11 Talley 2005
Rosemary’s Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Arroyo Grande Valley); $70.
This is a great 2005 Pinot Noir, the best ever from Talley. The wine somehow combines huge ripe fruit with delicacy. It floods the mouth with profound currant, cherry pie, licorice, cola, raspberry, cocoa and vanilla flavors, yet feels light and silky, and is thoroughly dry. That’s the magic of Pinot Noir. You can enjoy this small production wine now, and it should develop additional complexities for 10 years.

11 Treana 2006
Mer Soleil Vineyard
Viognier-Marsanne (Central Coast); $25.
Treana has enjoyed great success with this blend of Viognier and Marsanne, which is one of the best Rhône-style white wines in California. The main reason is the source of the grapes. The vineyard, owned by the Wagners of Caymus, is stellar. The ’06 is as rich and crisply acidic as ever, with fantastically complex, honeyed tropical fruit, apricot and floral flavors that taste like they have a touch of botrytis.

13 Schloss Gobelsburg 2006
Heiligenstein Riesling (Kamptal); $34.
The volcanic soils of the Heiligenstein vineyard give intense ripe fruits, rich minerality and supreme elegance. The acidity steals in, a wisp of delicious fresh fruits and spring perfumes. This is a classic wine from a top Riesling year. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.

14 Podere L’Aione 2004
Salve (Toscana); $54.
This is an expertly extracted and penetrating Sangiovese-based wine (with a small percentage of other grapes mixed in) that boasts an absolutely irresistible nose. It is generous and full, sweet and succulent and will definitely please now or in 10 years. Black cherries and chocolate are the main themes, with coffee and chewy tannins in the mouth. An exciting discovery from a relatively unknown

15 Astrales 2005
Ribera del Duero; $60.
This is a huge and impressive step up from the 2003 Astrales, which was fine but not at this level. Here we’re talking about color, bouquet, palate feel, intense flavors, finish, you name it. It’s pure, ultratasty, chocolaty, smooth and pleasurable. Astrales is the complete package and a wine to watch. Imported by Grapes of Spain.

16 O. Fournier 2004
Alfa Crux
(Uco Valley); $45.
Talk about a deep, luscious wine. The bouquet emits a magnetic blend of chocolate cake, fine leather and berry marmalade, while the midsection is downright delicious but also very pure and natural despite the wine seeing 20 months of new oak. ACrux catches and holds every note, and it should age well for another 5 to 8 years. Imported by Jorge Ordoñez Selections.

17 Château Labegorce Margaux 2005
Margaux; $45.
New wood, sweet fruit, blackberry and plum skin flavors are all here in this round, ripe wine, with its soft, dusty tannins and delicious fresh acidity. This property has certainly joined the big league in Margaux.

18 Beringer 2004
Alluvium Red Table Wine (Knights Valley); $30.
This shows wonderfully layered, complex flavors, in addition to great structure. Thoroughly dry, with rich, fine tannins, it flatters with red and black currant, red cherry, milk chocolate, licorice, root beer, vanilla, dusty spice and smoky oak flavors. Luscious now and through 2010.

19 Dutton Estate 2006
Karmen Isabella
Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley); $32.
This is one of the palest Pinots of the vintage, so translucent, you can hardly believe its power. A blend of various Dutton Ranch vineyards the result is serious and fabulous, a complex wine with cherry, cola and spice flavors and a luxuriously silky texture. This is textbook, world class RRV Pinot from a very great vintage.

20 Foxen 2007
Tinaquaic Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley); $32.
This bottling by veteran Foxen offers one of the starkest, most appealing choices available in California Chardonnay. Far from a superripe buttery monster, it’s a lean, elegant machine. With vibrant acidity and a mineral undergirding, it offers rich flavors of citrus fruits and rind and yeasty, Champagne-like lees.