The delicious 200 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay exhibits copious quantities of tropical fruits, subtle wood, medium body, underlying crisp acidity, and admirable purity. It is one of the two finest Chardonnay values in the marketplace

Delicious...exhibits copious quantities of tropical fruits, subtle wood, medium body, underlying crisp acidity, and admirable purity. It is one of the two finest Chardonnay values in the marketplace.

Serves up lots of ripe, juicy pear, apple and melon flavors with a nice citrus accent. Smooth. The flavors glide across the palate, ending with a complex aftertaste that echoes the flavors. Drink now.

Bright pale gold. Aromas of toasted grain and apricot nectar. Supple, ripe and sweet, with apricot, peach and spice flavors leavened by decent acidity. ..Finishes with lemon peel, banana and toffee.

The underlying flavors are of tart green apples, with a bite of acidity. Despite barrel fermentation, oak stays in the background of this very dry wine.

Moving up a few dollars in price is the 2001 Grand Reserve Chardonnay, which is produced from Jess Jackson's vineyards on Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Sonoma. It possesses plenty of ripe tropical fruit, medium body, more oak but less charm than the Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, largely because of the wood component.

Bright, nicely oaked, ripe-apple fruit is the shining star of this juicy, slightly frontal and eminently likeable Chardonnay, and the wine's minor flirtations with sweetness are countered by a finely fit measure on lively acidity. Wholly enjoyable now, the wine nevertheless has the careful balance for further keeping and may well improve in bottle for another year or two.

Lime, orange, tangerine and butter on the nose, along with a lightly lactic quality. Round, sweet and full, with soft citrus flavors firmed by slightly edgy acids. Shows slightly sugary fruit flavors on the finish.

Aromas of pear, tropical fruits and truffle, with exotic hints of curry and saffron. Dry and juicy but supple, with notes of pepper and watercress. Nicely restrained chardonnay with good depth. Finishes slightly warm.

Aromas of pear, tropical fruits and truffle, with exotic hints of curry and saffron. Dry and juicy but supple, with notes of pepper and watercress. Nicely restrained chardonnay with good depth.

Full-blown aromas of apricot, truffle, clove and buttery, charry oak, with some leesy low tones of butterscotch. Sweet and thick but manages to hold its shape. Rather one-dimensional but rich flavor of apricot nectar.

The 2000 exhibits surprisingly good tropical fruit characteristics along with a subtle whiff of spice. Light to medium-bodied and refreshing, with admirable flavor intensity as well as texture...

Pale green-tinged color. Nose dominated by charry oak, vanilla and spices. Juicy on entry, then a bit rigid in the middle, with the oak dominating. Seems more phenolic, even a tad harsh, on the end, or is the fruit simply dried by the oak?

medium-deep red. Floral, perfumed aromas of red cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and loam, complicated by herbal and spicy nuances. Juicy and supple in the mouth, with bright red cherry flavors complicated by earthy low tones.

This rich, concentrated wine has a great deal of extract - black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit - with herbal flavors and a high acidity. It's not refined nor subtle, but it captures the regional flavors of Sonoma Coast pinot.

Good medium red. Red fruit, smoke, nutmeg, earth and gunpowder on the nose. Pungent but supple red fruit flavors in the middle palate; then turns a bit hard-edged on the finish.

...lush, hedonistic, and well-made.

Dark reddish purple. Medium-bodied. Highly extracted. Moderately oaked. Moderately tannic. Generous black cherry and raspberry aromas have a chocolate richness. Plenty of stuffing but also lots of toasted oak through the finish.

...marked by new oak. While very good to excellent, it does not possess the flavor, length, and overall equilibrium of the 1995.

Smooth and elegant, with subtle herb, cherry, tea, earth and spice notes. Firms up on the finish, where the tannins show some strength. Try now and into 1998.

Plush and plummy with soft mouth feel and dense finish.

Lightly flavored, elegant and delicate, with earthy cherry and raspberry flavors that are clean and simple. Drinks well now.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards, from two sites on the Sonoma Coast, comes across as a bit chunky today. Perhaps it will come together with more bottle age, but I find that unlikely.

The 2011 Pinot Noir Jennifer’s, a site south of Sebastopol that is affected by the Petaluma wind gap, is lean and tannic with high acids, a noticeable floral component, and a cold climate personality. There is no evidence of greenness, but this wine does lack charm. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.

Simple, light red cherry scents follow through this clean, dense pinot. It finishes warn and smoky, for grilled pork.