Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

Zinfandel is the most versatile and underestimated red wine in California, as this week’s selection of new releases demonstrates. It’s grown successfully throughout the state, and made in a range of styles from claret-like to fruit bomb. Plus, great quality can be found at bargain prices—as little as $14 in this selection.

Check out the appellations featured here: Dry Creek, Amador, Lake County, Contra Costa, Sonoma Valley and Paso Robles. Few other varieties thrive in such a wide range of terroirs.

Some of the leading names in Zinfandel are on this list too, including Carlisle, Turley and Ridge. Mike Officer’s Carlisle Dry Creek Valley and Turley’s Juvenile bottling are consistently among the top Zins at those price points. What’s more, the 2016 and 2017 vintages are showing Zinfandel at its best.

CARLISLE Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2017 Score: 92 | $38
Svelte and supple, with expressive black cherry, dried sage and licorice flavors that linger on a long finish. Drink now through 2025. 3,358 cases made.—T.F.

TURLEY Zinfandel California Juvenile 2017 Score: 92 | $20
Vibrant and zesty, with lively cherry and raspberry flavors, accented by smoky sage and peppery licorice notes. Drink now through 2026. 15,000 cases made.—T.F.

DRY CREEK Zinfandel Sonoma County Heritage Vines 2017 Score: 91 | $26
Briary and vibrant, with zesty raspberry, toasted sage and cracked pepper flavors that take on richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025. 15,000 cases made.—T.F.

RIDGE Zinfandel Paso Robles 2017 Score: 91 | $35
Briary and rustic yet appealing for the deep blackberry, mineral and savory underbrush accents that build toward broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2021 through 2027. 3,500 cases made.—T.F.

THREE WINE COMPANY Zinfandel Contra Costa County 2017 Score: 91 | $16
Refined and well-built, with vibrant wild berry, smoky sage and pepper flavors that take on speed toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025. 1,854 cases made.—T.F.

EASTON Zinfandel Amador County 2016 Score: 90 | $22
Vibrant and sleekly focused, with a lively core of acidity and tannins, layered with raspberry, stony mineral and white pepper flavors. Drink now through 2025. 5,000 cases made.—T.F.

KUNDE FAMILY Zinfandel Sonoma Valley 2016 Score: 89 | $22
A snappy, briary red, with bright cherry, underbrush and black pepper flavors. Drink now through 2024. 4,750 cases made.—T.F.

FREI BROTHERS Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Reserve 2016 Score: 88 | $20
Easygoing and full of snap, with lively raspberry and toasted spice flavors. Drink now through 2023. 5,300 cases made.—T.F.

SHOOTING STAR Zinfandel Lake County 2016 Score: 87 | $14
Focused and trim, with zesty cherry, herb and spice flavors. Drink now through 2024. 1,150 cases made.—T.F.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

Oregon Pinot Noir lovers are spoiled these days. The 2017 vintage is the fourth consecutive excellent vintage for Willamette Valley’s signature red, with the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages all achieving a classic rating.

The 2017 vintage looks promising, although the growing season was a departure from the previous three. The spring was cool and soggy, which delayed flowering, while the summer was hot and dry.

This week’s new releases offer a little slice of Oregon Pinot and what it has to offer. They range in price from $18 to $45, with both general Willamette Valley bottlings and single-vineyard wines. Stylistically, you’ll find everything from easygoing Pinots to refined, deeply structured versions.

ARCHERY SUMMIT Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 92 | $45
Plush but well-structured, with expressive raspberry, orange peel and black tea flavors that take on refined tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2027. 2,552 cases made.—T.F.

PATRICIA GREEN Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Balcombe Vineyard 2017 Score: 92 | $37
Spirited, but refined and focused, with dynamic raspberry, green tea and orange zest flavors that build tension toward well-groomed tannins. Drink now through 2026. 473 cases made.—T.F.

PATRICIA GREEN Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Freedom Hill Vineyard 2017 Score: 91 | $37
Deeply structured, revealing an appealing savory, earthy edge, offering expressive raspberry and dark plum flavors, accented by rose petal, tarragon and black tea hints. Drink now through 2025. 763 cases made.—T.F.

LE CADEAU Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Diversité 2017 Score: 91 | $50
Tightly focused, with precise raspberry, orange peel and smoky forest floor accents that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Drink now through 2026. 242 cases made.—T.F.

BROADLEY Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 90 | $22
Plump and expressive, with lively raspberry and spice flavors that show a hint of fresh earth. Offers a long, supple finish. Drink now through 2025. 2,200 cases made.—T.F.

DOBBES FAMILY ESTATE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Grand Assemblage 2017 Score: 90 | $28
Agile and lively, with sleek and refreshing raspberry and toasted cinnamon flavors that glide delicately along the finish. Drink now through 2023. 2,000 cases made.—T.F.

STOLLER Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 89 | $25
Approachable yet spirited, with lively raspberry and sassafras accents that pick up speed on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 3,000 cases made.—T.F.

CHEMISTRY Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 87 | $19
Zesty and user-friendly, with lively cherry and spice flavors. A cheery quaff. Drink now through 2024. 5,500 cases made.—T.F.

COOPER MOUNTAIN Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Cooper Hill 2017 Score: 87 | $18
Snappy and tart, with lively but straightforward cherry and spice flavors. Drink now through 2022. 6,500 cases made.—T.F.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

Northern California wine country got a taste of spring weather recently, and the urge to grill outside was strong. Then it poured with rain again. But one of the great things about Zinfandel? It pairs well with hearty food no matter the weather.

Today’s selection of new releases shows Zin at its best, with all six wines scoring 90 points or higher and costing $36 or less. This includes bottlings from 2015 and 2016, both outstanding vintages, as well as 2017, which I’ve not rated yet but shows early promise.

These wines also share a Sonoma connection, with all the grapes hailing from the county, except for Jeff Cohn‘s catch-all California cuvée The Imposter. And yet, winemaker Cohn is based in Sonoma, and his wine contains more than a little Sonoma juice.

CAROL SHELTON Zinfandel Rockpile Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard 2016 Score: 92 | $36
Structured and lively, showing tension, offering expressive black cherry, red jalapeño and stony mineral accents that deepen toward broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2020 through 2026. 501 cases made.—T.F.

JEFF COHN The Imposter California 2016 Score: 91 | $35
Opens with a burst of ripe black raspberry fruit followed by expressive layers of smoky anise, espresso and licorice flavors that build toward polished tannins. Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier and Carignane. Drink now through 2025. 500 cases made.—T.F.

HAWLEY Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Treborce Vineyard 2017 Score: 91 | $35
Refined and well-built, with lively raspberry, anise and white pepper flavors that take on richness on a long finish. Drink now through 2024. 530 cases made.—T.F.

KOKOMO Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2017 Score: 91 | $28
Spirited yet well-structured, with layered cherry, green peppercorn and savory anise flavors that finish with harmonious tannins. Drink now through 2024. 630 cases made.—T.F.

DE LOACH Zinfandel Russian River Valley 2015 Score: 90 | $23
Fruit-forward and zesty, with snappy cherry, sweet anise and pepper flavors that have a vibrant finish. Drink now through 2023. 3,218 cases made.—T.F.

ST. FRANCIS Zinfandel Sonoma County Old Vines 2016 Score: 90 | $22
Boldly jammy and plump with fruit, this has just enough structure to stay interesting, with black cherry, toasty vanilla and pepper flavors. Drink now through 2024. 33,200 cases made.—T.F.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

There’s no such thing as a typical California Rhône-style red. Syrah, the key grape, is distinctly pliable to a range of growing conditions and winemaking styles, making everything from potent and dark gamy reds to jammy and soft fruit bombs. This week’s selection of new releases proves that point with a lively cross-section of personalities, regions and grapes.

To truly appreciate the eclectic range of wines in this category, it helps to understand France’s Rhône Valley, whose grapes are now planted in California. Syrah is the dominant grape in the Northern Rhône, while appellations in the Southern Rhône like Châteauneuf-du-Pape generally blend various grapes together, often led by Grenache.

Syrah is the backbone of most Californian Rhône reds, but as with France, other grapes add nuance in blends or are compelling on their own. (They also ripen on different schedules, which is handy in difficult years.) Syrah lends structure, color and dark fruit, often with spice and smoky elements, while Grenache is generally lighter in color and shows more red fruit. Mourvèdre is typically more tannic and often has game and earth notes.

Two of this week’s wines contrast the two main styles of Rhône reds in California. Le P’tit Paysan is distinctly Old World, with fresh acidity and a smoky meat element, while Jeff Cohn‘s #PureYum is big, gutsy and ripe, in the New World mold.

JEFF COHN #PureYum Sonoma County 2016 Score: 92 | $40
Plump, with gutsy fruit and just enough polish to make it sing, offering distinctive blackberry, garrigue and smoky pepper flavors that finish with broad-shouldered tannins. Syrah and Grenache. Drink now through 2023. 222 cases made.—T.F.

AMPELOS Grenache Sta. Rita Hills Delta: The Difference Ampelos Vineyard 2015 Score: 91 | $37
Lively and well-built, with expressive raspberry, spicy cinnamon and smoked meat flavors that race toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2024. 250 cases made.—T.F.

CARLISLE Grenache Sonoma Valley Rossi Ranch 2016 Score: 91 | $40
Sleek and structured, with expressive raspberry, smoky anise and cracked pepper flavors that speed toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2024. 235 cases made.—T.F.

SKINNER Mourvèdre El Dorado 2016 Score: 91 | $30
Distinctive, plump and showing personality, this offers flavors of dried cherry, fruitcake spices and orange peel that end with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2024. 388 cases made.—T.F.

LE P’TIT PAYSAN Le P’tit Pape Central Coast 2016 Score: 90 | $22
A lanky red, laced with an appealing gamy quality and offering sleek and lean cherry, smoky anise and spice flavors. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Drink now through 2023. 1,800 cases made.—T.F.

AMPELOS Syrah Sta. Rita Hills Gamma: The Complex Ampelos Vineyard 2015 Score: 89 | $35
Dense and racy, with blueberry, bitter chocolate and pepper beef flavors that finish with snappy tannins. Best after 2019. 300 cases made.—T.F.

TABLAS CREEK Mourvèdre Adelaida District 2016 Score: 89 | $40
Supple and discreetly racy, with expressive dried cherry, licorice and smoky mincemeat flavors. Drink now through 2023. 825 cases made.—T.F.

SKINNER Syrah El Dorado 2015 Score: 88 | $30
Dense and tightly wound, with dried blueberry, bitter chocolate and licorice flavors. Best after 2019. 391 cases made.—T.F.

MICHAEL DAVID Syrah Lodi 6th Sense 2016 Score: 87 | $16
Zesty and loaded with spice, plus low-key raspberry and smoky herb flavors. Drink now through 2022. 25,000 cases made.—T.F.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

“Value” and “Pinot Noir” are not often found in the same sentence. That’s because Pinot is the fussy child of red wines, persnickety in the vineyard and in the cellar, making average price-points for the wines relatively high. But as today’s selection of new releases demonstrates, and as George Gershwin once rhapsodized, it ain’t necessarily so.

Oregon, and particularly Willamette Valley, makes some of the best and most dynamic Pinot Noirs in the country. While most come at a premium, there are still bargains to be had if you look for them. Shop carefully: Go for an Oregon-designated wine from a reliably good-quality producer, like Erath. You’ll also find here several picks from Willamette Valley that over-deliver for the price, as well as from Rogue Valley, in the south of the state.

ADELSHEIM Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 91 | $30
Polished and elegantly complex, with pretty rose petal, raspberry and spiced tea flavors that glide on the long finish. Drink now through 2024. 25,300 cases made.—T.F.

ARGYLE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Grower Series 2016 Score: 90 | $27
Graceful and bright, with lively raspberry, cinnamon and green tea flavors that finish on a snappy note. Drink now through 2023. 39,000 cases made.—T.F.

ERATH Pinot Noir Oregon 2016 Score: 90 | $19
Sleek and easy to sip, with floral cherry and spice flavors that linger on the long, snappy finish. Drink now through 2023. 216,015 cases made.—T.F.

MAISON L’ENVOYÉ Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Two Messengers 2016 Score: 90 | $30
Vibrant and precise, with lively cherry and pomegranate flavors accented by green tea hints, finishing on a lively, crisp note. Drink now through 2023. 3,000 cases made.—T.F.

MAYSARA Pinot Noir McMinnville Jamsheed Momtazi Vineyard 2015 Score: 90 | $30
Silky and approachable, with delicate raspberry, orange peel and spiced cinnamon flavors. Drink now through 2023. 4,800 cases made.—T.F.

ATLAS WINE COMPANY Pinot Noir Rogue Valley Omen 2017 Score: 88 | $20
Vibrant and youthful, with easygoing cherry, strawberry and spice flavors. Drink now through 2022. 3,168 cases made.—T.F.

CASTLE ROCK Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 88 | $14
Lively and plump, with easygoing fruit, offering raspberry and toasted spice flavors. Drink now through 2021. 7,906 cases made.—T.F.

SHARECROPPER’S Pinot Noir Oregon 2017 Score: 87 | $16
Tart and user-friendly, with lively cherry and floral spice flavors. Drink now through 2022. 6,027 cases made.—T.F.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

If you enjoy supple and fruit-driven Pinot Noir, then you’re in for a treat with today’s selection of new releases from California and Oregon. With its warm summer days, California has long been known for its bold-fruited Pinots, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley has recently experienced a string of warm vintages, adding a layer of ripe polish to the region’s trademark crisp and savory style.

There are many familiar names in these picks, from veteran producers Bergström and Fess Parker to relative newcomers Walt and Toil Oregon. Plus, the California Pinots demonstrate the state’s diverse terroirs with wines from Anderson Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Arroyo Grande Valley and more.

All of these wines score 90 points are higher, and there are numerous great buys in the group, with prices that range from $25 to $50.

AMPELOS Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Lambda: The Magnitude 2015 Score: 91 | $35
Open-textured, with a fine texture to the dried cherry, raspberry and currant flavors that are full of fresh minerality. Offers a crisp finish. Drink now through 2021. 825 cases made.—Kim Marcus

BERGSTRÖM Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Cumberland Reserve 2016 Score: 91 | $42
Floral and expressive raspberry and violet aromas open to polished and delicately layered pomegranate, anise and spice flavors that finish with refined tannins. Drink now through 2023. 5,000 cases made.—T.F.

COLENE CLEMENS Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains Adriane 2015 Score: 91 | $50
Sleek and structured, with refined cherry, stony mineral and spiced tea flavors that take on polished tannins toward the finish. Drink now through 2024. 847 cases made.—T.F.

KENDALL-JACKSON Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Jackson Estate Outland Ridge 2016 Score: 91 | $42
Broadly textured and rich, with mocha notes accenting the dark cherry, roasted plum and wild berry flavors. Chocolate and spice details show on the creamy finish. Drink now through 2022. 973 cases made.—K.M.

SWEET CHEEKS Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016 Score: 91 | $29
Sleek and silky, with elegantly complex rose petal, raspberry and green tea accents that take on richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2023. 1,675 cases made.—T.F.

TOIL OREGON Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016 Score: 91 | $50
Plump, fresh and elegantly layered with vibrant raspberry, orange tea and toasty cinnamon flavors that glide toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2023. 700 cases made.—T.F.

TRISAETUM Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2016 Score: 91 | $36
Broad but refined, with lively rose petal and black raspberry notes accented by dusky spice and stony mineral hints. Finishes with big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2024. 3,800 cases made.—T.F.

WALT Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2016 Score: 91 | $44
There’s lots of rooibos tea notes to this toothsome red, which offers a well-honed structure to support the dried berry and cherry tart flavors. Rich and savory on the finish. Drink now through 2021. 1,661 cases made.—K.M.

LA CREMA Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2016 Score: 90 | $25
Shows plenty of hot stone and brick notes to the dried cherry, allspice and poached plum flavors, with cardamom and sandalwood details on the creamy finish. Drink now through 2021. 100,000 cases made.—K.M.

LAETITIA Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande Valley 2016 Score: 90 | $26
A charming, graceful and elegant offering, with a silky texture amid fresh earth, anise, cherry, plum and smoky oak flavors, ending long and soothing. Drink now through 2027. 7,300 cases made.—James Laube

MIGRATION Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2016 Score: 90 | $40
Well-structured, showing vibrant dried cherry, red plum and currant flavors that are backed by zesty acidity. The minerally finish is fresh and focused, with a savory edge. Drink now through 2022. 23,000 cases made.—K.M.

FESS PARKER Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2016 Score: 90 | $30
Elegant, showing suave dried berry and red fruit flavors that are flush with dried herb and understory accents. Rich and minerally on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 4,362 cases made.—K.M.

SIDURI Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2016 Score: 90 | $39
Lush and packed with vibrant cherry, raspberry and red plum flavors that feature toothsome forest floor notes. Engaging minerality and rich spiciness show on the finish. Drink now through 2021. 1,390 cases made.—K.M.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

It’s the lazy days of summer, prime time for grilling out with a tasty glass of California Zinfandel. With its bold fruit and zesty flavors, Zin works with a wide range of fire-roasted food, whether it’s just a burger or hot dog, or something snazzier like baby back ribs or a bone-in rib eye. And if you lather barbecue sauce on chicken, that will work dandy with Zin, too.

This week’s collection of new releases hails from all over the state, once again proving the versatility of California’s heritage grape. Sierra Foothills stalwart Bill Easton delivered the two top wines, both 2014s and both scoring 91 points.

Zin is one of Lodi’s strong suits, and the region accounts for five of this week’s 10 wines, ranging from Klinker Brick‘s smoky and spicy Old Ghost to the super-value, widely available wines of Plungerhead and Michael David‘s Seven Deadly Red.

EASTON Zinfandel Fiddletown Old Vine Rinaldi Vineyard 2014 Score: 91 | $35
A racy red, with huckleberry and smoky pepper aromas and briary black cherry and licorice flavors that finish with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made.—T.F.

EASTON Zinfandel Shenandoah Valley 2014 Score: 91 | $35
Plump and zesty, with lively wild berry and briary black pepper flavors that persist on a long finish. Drink now through 2024. 350 cases made.—T.F.

KLINKER BRICK Zinfandel Lodi Old Ghost Old Vine 2015 Score: 90 | $37
Ripe and broad-shouldered, with perky baked cherry, smoked licorice and spice flavors. Drink now through 2022. 5,000 cases made.—T.F.

PEACHY CANYON Zinfandel Paso Robles Westside 2016 Score: 90 | $26
Lively and appealingly briary, with black cherry, licorice and cracked pepper flavors that finish with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2023. 7,162 cases made.—T.F.

HARNEY LANE Zinfandel Lodi 2014 Score: 89 | $24
Plump and ripe, with blueberry pie, licorice and pepper flavors. Drink now through 2021. 650 cases made.—T.F.

KENWOOD Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Six Ridges 2014 Score: 88 | $26
Approachable and zesty, with lively cherry pie and spicy herb flavors. Drink now through 2023. 622 cases made.—T.F.

MICHAEL DAVID Seven Deadly Red Lodi 2016 Score: 88 | $16
Zesty and user-friendly, with ripe and lively cherry and cracked pepper flavors. Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2020. 50,000 cases made.—T.F.

TRENTADUE Zinfandel Alexander Valley La Storia Block 303 2016 Score: 88 | $26
Ripe and jammy, with easygoing berry cobbler and smoky pepper flavors. Drink now through 2021. 3,200 cases made.—T.F.

PLUNGERHEAD Zinfandel Lodi Old Vine 2016 Score: 87 | $14
Zesty and ripe, with cherry pie and spiced herb flavors. Drink now through 2020. 13,443 cases made.—T.F.

VAN RUITEN Zinfandel Lodi Old Vine 2016 Score: 87 | $17
Ripe and zesty, with raspberry jam and smoky sage flavors. Drink now through 2020. 2,470 cases made.—T.F.