Top wines on North Bay restaurant wine lists

Press Democrat wine writer Peg Melnik scopes out restaurant wine lists around the North Bay, looking for good value and the occasional splurge. This week’s picks (prices are retail; restaurant markup varies):

Marietta, 2011 Angeli Cuvee Sonoma County Red Wine, 15.2 percent alcohol, $28. This is a briary blend of zinfandel, petite sirah, syrah, and carignane. Aromas and flavors of dark berries, herbs and toast. Great structure. Full bodied. A smart pick.

Harts Desires Wines, Don Abraham Red Table Wine, 14.6 percent, $40. A tasty red, full-bodied and generous. Layered herbs and spice are subtle to trump up the fruit. Delicious.

Pfendler, 2013 Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County Pinot Noir, 14.5 percent, $45. Bright red fruit is what makes this wine so appealing. It has delicious notes of pomegranate and rhubarb, and it’s layered with flavors of tobacco and clove. Lovely.

Siduri, 2013 Keefer Ranch Vineyard, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 14.2 percent, $54. This pinot is complex and earthy, buoyed with bright, high-toned fruit and minerals. Well-integrated and balanced. A knockout.

Sea Smoke Sea Spray, 2012 Santa Rita Hills Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine, 12 percent, $80. A lovely sparkler with layered flavors of brioche, mineral and fig. This bubbly rides on crisp acidity, and has a nice mousse. Impressive.

Want to share a current wine on your favorite restaurant’s list? E-mail peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or check out her Tasting Room blog at pressdemocrat.com.