The 2014 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is the most typically Russian River of the three Novy Zinfandels. Bold, forward and flamboyant, the 2014 hits the palate with considerable richness and up-front intensity. Sweet floral and spice notes - much of that from the 14% mixed blacks on the site - add freshness throughout.

Bright red cherry, cranberry, orange peel, cinnamon and sweet floral notes are all pushed forward in the 2014 Pinot Noir Marin County. Vibrant to the core, the 2014 is an ideal Pinot for drinking over the next few years, while the flavors retain their youthful energy. Veins of underlying salinity give the flavors a real acid-driven pop.

Arrowood's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale was striking when I tasted it from barrel last year, but it was filtered prior to bottling, which stripped away so much of what made it so special. The 2012 is such a pedigreed wine that even after filtering what remains is a refined, delicate Sonoma Cabernet with good overall balance. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, rose petal and anise shape the expressive finish. Although an excellent wine, the 2012 Reserve Speciale could have been, and should have been, exceptional. Perhaps even more than that.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (Sonoma County) is laced with lively citrus and floral notes that are best appreciated over the next few years, while the wine is young.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench is the most generous of the Matanzas Sauvignons, although it, too, is made in a style that emphasizes freshness and citrus-inflected flavors. I also tasted several vintages back to 2010. With time in bottle, the Helena Bench often becomes blowsy and the alcohol peeks out. For that reason, I prefer to drink the Helena Bench sooner rather than later.

Dark red cherry, plum, spice, menthol, cloves and licorice flesh out in the 2014 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve. This dark, supple Pinot Noir will be at its best over the next few years, while the fruit remains pliant and giving.

The Merlot Vintner's Reserve is a tasty, hearty red to drink now and over the next few years. Dark red cherry, plum, herb and tobacco add nuance on the close. This is a very serious wine for the money.

Kendall-Jackson's 2013 Merlot Jackson Estate Taylor Peak is laced with iron, smoke, herb, tobacco and cedar notes, while the fruit is very much in the background. This is an especially savory Merlot with tons of acidity and tannin that give the wine its personality.

Kendall-Jackson's 2013 Stature Bordeaux Red Blend is another huge, imposing wine with massive tannins and tons of concentration. I am not sure the tannins will ever soften enough to release the deep, inky fruit, but if they do, the 2013 may very well merit a more positive note in the future. Smoke, grilled herbs and cured meat add complexity, but the 2013 remains a powerful, strapping Cabernet for tannin heads.

Tropical fruit, mango, spice, almond, orange peel and a slightly reductive notes are all pushed forward in the 2014 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley, an unusually tropical, overt wine for this part of Santa Barbara County.

The 2014 Chardonnay Grand Reserve adds a bit more intensity and creaminess through the middle. Apricot jam, chamomile, sweet spices and buttery notes wrap around the voluptuous, inviting finish. This is another tasty, budget-friendly Chardonnay.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Vintner's Reserve is absolutely gorgeous, especially considering its price. Sweet red cherry, orange peel and spice notes wrap around the juicy finish. Drink this fruit-forward, supple Pinot over the next 2-3 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Outland Ridge is quite a bit darker and richer than the straight Anderson Valley Pinot, but also ultimately less interesting in my view. There is no shortage of depth, but I find more to admire in the appellation level wine.

The 2013 Merlot Grand Reserve is a surprisingly powerful wine at this level. Smoke, grilled herbs, tobacco, licorice and blackberry jam are some of the signatures. The tannins are a bit imposing and extracted, especially for a wine most consumers will drink upon release.

Inky blue and purplish fruit, mocha, spices and searing, salivating tannins are some of the signatures in the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Estate Napa Mountain. There is plenty of Mt. Veeder personality in the glass, that much is clear. When and if the tannins will ever soften is another question entirely. With time in the glass, the wine picks up expressive scents of pipe tobacco, herbs, smoke and black cherry, yet it remains quite forbidding,

The 2014 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Seco Highlands, from vineyards in Monterey, presents an exotic, aromatically intense profile that is typical of the Rued clone that makes up most of the blend. This is an unusually aromatic, tropical style of Chardonnay. The 75% new French oak is deftly balanced, but there is no question this is an exotic, unusual style.

The 2014 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve is very nicely done in this vintage. Sweet, barrel-infused notes meld into a core of rich fruit in this generous, inviting Chardonnay. All the elements fall into place in the oily, voluptuous Chardonnay that captures the essence of the Kendall-Jackson style.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve is another huge, intense wine with tons of fruit and equally imposing tannins. A host of dark cherry, blackberry, spice and menthol overtones make an appearance, yet the 2013 remains tight, powerful and very much closed in on itself. Ideally, the 2013 should be cellared for at least another year or more. Most of the fruit is from vineyards in Alexander Valley.

The 2014 Chardonnay Avant is Kendall-Jackson's fresher Chardonnay. In this vintage, though, the Avant is a bit more tropical than it has been in the past. Exotic flowers, pineapple and candied lemon are some of the signatures.

Tight, firm and austere; smooth with fine structure; elegant, tangy and long; balanced and made to last a long time.

Tight, firm and austere; smooth with fine structure; elegant, tangy and long; balanced and made to last a long time.

The 2014 Sauvignon Blanc is an attractive wine that brings together aromatic nuance with the phenolic, structural elements that are typical of this mountain site. Slightly reductive notes add further nuance on the expressive finish.

Ng is a huge fan of the Anderson Valley terroir, famous for imparting Old World nuance and style to New World pinot noir and syrah. He explains winemaker Eric Johannsens's Champ de Reves - it's named for the vineyard high above Boonville and 18 miles from the Pacific coast, where the grapes grow - offers a perfect balance of blue and red fruits. It's supple, yet juicy, with a very silky elegance but also earthy characteristics. From the nose, he gets amazing aromas of cranberry, coriander, rose, juniper, brown sugar, raspberries and cherries. The wine spent nine months in French oak barrels, 33 percent new.

This is a lovely pinot with good structure and a tasty note of Bing cherry that upstages all other flavors. It has a hint of vanilla and toast. Approachable. Slightly sweet, but not overly so. Its bright acid keeps it in check. Long finish.

This is Merlot you can almost chew - the firm tannins; the concentrated fruit; the spicy, toasty oak; the balance from the acidity; and the alcohol that adds to the body. The Merlot is further braced with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Malbec and Petit Verdot. Imagine an intense jam made of cherries and plums, spiked with espresso.