Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up on my doorstep 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 arrived recently.

Let’s start off with a little Chardonnay, shall we? Always a good place to begin. This week I tasted a number of wines from Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley, including a Chardonnay from Roblar Winery, which comes across as a modern interpretation of the California Chardonnay form. Picked on the earlier side, it’s got very good acidity and low alcohol, but also a good dose of oak to it – definitely not a buttery wine, but also not what you might find a few miles away in the cooler end of the Santa Rita Hills. Later in the lineup, I also review their Sangre de Dioses blend dominated by Sangiovese, which manages the trick of being rich and ripe but only 12.9% alcohol.

Sticking with Chardonnay for a moment longer, I also tasted a few more bottles from Big Table Farm, the small regenerative and biodynamic-focused producer in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Their Elusive Queen Chardonnay is usually their top bottling of that grape, and it didn’t disappoint with its complex and vibrant qualities. I also tasted two of the farm’s Pinots this week, their aptly named Earth Pinot Noir and their bottling from the Pelos Sandberg vineyard. Both see a good amount of whole cluster usage and nicely balance fruit with savory herbal tones.

Mascarin Wines represents something of a third act for industrial engineer Ed Mascarin who, along with his daughter, now runs Mascarin and 32 Winds Wine in Healdsburg. With winemaker Matt Taylor, they produce a wide range of bottlings from around Sonoma County. This week I’m recommending their Moonshine Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir, which has great acidity and very forward fruit flavors.

For lovers of California Pinot Noir, winemaker Ross Cobb needs no introduction, as he has been one of the leading lights of coastal Sonoma Pinot Noir for decades. Under his eponymous label, Cobb Wines, he produces a wide range of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from some of the top sites in the Western Sonoma Coast. This week I’m sharing my thoughts on four of those single-vineyard wines, all of which are excellent, and a few truly exceptional. I’d be hard-pressed to choose a favorite, but if forced to make a selection, I might opt for the Monticue bottling amongst this week’s four wines (more to come next week).

Lastly, I’ve got one more Santa Ynez Valley wine to recommend – a Bordeaux-style blend from Gainey Vineyard called Ines. Gainey is one of the pioneers of Santa Ynez Valley viticulture, Dan Gainey Sr. having planted a portion of the family’s cattle ranch to vines in 1984. The third, and soon to be the fourth, generation of Gaineys are still at the helm of the winery. With equal parts Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, Ines will appeal to those who enjoy fuller-bodied red wine, but the alcohol is a modest 14.1%.

Notes on all these below.

Tasting Notes

2024 Roblar Vineyards “Reserve” Chardonnay, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California
Pale gold in the glass with a hint of green, this wine smells of white flowers, pomelo pith, and lemon peel. In the mouth, nutty flavors of lemon peel and lemon pith mix with a hint of orange peel and toasted oak. Very good acidity keeps things fresh, and there’s a faint chalky note to the oak-scented finish. 12.9% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $60.

2024 Big Table Farm “The Elusive Queen” Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, lemon peel, and a touch of white flowers. In the mouth, lemon peel, beeswax, pomelo pith, and dried herbs have a lovely dynamism on the palate thanks to excellent acidity. There’s a chalky mineral undertone to the wine as well. Very pretty. 13.3% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $95.

2024 Big Table Farm “Earth” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of wet earth, forest floor, cranberries, and cherries. In the mouth, smooth, powdery tannins envelop a core of cherry and cranberry tinged with wet potting soil. Faint chopped green herb notes emerge in the finish along with a whisper of sweet oak. Very good acidity. 13.1% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $55. click to buy..

2024 Big Table Farm “Pelos Sandberg” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of cherries, cranberries, and a bit of barnyard. In the mouth, cherry and sour cherry flavors mix with that faint hint of manure, dried and fresh herbs, and a touch of forest floor and mushroom. Very good acidity and fine, powdery tannins round out a decidedly savory and earthy package. 12.7% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $72. click to buy..

2023 Mascarin “Moonshine Ranch Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherries and cranberry relish. In the mouth, tart cherry and sour cherry flavors have a nice brightness thanks to excellent acidity, along with powdery, athletic tannins that coat the mouth. The acidity is great, but the wine is missing some complexity. 13.2% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $69.

2023 Cobb “Emmaline Ann Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of raspberries, thyme, sour cherries, and a hint of bay laurel. In the mouth, sour cherries and raspberries mix with dried herbs and chopped green herbs. Fine tannins turn slightly athletic over time, as juicy acidity keeps things bouncy and fresh on the palate. This is a tasty wine, but not quite as fantastic as it usually is – making me wonder if there was something slightly off about this bottle. Hints of oak and dried herbs in the finish. 13% alcohol. 50% whole cluster. 330 cases made. Score: around 9 to 9.5. Cost: $85. click to buy..

2023 Cobb “Monticue Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium ruby in the glass, this wine smells of sweet cherries and pomegranate. In the mouth, bright citrus peel and redcurrant flavors mix with raspberries and sour cherries as dried herbs and flowers emerge on the finish. Gauzy tannins. Zippy and energetic, with mouthwatering acidity. Outstanding. 12.7% alcohol. 175 cases made. 80% whole cluster. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $85. click to buy..

2023 Cobb “Abigail’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of dried herbs, flowers, and pavement baking in the sun. In the mouth, sour cherry and redcurrant flavors mix with dried herbs and dried flowers with a hint of salinity. Faint gauzy tannins and a nice chopped green herb flavor emerge on the finish along with a hint of sweet oak. Gorgeous.12.5% alcohol. 150 cases made. 50% whole cluster. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $90. click to buy..

2023 Cobb “Doc’s Ranch” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherries and cranberries layered with dried herbs. In the mouth, fine tannins turn slightly muscular as they wrap around a core of cherry and earth mixed with dried flowers and dried herbs. A faint hint of salted citrus peel lingers in the finish. Comes across as somehow a bit more serious, while also being quite stunning. 13% alcohol. 560 cases made. 50% whole cluster. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $90. click to buy..

2023 Gainey Vineyard “Ines” Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherries, red apple skin, and blueberries. In the mouth, blueberries, black cherries, black tea, and licorice flavors are wrapped in thick fleecy tannins. Very good acidity. A blend of 39% Malbec, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Cabernet Franc. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $56.

2023 Roblar Vineyards “Sangre de Dioses” Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherries and Bing cherries, black tea, and strawberries. In the mouth, cherry and strawberry flavors are wrapped in a plush, velvety cushion of tannins as decent acidity keeps things fresh. A touch of mocha lingers in the finish. Rich for its low alcohol level, but quite easy to drink. A blend of 63% Sangiovese, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Merlot aged in neutral French oak for 18 months. 12.9% alcohol. 527 cases made. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $70. click to buy..