Good bright medium ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of cherry, raspberry, mint and baking spices. Juicy and fruit-driven, with moderate flesh and concentration and a saline suggestion of extract. Finishes slightly tart-edged but bright.

An exuberantly fruity, low-tannin Pinot with quite a bit of charm. Bursting with young, jammy wild-berry fruit, it tastes fruity and very spicy. Has those soft, juicy tannins that make it immediately drinkable, especially with spicy, salty foods.

The 1998 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve was a surprise offering. There are 222 cases of this light medium ruby-colored, deliciously fruity Pinot Noir offering scents of plums, blackberries, cherries, and earth. This spicy round, high quality Pinot is largely from several Anderson Valley vineyards…

Firm and spicy, with cola, mustard seed, earth and black cherry flavors, finishing with a touch of bitterness from tannins. A solid effort.

Dense, deep red. Moderately full-bodied. Moderate extract and tannins. Dark fruits, blackberries. Brooding deep fruity nose. Impressively weighty mouthfeel with a little tartness to complement the generous fruity stuffing.

Exhibits all the seductive, voluptuous qualities of Pinot Noir. It possesses a lovely, sweet, black-cherry-scented nose with a whiff of herbs and oak. It is fat, juicy, and succulent, with low acidity and a generous finish.

USA, California, Northern California: Napa & Some Sonoma New Releases Aged in 20% new French oak, the 2016 Pinot Noir Vintner’s Reserve is pale to medium ruby-purple colored and has a beautiful perfume of potpourri, black tea and powdered tea with a core of kirsch and raspberry preserves. Medium-bodied, soft and juicy, it has a lively line of freshness and a savory finish.

Smart Buys 60 go-to wineries for excellence and affordability A supple version, with meaty hints to the dried berry and cherry tart flavors, ending with a spicy finish that has some richness.

Floral, spice and sweet red berry notes make 2015 Pinot Noir Vintner's Reserve an attractive wine to drink now and over the next year or two.

Presents a modest mix of dusty red berry, savory herb and light cedar in a style that's balanced yet short on dimension.

A relatively restrained nose requires some coaxing before it grudgingly reveals a pretty mix of both red and dark pinot fruit aromas that are nuanced by hints of spice and lavender. There is good richness to the mildly grapey flavors that possess a rounded yet punchy mouth feel before culminating in a mildly warm and robust finish that delivers acceptable depth and length if limited refinement.

Made in a seductive style, the 2013 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve comes from their estate vineyards in Monterey and Santa Barbara (about two-thirds from the former and one-third from the latter). This is the largest cuvée of these Pinot Noirs, with 8,750 cases. It shows soft berry, strawberry and cherry fruit, loamy soil undertones and sweet tannin in a medium-bodied, sexy style. Drink it over th next 4-5 years.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Jackson Estate Seco Highlands is one of the bigger, riper wines in this lineup. Black cherries, cloves, menthol, new leather and licorice inform the juicy, opulent finish. A hint of overripeness gives the Seco Highlands a bit of awkwardness. Otherwise, this is a solid effort.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Vintner’s Reserve Special Select is 100% Pinot Noir coming mostly from Monterey County with a small quantity from Santa Barbara County. It was aged primarily in French oak and a small dosage of American oak, only 19% new. The wine’s light ruby color is followed by pretty strawberry and berry-like aromas and flavors, a delicious, medium-bodied, nicely textured mouthfeel, and good purity as well as silkiness. Moreover, as Pinot Noir goes, this is a reasonable value. It should be drunk over the next 1-2 years.

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

A very nice Pinot Noir that's dry and silky, with satisfying cherry, cola, oak and spice flavors. Not one to age, but fine for drinking now, and easily as good as many Pinots costing more.

A silky pinot noir with juicy cherry flavors that finish on the simple flavors of sweet grapes. For charcuterie.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Vintner's Reserve is an attractive, juicy red. Sweet roses, flowers, spices and berries linger on the finish. This mid-weight, feminine wine is about as good a Pinot as readers will find for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014.

Medium ruby color; earthy berry and stewed cherry aromas; ripe, earthy stewed cherry flavors with good structure and balance; long finish. Earthy, Pinot with forward fruit.

Good inexpensive Pinot Noir has never been in big supply, and, beyond being a fruity and varietally honest version that hits the right marks at a very good price, this commendable effort is all the easier to like as it is not at all hard to find. It is keen on ripe cherries and shows a touch of sweet oak, and its wholesale lack of angles and edges makes for pleasant drinking right now.

Notes of plum sauce, cranberries, earthy red cherries and loamy soil result in an authentic Pinot Noir tasting effort. Medium-bodied, soft and delicious, it should drink well for 2-4 years. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines. Any offering from Kendall-Jackson bearing the Vintner's Reserve designation will offer much more quality than its humble price suggests.

A fine everyday Pinot Noir with some extra features that boost the score. With hints of mint, white pepper and chamomile tea, the wine shows racy flavors of cherries, cola, raspberries and sandalwood.

This is a big, powerful, tannic Pinot Noir, almost Rhône-like in its weight and density. Shows flavors of plums, blackberries, cola, mocha and cedar. Rustic now, but could develop soft complexities over the next six years.

Here's a nice Pinot Noir that shows cool, coastal influence in the crispness and overall balance. It's not a big, rich wine, but quite elegant, with suggestions of cherries, herbs and sandalwood.