The 2008 Chardonnay Grand Reserve, which comes from their vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, is a richer, fuller wine with loads of tropical fruit and honeysuckle. It is crisp, full-bodied, and again, an impressive wine to drink over the next several years.

Bright gold. Highly perfumed nose offers nectarine, orange pith, toasty lees, jasmine and a hint of candied ginger. Opulent but with very good energy to its lush pit fruit, citrus, herb and spice flavors. Finishes vibrant and long, with strong florality and a sneaky note of vanilla.

Always hedonistic and unabashedly Californian, the GR is a delicious chardonnay that starts in the vineyard. The fruit split is mostly 50/50 between Monterey (rich and thick from Hacienda and more florals from Clark) and Santa Barbara (full-blown tropical) yet the GR only represents a miniscule 3 percent of all the chardonnay that comes off the Jackson estates. Rich, open, nutty leesy nose, with ripe pear, mango, floral overtones. The styling is sexy and full-blown, with fairly fat, oily, tropical fruit with firm underlying acidity and florality. A rich California chardonnay flecked with bits of mineral and red apple skin. Very appealing in a new world way.

Some serious vineyards' fruit is included in this wine, which no doubt explains the big, tropical fruit-scented nose, fine acidity, and medium to full-bodied flavors. It is an amazing Chardonnay for the price.

The 2007 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay is entirely made from estate fruit. This cuvee seems to get better with each vintage as winemaker Randy Ullom is a virtuoso at producing such high quantity/high quality wine. Notes of melons, honeysuckle, and lemon oil along with remarkable flavor and texture are found in this wine.

The latest GR chardonnay is delicious. The fruit split is mostly settled in at 55/45 between Monterey and Santa Barbara, but still only represents a miniscule 3 percent of total chardonnay that comes off all Jackson estates. Rich open, leesy nose, with fresh red apple fruit drizzled with honey. Sumptuous styling, with plenty of tropical fruit flavours including peach, mango pineapple and more. The finish is rich without clinging, finishing with bits of mineral and fine acidity. Very impressive effort.

One of the finest values in Chardonnay in the market is the 2006 Grand Reserve Chardonnay, which is aged 8 months in a combination of French and American oak, and put through malolactic fermentation. It is a cross-appellation blend of 55% from Monterey and 45% from Santa Barbara. Gorgeous tropical fruits, pineapple in particular, as well as honeysuckle and some floral notes jump from the glass of this pure, rich wine that exhibits subtle oak but is dominated by its fruit. It's a beauty that should drink nicely for several years.

Here's a floral, minerally wine, with wildflower, orange spice and honey aromas almost like a Viognier. In the mouth, it erupts in fruit so sweet, it's almost like a dessert wine, with pineapple custard and lemon cream flavors. A little off-beat for a Chard, but very good.

The 2005 Chardonnay Grand Reserve (primarily from Santa Barbara and Monterey fruit) spent 8 months in a combination of American and French oak, with 100% barrel fermentation. Crisp and elegant, with notes of orange marmalade and oil, a brilliant texture, outstanding purity, and a heady finish, it is bigger than the Vintner's Reserve, but remains a fine bargain. It should drink well for 2-3 years.

A huge, complex wine that flatters the palate with enormously rich, layered flavors of lemon drop, vanilla custard and butterscotch flavors. Fortunately, there's a crisp Central Coast acidity.

Sees about 30% new French oak, enjoys 100% malolactic in barrel, and is aged sur-lies. This gorgeous Chardonnay displays vanilla cream, white peach, lemon butter, and popcorn-like characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, with good underlying acidity, an alluring texture, and tremendous purity, it is a fine value and, there are 77,542 cases!

Leesy and custardy, with melon and lime flavors accented by toast. Rich and weighty; finishes with caramel.

reveals honeyed tropical fruit, medium to full body, gorgeous freshness, and a lively, long finish. Drink this lovely white over the next 2-3 years.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...the 2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Arroyo Seco. Its complex bouquet of lemon zest, hazelnuts, minerals, and ripe tropical fruits is followed by a rich, well-textured Chardonnay with beautifully integrated oak...it represents a complex style of Chardonnay. All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...Nearly as superb, but less complex are the...2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. Aromas of honeyed tangerines, lemon zest, smoke and earth emerge from this full-bodied, pure, ripe, nicely-textured effort. All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

Fresh tangerine and light citrus fruit casts a lively sheen across the palate, the contrast of oak and ocean giving a dry, saline finish. A light, clean chardonnay, great with oysters.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The 2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Santa Barbara...An example of California Chardonnay at its finest, it boasts loads of tropical fruits, medium to full body, and a flamboyant, spicy personality...All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

A breezy, buttery offering, it boasts hazelnut and tropical fruit flavors, plenty of fat and lushness, and a smoky, Meursault-like character. Drink this sexy, opulent, full-flavored Chardonnay over the next several years.

Charming, with ripe berry and maraschino cherry flavors that are bright and appealing. Clove, cinnamon and dark chocolate highlights linger on a smooth frame.

Medium to deep red/purple bright colour; the bouquet spicy, fresh earth and subdued raspberry fruit. The wine is medium-bodied and savoury, with more savoury and matured flavours than fresh, bright, jubey fruit. It's soft but drying on the tongue. A good wine and quite a different style to the sibling Yangarra grenaches. (Made from 54-year-old grenache vines on the property, planted before the Hickinbothams owned it. 473 cases made) the longer the wine is aerated. A wonderful glass of red wine.

Plush plum, licorice and black tea notes show fresh accents of herbs, cedar and tobacco, adding a spicy flourish. Tannins firm up on the finish, lending a bold punctuation point to the flavors.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon has cassis and dried mint on the nose, with chocolate, violets, crème de cassis and blackberry tart flavors. Full-bodied an opulently fruited, this is nonetheless a and very fresh Cabernet, possessing nice grainy tannins and great length.