The winery held this Chardonnay back a year later than their far more expensive Journey bottling. Hard to say why, but the consumer is the beneficiary. That extra bit of aging has mellowed the wine, giving it a creamy, buttery richness. It has good acidity, too, that gives a lift to the ripe tropical fruits.

Smooth and charming with sweet cherry, spice and bright acidity; supple, structured and amiable with nice, relaxed style and good depth.

An extreme California chard with dark color, rich texture and creamy, sweet flavors; rich oak and ripe fruit; concentrated and loaded.

Smooth and rich with juicy cherry and plum; bright acid structure and along finish; supple, balanced and showing notes of earth and spice.

Bright red. Lively red berry and floral aromas are complemented by notes of white pepper, anise and woodsmoke. Juicy, tightly focused raspberry and bitter cherry flavors gain flesh and sweetness with air and pick up a note of spicecake. Finishes with very good focus, soft tannins and lingering florality. Very attractive now and probably best drunk on the young side, for its energy.

Saturated ruby. Pungent, spice- and smoke-accented aromas of blackcurrant, cherry pit and pipe tobacco, with a peppery topnote adding vivacity. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit flavors and a touch of bitter chocolate. Finishes spicy and long, with fine-grained tannins and a jolt of cracked pepper.

Bright and aromatic with ripe black cherry and rich texture; juicy and tangy with depth, spice and lovely style; long and complex.

Lovely rich and balanced; generous and deep with blueberry, plum and soft spice; vanilla oak and lush texture; long and smooth; charming.

Lush and smooth with bright, juicy flavors and racy acidity; rich and peachy with depth and style.

Smooth and creamy with vanilla oak, ripe pear and lovely texture; aromatic, rich and layered; fresh and stylish.

Nothing shy about this wine. It erupts like a fruit volcano, offering wave after wave of raspberries, cherries and ripe persimmons, sweetened with vanilla and butterscotch tones of oak. The mouthfeel is all silk and satin. Drink now for sheer pleasure.

Bright and smooth with ripe plum, blackberry and tangy acidity; classic and balanced with lovely vanilla oak and fine texture; long and charming.

Fresh, generous and juicy with bright raspberry and blueberry fruit; smooth, vibrant and charming with depth and a long, tangy finish.

Fresh, smooth and juicy with lovely pear and citrus fruit; lovely vanilla oak and lush texture; balanced, long and, once again, an impressive achievement.

Attractive for its rich creaminess, this Chard aims for the popular style and succeeds. It's soft and rich in orange, peach, apricot and mango fruit, with sweet-oak overtones of vanilla and buttered toast.

Dark, rich and ripe with black fruit and juicy acidity; balanced, fresh and charming with a long finish.

Smooth and lush with ripe plum and juicy acidity; fresh, balanced and long with depth and lovely style.

Generous and juicy with apricot and peach fruit; sweet and rich with ripe flavors and a long, dense finish.

Bright and ripe with juicy peach and citrus; round, fresh and lively with a long, bracing finish.

Fresh, generous and simple with clean notes of cherry, spice and earth; tangy, clean and balanced.

Smooth, fresh and juicy with ripe flavors and clean, lively fruit; balanced and simple with charm and style.

Dark and concentrated, rich blackberry and cassis; jammy and dense with raisiny notes.

Offers deep plum and peppered herb aromas, with ripe, jammy black cherry, sage and mineral flavors.

My favorite of this trio is the 2003 Le Desir, a Sonoma County St.-Emilion look-alike made from 41% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec (14.3% alcohol). Hints of graphite, mulberries, black cherries, black currants, licorice, dusty loamy soil, truffles and spice emerge from this strikingly fragrant, complex 2003. Full-bodied with formidable intensity, sweet tannin and a long, layered finish that lasts for nearly 50 seconds, this is a tour de force and a compelling 2003. Accessible now, it should continue to drink well for two decades. Bravo!

Nearly perfect is the more blue-fruited, opaque purple-colored 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Veeder Peak Vineyard. Just under 500 cases were made of this beauty, which is the earliest to mature of these three wines. Notes of blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, creosote, camphor and acacia flowers emerge from this full-bodied, opulent, mouthfilling, complex wine. This formidable 2003 should drink well for another 15 years.