Clean, pure aromas of honeysuckle, honeydew, light oak and baking spices give this lots of energy and a persistent aftertaste. The texture shows a touch of pithy citrus skin.

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.

Smooth and fresh with generous citrus and apple fruit; bright, juicy and balanced.

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.

Quite remarkable are the nearly 3 million cases of the 2014 Chardonnay Vintner’s Reserve, which emerges 49% from Monterey, 31% Santa Barbara, 13% Mendocino and 7% Sonoma, with 95% barrel fermented and 100% going through malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in French and American oak, with monthly lees stirring, which must be absolutely astonishing given the quantity of wine. This is the real deal, and while there are still those who think big is bad, the Jackson family has proved time and time again that high-quality winemaking, in this case from wine-master Randy Ullom (who has been with Kendall-Jackson as long as I’ve been tasting there), oversees an impressive team to put this wine together. The 2014 offers notes of honeysuckle, poached pear, delicate pineapple and papaya in a medium-bodied, surprisingly fresh, lively style, with the oak pushed way to the background. This is a serious Chardonnay, which I know must be hard for many elitists to suffer, but it is the real deal.

Nicely done in an oaky style, with toast and smoke notes holding the upper hand over white peach and nectarine flavors. Drink now. 12,293 cases made.

This blend of Monterey and Santa Barbara county vineyards offers fresh aromas of lemon-lime soda, chives and a hint of smoke. The palate is framed around sour-sweet green apple, with more bitterness and tension coming from green pear flesh and citrus pith.

Honey, roasted almonds, dried pears and tropical fruits are laced throughout the 2013 Chardonnay Grand Reserve. This is a decidedly overt, racy Chardonnay from vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara.

A nervy style, featuring vibrant acidity that enlivens the core of grapefruit and lemon-citrus flavors, ending long and clean, with a lemon peel bite.

This unoaked Chardonnay represents its genera beautifully. It has fresh apple aromas with a hint of honey, just-ripe pear flavors, good acidity and a relaxed texture. Very refreshing, bright and easy to enjoy.

Kendall-Jackson own and manage some 13,000 acres of vineyard. Crikey. This is their more modern style, for those seeking something a little more perky and fresh. Light, fresh, punchy blend of tropical and citrus. Medium weight, spicy and juicy, quite chunky in style with tropical fruit and some savoury flavours in the mix. Some coarseness, freshness of youth, but also a different face of Chardonnay for some consumers. It's pretty good.

Kendall-Jackson's 2013 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve, the winery's flagship, presents lovely textural depth and resonance in its expressive apricot pit, peach, dried pear, spice and butter notes. Over the last few years, the Vintner's Reserve has been toned down a bit, with the buttery/oaky notes and sweetness dialed back and greater emphasis on freshness. Once again, it is hard not to be blown away by the production level here; there are three million cases of the 2013.

Deftly balanced, offering creamy oak notes, with touches of ripe pear, butterscotch and baked apple. A pleasant spiciness shows on the finish. Drink now.

An inviting, textured wine, the 2012 Chardonnay Grand Reserve is laced with butter, smoke, slate, yellow stone fruits and a hint of oak. The soft, open finish suggests the Grand Reserve is best enjoyed over the next few years.

The ubiquitous, omnipresent, 2.23 million cases of 2012 Chardonnay Vintner’s Reserve attracts all sorts of ground fire from bloggers and critics, who are incredulous that anyone could barrel ferment every ounce of this wine, which is sourced from the Jackson Family vineyards, 80% of which are in the Central Coast and 20% in Mendocino and Sonoma. Every barrel is stirred once a month, and the wine is kept on its lees for six months. Much has been made of a secret formula that adds sugar or, as the Germans do, suss reserve, but the wine tastes relatively dry, and that is confirmed by lab tests. Few honest people would call this a sweet, cloying Chardonnay. The beautiful 2012 Chardonnay Vintner’s Reserve offers lots of white peach, pineapple and honeysuckle notes, no oak, a lovely texture and fresh, lively flavors. Who knows how many retailers stack bottles of this in their windows and expose it to heat, but if properly stored, this is the real deal ... again. It should provide plenty of pleasure over the next year.

Fresh and bright with generous fruit and notes of butterscotch; delicate and forward with balance and good acid structure; supple and long.

Here’s a rich, flashy Chardonnay. It has a fat, butter-and-cream mouthfeel, with waves of pineapple tart, lemon meringue, buttered toast and honey flavors that finish soft and lush.

The 2011 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve, from estate vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara, opens with attractive scents of sweet French oak, butter, honey and nectarine. An exceptional wine in its price range, the 2011 stands out for its balance and enveloping personality. It is simply mind-boggling to realize Kendall-Jackson makes over a million cases of this wine a year. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2016.

The 2010 Chardonnay Grand Reserve emerges from the glass with lemon, minerals, white flowers and subtle French oak. The Grand Reserve impresses for its length and textural elegance, both of which are remarkable for a wine made on this scale. Estate owned vineyards in Santa Barbara and Monterey are the sources for the fruit. The Grand Reserve is aged in 100% French oak barrels, with 100% malolactic fermentation. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.

The 2010 Chardonnay Highland Estates Seco Highlands is an intensely aromatic, tropical Chardonnay. It boasts gorgeous textural richness to match the wine's exotic flavor profile. This is an unusual wine, but it works. I would have guessed there might be some Viognier or other aromatic variety in the blend, but according to winemaker Mark Theis, it is the Rued clone that gives the wine its bouquet. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.

Displays a mix of fresh, lively, snappy citrus, nectarine and tangerine flavors that turn supple and fleshy.

This is clean and dry, with crisp acidity. It's leaner than many richer Chardonnays, but shows plenty of wealth and creaminess, and citrus and pear flavors. A nice partner to roasted chicken or broiled halibut.

Clean and snappy, with floral and white peach aromas and mouthwatering flinty grapefruit and citrus notes.

Soft and honeyed, an unctuous Chardonnay with pleasant citrus fruit and buttered toast flavors. Finishes a bit quick, but earns kudos for dryness and a clean, spicy finish.

Another new offering is K-J's 2009 Chardonnay Avant. One-hundred percent estate grown, it is a blend of 64% Monterey, 35% Santa Barbara and 1% Mendocino fruit. One-third is aged and fermented in stainless steel. The wine offers aromas of orange blossoms, white currants and white peaches in a fresh, fruity, medium-bodied, refreshing, Chablis-like style. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.