An eclectic blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, the 2011 Alisos had 10% of the Sangiovese dried in apassimento style, where the grapes are harvested late and air dried in plastic crates. Seeing native yeast during fermentation, it spent 30 months in neutral French oak before bottling. Despite being on the eclectic end of the spectrum, it all works beautifully and this terrific red offers lots of spice-box, cedar, leather and ample sweet cherry and currant-styled fruit. Polished, medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, with fine tannin, it's already hard to resist yet should evolve nicely over the coming 5-7 years.

The 2010 Alisos Alisos Vineyard was one of my favorite reds in the lineup. Made from 80% Sangiovese (10% was dried for 100 days) and 20% Merlot, and aged all in neutral oak, it dishes out beautiful aromatics, medium-bodied richness and a voluptuous texture that builds on the palate. Made in a transparent, lively style, with a core of sweet fruit and chewy tannin on the finish, it should continue to delight for 4-5 years. Drink now-2018. Without a doubt, Steve Clifton is producing some of the finest examples of Italian variety wines in California. While I think you get the most bang for the buck from Steve’s more inexpensive whites and reds, his upper-tier Nebbiolos and blends certainly have unique characters and offer high quality. Tel. (805) 735-2030, www.palminawines.com

One of the more eccentric wines in the lineup, the 2009 Alisos Alisos Vineyard is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. Part of the Sangiovese is air-dried (Amarone-style), vinified separately, then blended with the other components. Naturally, this style of winemaking introduces a level of sweetness and silkiness that is not present in the rest of the lineup. Personally, I find less textural elegance and finesse than is common in the best Palmina wines. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. Interestingly, Steve Clifton takes an entirely different approach with Palmina than he does at Brewer-Clifton. Whereas the Brewer-Clifton wines are much more technical and controlled in their precision, at Palmina, Clifton favors natural yeasts and follows a more hands-off approach. Clifton is equally adept with both styles, something that says a lot about his natural talent. Nebbiolo is one the Palmina specialties. As good as the Palmina Nebbioli can be, my fear is that some of these wines will ultimately prove to have very narrow drinking windows. The Nebbioli clearly need time in barrel for the tannins to soften, but by the time they do, the aromas are often quite forward. Tel. (805) 735-2030, www.palminawines.com