Floral aromas, hint of oak, rich, concentrated flavors of mulberries and red raspberries, long finish.

Our favorite of the Edmeades was 81 percent zinfandel, 16 percent merlot, and 3 percent syrah. It has a very intense sweet and round berry fruit, with some nice spice notes.

It is very soft and round and pleasant to drink with 1 percent syrah added to the blend.

With 16 percent syrah, this was a bit more intense with abundant berry fruit that would stand up well to food.

Great blackberry and black raspberry nose and flavors with just a hint of oak. This wine leaves a great impression in the mouth and pairs very well with barbecued meat dishes.

Kendall-Jackson's Grand Reserve Merlot proves a point many have been making for years about the merlot grape's potential in Sonoma County, where it is closer to the Pacific and generally cooler than neighboring Napa Valley. Merlot likes cool weather and it shows. This vintage of K-J Grand is dense and rich, with layered black-fruit aromas and a generous helping of sweet oak. It would stand out in any crowd.

Julia's Vineyard has produced some great Pinot Noir, including a recent #1 from another publication's top 100. This bottling showcases bright cherry fruit, roses, damp earth and fall spice aromas, which are delivered in linear fashion on the palate, with a soft, approachable feel and a long black cherry emphasis on the finish. A solid solo glass, or fine for pairing with roasted tarragon chicken.

A very solid, full bodied Cabernet that hits all the right markers for the variety in a ready to drink after a brief decant package that will be easy to find. Blackberry, cassis, a little plum, fall spice, faint dried herbs, and supple tannins with moderate grip and a medium long finish that satisfies. Yet another go to bottling from Kendall Jackson that will please a range of tasters at a reasonable price.

This is an approachable cab that's a great value. Notes of cherry, licorice, toast and vanilla. It's a great burger wine because it has good acid and bright fruit. Smart.

2012 Edmeades Zinfandel, “Gianoli Vineyard,” Mendocino Ridge (100 percent zinfandel): deep, dark purple hue, spicy, complex flavors of black cherry jam, truffles and bittersweet chocolate, full body, big, ripe tannins; a single-vineyard wine grown on a Mendocino Ridge peak called “islands in the clouds” because it pokes up through the morning Pacific Ocean fog; a wine for hearty, spicy foods like pulled pork, barbecued chicken, spicy beef chili; $31.

This fruity cocktail of dark berries, plums and spice is infused with smoky oak and braced with sturdy acidity for balance. Tannins are velvet. Alcohol is 13.9 percent — giving it lots of body.

Quite a shy nose but fabulous intensity on the palate. Sun-kissed fruit, lively acidity and carefully judged oak – this wine has heft without being ungainly. Archetypal in showing lemon, some appealing leesy character and attractive oak-derived notes of vanilla and spice. An exceptionally, long pith finish.

As a group, the quartet from Edmeades embraces high ripeness as their shared message, and, if certainly a wine that goes right to the brink in doing so, this one marshals a good deal of very deep fruit in the process. It is as rich in sweet oak as it is in fully expressed berries, and it makes no false claim of finesse, but it has ample tannin for grip and enough enlivening acid to succeed in its style.

Another pea in the very ripe Edmeades pod and a Zinfandel that makes no bones about being big and dramatic, this bottling from the Gianoli Vineyard earns the nod for its richness and depth, and, if it is surprisingly fruity, it is also unruly with tannin and heat to spare. It cannot be counted on to find much in the way of refinement irrespective of cellaring, and, whether drunk later or now, it is wine that absolutely must be paired with equally full- flavored foods.

Rife with juicy, ripe apple fruit and sweetened further by a fair dollop of oak, Murphy-Goode’s Minnesota Cuvée is a rounded, clean, very direct, mid-sized Chardonnay that holds nothing in reserve. It is, like its straightforward winery mates, a wine of limited reach and range, but its extra fruity push makes it the preferred of the three.

Layers of flavor and a buttery note characterize this medium-bodied Sauvignon. It falls between the crisp New Zealand style and the oak-aged Fumé Blanc style, with good aspects of both. The finish turns slightly sweet.

Spicy aromas of clove and cherry leap from the glass of this lovely pinot, which manages to capture the fruit and charm of the Russian River Valley without the heaviness that often comes with them. It carries its alcohol well, too. My only (small) complaint is the that oak, which contributes to that spice, remains a bit strong on the finish.

The aromas of this Chardonnay are zesty and fresh yet rich, with barrel smoke, caramelized pear and vanilla tones. The integration continues on the palate, with a bit of oak followed by apple, white peach, nectarine and lime zest. It’s flavorful and enjoyable now

Bright ruby-red. Smoky black raspberry and candied cherry on the nose, with sexy floral and mineral scents adding complexity. Sappy red and dark berry flavors show very good clarity, gaining power and sweetness with air. This appealingly forward, seamless pinot blends power with vivacity and finishes sweet, smoky and long.

Crisp citrus aromas and fresh lemon and grapefruit flavors define this medium-bodied, appetizing and unapologetic wine. With lots of personality, a tingly texture and tangy finish, it’s just the thing for appetizers and first courses.

This is a tasty and accessibly priced Chardonnay. It packs in lots of fruit flavor, vibrant acidity, rich texture and layers of oaky spice while showing a rare sense of seamlessness. Very Californian and compelling.

Vivid red. Musky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by licorice, underbrush and woodsmoke nuances. Bitter cherry and dark chocolate flavors show a slightly clenched quality, picking up spiciness and smokiness with air. Finishes with building tannins, chewy persistence and lingering notes of cracked pepper and licorice. Give this one some time to open up.

Light yellow-gold. Ripe, lees-accented orchard fruit and melon aromas are complicated by notes of orange pith, tarragon and sweet butter. Smooth and expansive on the palate, displaying fresh orchard and pit fruit flavors and a hint of vanilla. Finishes on a refreshing note of lemon zest, with bright mineral cut and building smokiness.

Deep ruby-red. Pungent aromas of dried cherry, anise and musky herbs, with a subtle floral nuance building in the glass. Juicy and focused, offering smoky cherry-cola and licorice flavors and a hint of mocha. Dusty tannins shape the clinging finish, which shows lingering smoke and bitter cherry notes.

Spicy, peppery aromas lead to a trim, complex mix of flavors. Maintains a taut profile throughout, ending a bit clamped down.