Another excellent offering from Kendall-Jackson's inexpensive Vintner's Reserve program, this melony, subtlety herbaceous, medium-bodied wine is fresh and lively with good fruit and a crisp, dry finish.

A sweet layer of smoky oak character runs through the pear and honey flavors in this ripe, broad, harmonious white.

The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Avant is a cuvée of 60,000 cases fermented and aged in stainless steel. Bottled early to preserve its freshness, the wine is light-bodied, and shows hints of grapefruit and citrus oil in a fresh, lively attractive style. Moreover, it sells for a song.

It is not about to challenge the top Sauvignons of 2012 when it comes to fruity depth or real range, but this very clean, nicely made effort speaks directly to the grassy, green melon traits of the grape, and its well-balanced suggestion of juicy sweetness makes it easy-to-like on its own or with a plate of fried chicken.

The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Vintner's Reserve is a tasty, straightforward wine with good varietal character and fine balance within its peer group. This pleasing, soft Sauvignon is an excellent choice for drinking over the next year or two. A dollop of other grapes, notably Semillon, adds complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2015.

Good Value. Limited in varietal grassiness yet clean, fruity and well-balanced, this mid-sized Sauvignon smacks of sweet lemons with a touch of green melons in the mix. It hints at candy, is fairly frontal and narrows a bit at the end, but it maintains good focus and is a satisfying, eminently drinkable wine for the price.

There's a reason K-J's V.R. wines sell like hotcakes, and this wine is a primo example. It's dry and very crisp and tart, just like a good SB should be. The lemon, lime, grapefruit, and peppery-fig flavors are savory and rich.

Round, with plump peach, tangy citrus, anise and stewed apple tones carrying through the finish. Easy to like, and easy on the budget.

The 2010 White Wine Blend Vintner's Reserve Summation is a blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Roussanne. The aromatic varieties provide the bouquet while the Chardonnay gives mid-palate presence to the fruit. This is a pretty, harmonious wine in its price range. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014.

The 1999 Chardonnay, which was put through 00% malolactic fermentation in barrel, is a smoky, well-textured, richer effort, with notes of creamy tropical fruits and spices. This clean, medium to full-bodied white is best drunk over the next 1-2 years.

Once again a fine effort, it exhibits ripe tropical fruit in addition to apple and citrus scents. It reveals more smoky oak than in past vintages, and tastes dry.

a blend from various coastal counties. Smells juicy and ripe, with tropical fruit, peach and toast. Mingles classic Chardonnay flavors of apple and peach with a nice, creamy texture.

…is one of the finest I have tasted in recent vintages. The bouquet offers up pear and tropical fruit notes in addition to apple-like aromas. This fruit-driven, medium-bodied, fresh, lively, tasty Chardonnay should be consumed during its first year of life.

…revealing an attractive tropical fruit and citrusy-scented nose, good ripeness, medium body, and off-dry flavors that are nicely balanced by the wine's acidity.

In 1995, the Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve, which has thousands of loyal followers, is once again a well-made wine. A blend of 50% tank-fermented and 50% barrel-fermented Chardonnay, this wine, which is made in enormous quantities, is remarkably consistent. The 1995 reveals lovely, buttery, ripe tropical fruit aromas and flavors, excellent purity, a soft, fleshy texture, and a ripe finish. Drink this straightforward yet mouthfilling, well-made Chardonnay over the next year.

The Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay is one of the better values in the marketplace. While the 1993 is less obviously sweet than its predecessors, it is an opulent, fruity, medium-bodied Chardonnay with excellent fruit and a rich, zesty finish. It is meant to be drunk over the next 8-12 months.

A delicious, fruity, opulently-textured Chardonnay that provides immense pleasure and satisfaction for a fair price.

A big, lusty, toasty, creamy-textured wine with plenty of fruit, not much complexity, excellent richness, and a soft, attractive finish.

The 2016 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve delivers intense baked apples, allspice and buttered toast notes with a touch of honeycomb. Medium-bodied, it has a good amount of uncomplicated, spiced-apple flavors offering great freshness and harmony.

The 2014 Chardonnay Avant is Kendall-Jackson's fresher Chardonnay. In this vintage, though, the Avant is a bit more tropical than it has been in the past. Exotic flowers, pineapple and candied lemon are some of the signatures.

Lots of oaky flavors mark this dry wine. Buttered toast, brown butter and vanilla flavors dominate the underlying peach, pear, citrus and mango flavors.

The 2012 Chardonnay Avant is laced with almond, pear and apple flavors. In this vintage, the Avant is a little richer and creamier than it has been in the past, which stylistically moves it closer to the Vintner's Reserve than in some previous vintages. This is a solid, entry-level offering.

Simple, clean and very direct in its mildly juicy, reasonably lively, apple-like fruit, Kendall-Jackson’s 2012 Avant is all out in front with nary a hint of complexity or potential. It is, however, a very likeable wine at the price, and its slight trim of sweetness makes it eminently well-suited to service with various chicken dishes as well as being a pleasant pour on its own. GOOD VALUE.

If a bit slow to start and never showing much more than a smattering of mild, green-apple fruit in the nose, this wine proves to be both a bit richer and better defined as Chardonnay on the palate. It is reasonably well balanced with enough acidity to be useful with a wide range of foods, and it has the structural legs to last for a couple of years.