Clean, fairly lively, young green-apple fruit is overlain by a quiet layer of toasty oak in its nose, and this mannerly middleweight follows with bright, carefully balanced flavors that emphasize the same youthful fruit. It ends with a crisp and lingering finish and is constructed to be a versatile companion with foods, and, if not demanding hasty drinking, it matches up well with meaty white fish and chicken right now.

Vivid yellow. Intense, smoke- and honey-accented aromas and flavors of tangerine and peach, with a floral overtone. Rich and fleshy, with good heft and breadth. A smooth, opulent chardonnay that finishes with good cling and length.

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

Here is a well-scrubbed, moderately fruity look at the grape that affords easy drinking in the immediate term. It is balanced ever slightly to softness, but its direct, mildly oaked, apple and pear flavors show reasonable length all the same. It is assuredly not one to bury in the back of the cellar, but it is a tasty and wholly accessible effort that succeeds at the price.

Good full medium red. Aromas of cherry, plum and arugula, plus a hint of roasted oak. Nicely sweet on entry, then a bit medicinal in the middle, with raspberry and plum flavors joined by herbs and tobacco leaf. Finishes with substantial dusty, slightly drying tannins.

Medium ruby color; deep, stewed cherry and plum aromas with earthy notes; deep, stewed plum flavors with earth and spice notes; silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Rich, ripe Pinot with just enough toasty complexity.

2011 Carmel Road Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, Monterey: crisp and fruity, with ripe pear and lemon aromas and flavors.

2011 Cambria Estate Winery Chardonnay, Katherine's Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley: hint of oak, crisp and fruity, with flavors of ripe pineapples and lemons.

2011 La Crema Chardonnay, Russian River Valley: rich and creamy, with flavors of ripe golden apples and spice.

2011 Kendall-Jackson Avant Chardonnay, Calif.: intense fruit aromas and flavors of Granny Smith apples and lemons, lean and crisp.

2011 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, Calif.: hint of oak, rich tropical fruit flavors including ripe pineapples, creamy and smooth.

Generous, juicy and inviting with fleshy red cherry aromas and flavours. The grapes are de-stemmed whole berries and the wine is matured in one-third new oak barrels. Full-bodied and satin smooth. This vineyard of 85 acres above Boonville is new for the winery.

Very pleasant with notes of lemongrass and chives. Not much oak. Medium-bodied and mouth-watering.

Verite's 2010 Le Desir is the richest and most powerful of these wines. Cedar, tobacco, mocha and sweet spices all blossom in the glass. Blackberry jam, cassis, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs open up over time. Firm, structured and huge on the palate, the Desir is the most intense and opulent of the 2010s. It is likely to require the most time to come around. The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

A warm, redolent bouquet laced with Cabernet Franc infused notes of mocha, espresso and grilled herbs melds into layers of dark fruit as the 2010 La Muse opens up in the glass. The opulence of the Merlot comes through on the mid-palate as the wine literally explodes with a melange of blue/black fruits, graphite, melted road tar and asphalt. Over the last year, the 2010 has gained juiciness, but it is also less explosive than it was when I last tasted it. Then again, the wine has been in steel for about seven months, so that is understandable. Suave tannins round out the polished finish. In 2010 La Muse is 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Seillan wasn't happy with the Malbec, so he dropped those components from the final blend. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

The 2010 La Joie has all of the rich explosiveness it had last year. Grilled herbs, black fruit, smoke, tobacco, incense and graphite all take shape in the glass. Firm, structured tannins support the fruit in a wine that captures the essence of this fabulous, cool vintage. The 2010 continues to open up in the glass, showing gorgeous inner perfume and sweetness. Cassis, white flowers and violets add nuance on the opulent, mineral-infused finish. A super-ripe, racy wine, the 2010 La Joie should enjoy a wide window of drinkability. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

The 2011 Chardonnay Gravel Bench is the brightest and most vibrant of these 2011 Chardonnays. It is also the only wine fermented and aged in 100% new oak, although there is virtually no trace of oak at all because the wine is so impeccably balanced. Bright, focused hints of lemon, crushed rocks and white flowers all jump from the glass in a Chardonnay that captures the pure crystalline purity of the vintage. Clean, saline notes appear to support the finish. This is yet another fabulous selection within the Stonestreet portfolio. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.

The 2011 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is striking in its beauty. Dried pears, flowers, spices and a hint of French oak are all woven together in a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of Chardonnay from this specific part of the Russian River. Clean veins of minerality frame the saline, bracing finish. The Four Hearts is one of the very finest California Chardonnays readers will find in this price range. Most of the fruit comes from Tom Dehlinger, so the quality level here is hardly surprising. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018.

The 2011 Le Desir is a wine of considerable potential. Rich, round and seamless, the 2011 has the most depth of these three 2011s. Expressive and layered throughout, the Desir is all about elegance and silkiness. Juicy dark raspberries, flowers, sweet spices and mocha all flesh out in this surprisingly dense, full-bodied wine. The 2011 appears to have the underlying structure to drink nicely for a number of years. The blend is 53% Cabernet Franc, 36% Merlot and 5.5% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.

Verite's 2011 La Joie is a dark, brooding wine bursting with energy and intensity. Naturally, the 2011 is cool, inward and shut down as so many wines are in this vintage, but at the same time, it has tons of vibrancy. An exotic melange of blue/black fruits, graphite, pencil shavings, smoke and incense take shape in the glass. The 2011 La Joie is very much in line stylistically with other vintages, but it is just small-scaled, in keeping with the personality of the year. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.

Arrowood's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard is rich with iron, smoke, licorice, bramble and dark red fruit. A relatively soft, supple wine from this historic Sonoma site, the 2009 is also quite open at this stage. I expect the 2009 will gain complexity with more bottle age, but it is already pretty attractive today. Sweet hints of oak and a dash of floral notes linger on the finish. This is a sexy Monte Rosso Cabernet from Arrowood. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029

A drop-dead gorgeous wine, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard is more overt than is often the case. At the same time, there is plenty of underlying structure; it's just that those elements are nearly buried by the fruit. Layers of cool, intense, minerality support the fruit, giving the wine its energy, delineation and nuance. Layers of blackberry jam, violets, cloves and graphite develop over time, adding tons of nuance and complexity, especially on the finish. This compelling 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon captures the very best qualities of the year. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2029.

The 2010 Syrah Saralee's Vineyard is another intense, powerful wine loaded with fruit. The addition of 6% Viognier gives the 2010 an attractive lift. Black cherries, savory herbs, licorice, smoke and game all burst from the glass. The 2010 combines great expression of fruit with plenty of cooler-climate aromas and flavors, all supported by firm yet well-integrated tannins. This is a terrific showing from Arrowood. The 2010 is arguably the finest value in this portfolio. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

Black cherries, grilled herbs, tobacco, smoke and licorice all burst from the glass in the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale. Powerful and intense, the 2009 boasts tons of depth and pure richness. Layers of fruit continue to build as the wine sits in the glass. Dark raspberries, tobacco and incense add complexity on the plush, inviting finish. This is a typical 2009 loaded with intensity and radiance. It should continue to drink well for another decade, perhaps longer. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard has the big, broad shoulders typical of this wine, but in this vintage there is a little more fruit than normal, which makes the wines incredibly accessible at this young stage. Rich, voluptuous and impeccably layered, the 2009 shows great balance and class. The level of tannin finesse and pure elegance are both above the1988. Hints of mocha, espresso and violets wrap around the juicy finish. This round, enveloping Cabernet is unbelievably sexy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2029.