great, great finish. Out of the two Syrahs, this beauty is a touch more balanced and elegant, and also has slightly more mid-palate density. Regardless, both are brilliant, singular wines that readers will love.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2020 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Il Padrino is a brute. Most of the wines in this range are quite racy, but the Padrino is simply impenetrable as this stage. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha, gravel, dried herbs and menthol are some of the many notes that develop. There is some whole cluster influence, which adds complexity.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2020 Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard is bright and wonderfully saline, with plenty of mineral and savory accents. Citrus peel, mint, white pepper, chalk and dried flowers open nicely with a bit of time. There’s terrific energy and plenty of cut. Most of this fruit is sourced from the own-rooted vines first planted in 1971.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2020 Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard is terrific and shockingly good given the quantities produced. Burgundian-like aromas of stone fruits, chalky minerality, honeyed flowers, and brioche all define the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, with a supple, rounded texture, integrated acidity, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDDried lime peel, seared lemon pith, white flower and a hint of grass show on the nose of this bottling. There’s an earthy, crushed rock element to the palate, where dried apple and herb flavors also arise. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2020 Pinot Gris Occam’s Razor is a one-of-a-kind, skin-contact Pinot Gris wine that is showing nutty and earthy tones alongside ripe pear and marzipan notes on the palate. The texture from the extended bâtonnage really impresses. This is a layered and delicious wine that overdelivers for the price.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Displaying a deep magenta core, the 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was made with 4% Viognier. The nose is spicy, focused and firm with hints of reduction, savory herbs, black and green peppercorn, bitter black tea, dark cherry skin and wilted flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays a firm tannic edge that grows in amplitude before showing subtle flavors of stewed cherries, roasted almonds and hints of vanilla. It ends with a food-friendly and generous finish. The wine rested for 18 months in about 20% new French oak barrels...Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Savory, smokey and dusty, the 2020 Syrah en Cerise is firm, mineral-driven and expressive with potpourri and dark red fruit aromas, hints of pink and green peppercorns and a spicy and mineral essence. Medium-bodied, the palate gives way to a balanced and spicy core of dark red fruit with savory flavors of sage and wild brush before offering notes of umami and dusty flowers across the mid-palate. The wine continues to open and evolve, revealing more spicy and savory notes before ending with a soft hint of iodine and leather. Enjoy with food.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

(Pinot Noir “Anderson Valley”- Bravium Wines (Anderson Valley)) Derek Rohlffs has crafted a very, very pretty Anderson Valley bottling of pinot noir in 2020, with this svelte, red fruity middleweight coming in at 12.6 percent alcohol this year. The nose jumps from the glass in a very refined constellation of strawberries, cherries, woodsmoke, a fine base of soil tones, a lovely touch of Anderson Valley fresh herb tones, peonies and just a whisper of cedar. The wine is bright, tangy and medium-full on the palate, with lovely intensity of flavor, excellent focus and grip, moderate tannins and a long, balanced and beautifully complex finish that closes with excellent backend lift. This is outstanding. The wine is certainly quite approachable out of the blocks, but more complexity will emerge with further bottle age. (Drink between 2021-2045)John Gilman | 92+ JGBay leaf and forest-floor aromas meet delicious red and black cherries in this medium-to-full-bodied wine, for an intriguing blend of savory and fruity qualities. It balances appetizing acidity and mild tannins with complex flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThis fresh, direct style is finely textured and dominated by red currant and dried raspberry flavors, with loamy hints on the cedary finish. Drink now through 2024. 1,045 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSFloral aromas of roses and violets with red cherries and strawberries as well. Juicy and flavorful palate with medium body and integrated tannins. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS