Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

This past week included a bunch of new releases from Dutton-Goldfield winery in Sonoma’s Green Valley. I tasted through three of their 2019 Chardonnays, each offering its own unique flavor profile, but my favorite was the wine from the chilly Devil’s Gulch vineyard in Marin County.

The two Pinots from Dutton-Goldfield were both excellent, and showcase wonderful balance and juiciness. I was less excited about their Zinfandel, but it is a well-made and tasty wine.

While still on the Pinot train, I’ve got an inexpensive organic Pinot from Barra of Mendocino to recommend. Finding decent Pinots under $25 is getting harder and harder, and this one is not only tasty, but organically farmed.

Moving towards the darker end of the spectrum, I can recommend Cornerstone Cellars’ Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon as a solid rendition of the form. The same can be said for the ever-reliable Laughing Magpie Shiraz from d’Arenberg. I’ve also got an interesting Heathcote Shiraz from Tellurian as well.

Last, but not least, I’ve got an interesting wine to share with you from the uber-ecological producer Chateau Maris in France’s Minervois region. Fully biodynamic, with vineyard work done by horse, this estate also features a winery constructed entirely of hemp bales. A major innovator in the space of environmental impact and carbon footprint, Maris continues to try new approaches to reducing their carbon footprint, of which this wine is their latest. Topped with a screwcap instead of cork, and shipped via sailboat across the Atlantic, it represents more of a gesture than a true logistics solution. Be that as it may, the wine is tasty, definitely worth the money, and the makers are worthy of respect for everything they’re trying to do. I like the label a lot, too.

Tasting Notes

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Devil’s Gulch Vineyard” Chardonnay, Marin County, California
Pale greenish-gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon curd. In the mouth, zippy bright floral lemon juice, lemon pith, and a hint of vanilla custard or crème brûlée have a nice silky texture and filigreed acidity. 13.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $55. click to buy.

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Rued Vineyard” Chardonnay, Green Valley, Sonoma, California
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, bright lemon curd and candied lemon flavors have a zingy bright acidity and a faint touch of vanilla. Zippy and bright with a silky texture and just a hint of toasted oak 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9 . Cost: $55. click to buy.

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Walker Hill Vineyard – Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay, Green Valley, Sonoma, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon curd, lemon pith, and golden apples. In the mouth, juicy flavors of lemon curd, golden apple, and grapefruit juice have a faint toasty note with hints of vanilla. Excellent acidity and length. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 9 . Cost: $50. click to buy.

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Emerald Ridge Vineyard – Dutton Ranch” Pinot Noir, Green Valley, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of cranberry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth, juicy raspberry and cranberry flavors have a tang of pomegranate and a hint of cedar and dried herbs. Faint, gauzy tannins barely register. Excellent acidity. 13.7% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $68. click to buy.

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Van Der Kamp Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma, California
Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cranberry and cherry layered over forest floor aromas. In the mouth, bright cherry and cranberry flavors have a fantastic juicy acidity and faint herbal tones, along with the faintest of powdery tannins behind them. Excellent acidity and balance. 14.1% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $68. click to buy.

2019 Barra of Mendocino Pinot Noir, Mendocino County, California
Light to medium ruby in the glass with garnet highlights, this wine smells of raspberry and earth. In the mouth, somewhat muted flavors of raspberry and earth mix with a hint of herbs and a touch of citrus peel. Decent acidity. Not as dynamic as it could be, but there’s nothing wrong with this wine. Certified organic. 14.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $20. click to buy.

2019 Dutton-Goldfield “Morelli Lane Vineyard – Dutton Ranch” Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of boysenberry and blackberry fruit. In the mouth, tangy boysenberry and blueberry flavors mix with a touch of licorice and black pepper. That peppery spice lingers in the finish along with a tangy plum skin quality that accentuates the juicy acidity. 14.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $50. click to buy.

2017 Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Napa, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherry, cola, and cocoa powder. In the mouth, cherry cola flavors mix with licorice and a touch of herbs. Decent acidity and powdery, but grippy tannins. 14.9% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $85. click to buy.

2020 Chateau Maris “Naïve” Grenache, Minervois, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of strawberry jam and cherries. In the mouth, juicy strawberry and cherry flavors have a nice faint powdery texture and very fresh acidity that accompanies hints of herbs and dried flowers in the finish. Biodynamic with no added sulfites. Shipped to the US by sailboat. 14.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. 1499 bottles made. Score: around 9 . Cost: $48. click to buy.

2015 d’Arenberg “Laughing Magpie” Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of blackberries and white flowers. In the mouth, flavors of blackberry and a hint of apricot mix with orange peel and sawdust. Grippy, leathery tannins coat the mouth. Contains 6% Viognier. 14.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $23. click to buy.

2017 Tellurian “Tranter” Shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black olives and licorice. In the mouth, faintly salty notes of licorice, blackberry, and prunes have a nice acidity but also some alcoholic heat in the finish. Vines were planted in 2003. 14.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $42. click to buy.