2002 CHARDONNAY - SONOMA COUNTY Dry and acidy-tart, this is a wine of great structure and balance. The flavors veer toward lime custard, mangos, apricot, vanilla and slate, with a gentle overly of toasty oak. It's quite a sophisticated Chardonnay, and a great value.

The Surprise of 2015 in Napa and Other California Wine Reviewed The nose is very rich here, offering a wealth of plum paste, vanilla extract, chocolate and coffee beans. The palate's very intense with dense fruit, ripe tannins and a fruit-forward finish. Drink in 2020.

Rich, very ripe and outgoing both on the nose and in the mouth and a wine that will not be accused of being underplayed in any way, Mt. Brave’s is a big, beamy Merlot that succeeds in spite of its flirtations with excess. It is mouthfilling stuff with plenty of extracted, black cherry fruit keeping it on track, and, if we would not count on finesse ever becoming one of its strengths, it has the presence, the potency and the tannic structure to support a good half-decade of age. One star.

Good full red. Sexy high tones to the aromas of currant, chocolate, graphite and coffee. A tad aggressive with alcohol initially, but proving increasingly precise in the glass, with ripe red fruit, mocha and dusty spice flavors already displaying considerable personality. Very pliant, classically dry merlot with a firmly tannic, persistent finish.

Blended with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, this is a full-bodied concentrated red that's thick in tannin and youthful structure. Black fruit, sage, clove and cinnamon figure into the rich, lushly crafted palate that's integrated in toasted oak.

Top California Cabernet 2015 wines: Full vintage report A brambly, Zinfandel-like fruit intensity that comes from relatively new plantings (1999 to 2008). New French oak lends toast and spice notes, plus dark chocolate and liquorice. Intense and very young.

Highly Recommended California Cabernets of 2014 Charred oak and floral aromas lead to a palate with tarry flavours and a balanced bittersweet component. The forward fruit should help the noticeable tannins to soften.

Loads of blueberries and spices on the nose. Medium body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.

Brawny and compact, with dense blackberry, clove and licorice flavors that build toward firm but resolved tannins. Hands off for now.

The 2014 Malbec is another bold, punchy wine from Mt. Brave. Rich and voluptuous, the 2014 offers notable intensity in its dark red fruit. Soft tannins add to the wine's plush, radiant feel. Even with all of its fruit intensity, the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring.

The brilliant 2011 Malbec comes close to what this grape can achieve in Argentina. Delicious floral, blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with notes of licorice, camphor and forest floor jump from the glass of this deep, medium-bodied, elegant yet authoritatively flavored red. One hundred percent Malbec aged in 70% new French oak, this beauty can be enjoyed over the next decade.

The 2009 Malbec is an attractive, juicy wine...there is plenty of Mt. Veeder character in this focused, cool, mineral-laced red.

Youthful ruby color. Ripe cherry and plum aromas are complicated by iron, cigar box and vanillin oak spice. Fleshy cherry compote and bitter chocolate flavors coat the palate and are energized by zesty minerality. Finishes sweet, broad and long, with suave mocha and dark berry jam qualities.

Vivid red. Spicy raspberry and floral aromas are complicated by notes of Asian spices and cola. Silky red berry compote flavors gain weight with air and pack a solid punch, with tangy acidity adding lift and focus. Fine-grained tannins add shape to the long, spicy, floral finish, which leaves red fruit and spicecake notes behind.

Intense red currant and dried raspberry flavors are sinewy and pure-tasting in this taut version. Cedary midpalate, with slate notes on the finish.

The 2013 Merlot (Sonoma County) is a dark, fleshy wine with striking dark fruit and lovely underpinning of chocolate, sage, tobacco and earthy notes. Deceptively medium in body, the 2013 packs plenty of punch.

This crowd-pleasing Merlot from Matanzas Creek was very well received by the Tasting Panel. We found it to be medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth. We really liked its tasty blueberry and mineral flavors with notes of plum and a touch of toasty oak. The wine closes with dry, dusty, mild tannins that show very nice length for a Merlot. The Panel scored this wine 90 points and suggested pairing it with a grilled lamb chop. Very good+.

Elegantly structured and softly complex, with aromas of red currant and cedar, and dusty cherry, herb and mineral flavors that linger.

Savory in personality and at first austere, this wine blossoms into a full-bodied, concentrated and tight-woven exploration of black cherry and dark chocolate, accented by 1% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Elegant, it's also bold, and will successfully appeal to Cab drinkers.

Opaque purple. Complex aromas of cherry-cola, rose oil, sassafras and peppery spices, with a subtle vanilla quality in the background. Fleshy, palate-coating dark fruit and candied licorice flavors show very good depth and a velvety texture. Warm and expansive on the the finish, which shows very good intensity and sweet persistence. This is the style of merlot that made the variety such a hot item a few decades ago.

The 2009 Merlot is a gorgeous, fleshy wine laced with expressive dark red berries, mocha, spices and licorice. It shows lovely balance and a juicy, approachable personality best suited for drinking over the next few years. The intensity of the fruit fleshes out beautifully on the expansive finish. Winemaker Marcia Monahan added 2% Carmenere to the blend to give the wine additional mid-palate depth, which certainly seems to have worked. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

Saturated ruby. Cherry-vanilla, red currant, smoke and licorice on the nose. Lush and chewy, with deep flavors of bitter cherry, dark chocolate and cracked pepper. Focused and linear in the mouth, finishing brisk and quite long. This offers attractive energy and freshness.

Vivid ruby. Expansive and exotic scents of cherry-cola, sandalwood, licorice and fruitcake. Seductively sweet, nicely focused cherry and cassis flavors are lifted by a zesty mineral note and framed by supple tannins. The spicy note repeats on the long, penetrating finish, which leaves a sweet dark berry flavor behind. This has the structure to age but there's plenty going on now. (JR)

Ripe and voluptuous, with very rich, long-lasting berry, cherry, mocha and spice flavors, liberally oaked and wrapped into fine, sturdy tannins. Lacks a bit of complexity, but otherwise a beautiful Merlot that trades on the variety's opulently fleshy sensuality.

Matanzas Creek's 2005 Merlot is a quintessential fine California Merlot. It is properly dry, with nearly full body and soft, velvety texture of fairly soft tannins. Its aromas and flavors, medium in intensity, suggest fresh dark plum and blackberry and subtle herbal notes, with the slightest floral nuance and a definite mineral element.