A deeply scented, perfumed wine, the 2011 Pinot Noir impresses for its nuanced personality and sheer detail. Dark cherry notes lead to plums, cloves, menthol and crushed rocks. The 2011 is all about delineation, nuance and freshness, all qualities that are very much present in the glass. This is a terrific first effort from Champs de Reves. These vines were only planted in 2006. It will be fascinating to see what develops here in the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019.

Bright medium red. Intense red fruit and floral aromas show impressive clarity, energy and bright minerality. Racy, precise strawberry and cherry flavors pick up a hint of blood orange and gain in sweetness with air. Very pure and sharply focused, finishing with lingering floral character and a subtle smoky note.

A partnership between Julia Jackson of Jackson Family Wines and Hélène Seillan, whose mentor is her father, Pierre Seillan of Vérité, this wine is lithe and complex, made from 100% Cabernet Franc, and shows plum and tangerine atop layered, pronounced acidity and a depth of weight that belies its lightness of being.

The 2014 Red Wine (Sonoma County) has turned out beautifully. Ripe, luscious and voluptuous to the core, the 2014 exudes richness and concentration. The high percentage of Cabernet Franc give the wine its lifted aromatics, while the Merlot adds softness and juiciness throughout. With a little aeration, the 2014 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. The 2014 spent ten months in oak, about 30% new.

Made by Pierre Seillan’s daughter Hélène, with input from her father. Dense, dark and spicy with earth, juicy plum and complex flavors; mellow texture and good structure; long and balanced. 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec.

This widely available bottling is an excellent choice for an attractive price. Aromas of hibiscus, pomegranate, raspberry and herbs lead into a palate with hints of game, red fruit and a touch of dried mint.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. The scent of black cherry and bramble leads to a welcome depth of black cherry fruit accented with warm spices, earth tones, and just a thread of oak. Sleek in texture with a substantial tannic backbone.

Soft red rose petals, cranberry, wet slate and dust show on the nose of this bottling, one of the first new-block designates released by this producer. The palate’s lush texture carries strong soil flavors of crushed gravel and turned earth, which give depth to the background of ripe raspberry and pomegranate fruit.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir South Crest is a little closed at this youthful stage, revealing subtle cranberry and rhubarb notes with underlying earth and underbrush notes. Medium to full-bodied, it has a lovely velvety texture and racy backbone supporting the powerful red fruit and earthy flavors, finishing long.

Pale to medium garnet colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir North Crest gives a great intensity of red and black cherry notes with some mulberries, cloves, black soil and stewed tea in the background. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with expressive red and black berry flavors, supported by chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.

Smooth and silky with juicy cherry fruit and sweet oak; tangy, crisp and balanced with style and length.

The 2008 Pinot Noir River Terra has a plum, flowery, pomegranate-scented nose, a dark ruby color, and attractive, medium-bodied flavors with terrific acidity and sweet tannin that build incrementally and positively on the palate. This wine is still young and unevolved, so another year or two of bottle age could actually add even more nuance. It should drink well for 7-10 years.

Sweet black cherries, fresh strawberry jam, cold steel, and crushed rocks jump from the glass of the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2008 Pinot Noir Sierra Granite. This is an elegant yet rich style of Pinot Noir that is still playing it close to the vest due to its vibrant acids, but it should also drink well for up to a decade.

This is an unusually appealing California Pinot, which has atypical finesse and elegance for a Golden State Pinot. Winemaker Ivan Giotenov attributes this in part to the unique vineyard site, which he describes as 'A paradise for growing grapes' (the grapes for this Pinot came from a rocky 4-acre patch in the heart of the 1100 acre vineyard). The wine is relatively full-bodied and complex, with distinct red plum and blackberry flavors, and smooth, velvety tannins on the finish.

winning combination of pear, apple ripe melon and butterscocth flavors, spiked with spicy clove and tart citrus accents. Lavishly oaked for a midweight wine, there's sufficient depth of fruit here to spport the wood, and the elements mesh and hold nicely/ An easy, lush mouthfeel means, it's best enjoyed over the next year or so - if you can keep it around that long.

Full ruby-red. Bordeaux-like aromas of roasted plum, currant, smoke and tobacco. Lush, pliant and expressive…Finishes with fine tannins and very good length.

"The '95 Cardinale is an ambitious contender for the California meritage crown. This edition is a finely tined combination of Mt. Veeder fruit (dense and pungent) with Alexander Valley hillside fruit (lush black cherry and herbs). Deeply informed by Bordeaux while taking full advantage of California's terroir, it's elegant and stylish, full of plum, peach and licorice notes, round and tannic. " Also appeared 11/98

The wine's opaque purple color is followed by copious quantities of toast, cassis, tobacco, earth, and spice in a full-blown bouquet. Full-bodied, with superb purity, and a gorgeous marriage of power and elegance…

.is rich and balanced with plum and tangy berry fruit. It is long, dense and complex.

Shows of its ripe black cherry, currant and wild berry flavors that stretch to a jammy edge, adding pretty spice and anise and firm tannins. Well crafted.

Figs and dried fruits with some tar predominate in the nose of this red wine. This has polished tannins, good bright fruit and a medium finish. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Christopher Carpenter, who is also responsible for the wines of Lokoya, has fashioned an opaque ruby/purple-colored 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon offering notes of black cherries, black currants, and spicy oak, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, low acidity and light but sweet tannin. Another strong effort in this challenging vintage, it should drink well for 10-12 years. Cardinale's Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot aged in 90% new French oak, has always been one of the most impressive offerings from the Kendall-Jackson portfolio.

This is marked by appealing cream- and mocha-laced flavors, with a dash of espresso woven into the dense dried berry, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco notes. Maintains a tight focus and gains on the finish, though the tannins are dry and gripping.

Potent and well-built, offering a mix of pure, ripe blackberry and currant, with touches of smoke and cedar and rich, chewy tannins.

Bright golden cast. Full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted. Heavily oaked. Smoke, yeast, cream. Quite heavily oaked, with a big, smoky flavor profile. Luxuriant and rich, with easty complexity and enough acidity to maintain a sense of balance through the finish.