Shows raspberry paste and cherry cola notes backed by red licorice accents. Drink now. 78,000 cases made.

Boasts tangy tangerine, Key lime and lemon notes that are appealing and juicy, with a touch of candied ginger on the finish. Drink now.

True to its legacy, K-J's V.R. Chard is almost off-dry and soft in style, with pleasant mango, peach, orange and vanilla flavors. It's an easy-drinking wine to enjoy with everyday picnic or beach fare.

Aged six months in 6% new French and 7% new American oak, the 2017 Chardonnay Vintner's Reserve opens with scents of applesauce, allspice, beeswax and kettle corn, with a refreshing, medium-bodied palate and a toasty finish. More than 2.6 million cases produced.

Big in oak and tannin, this wine is profusely ripe in blackberry jam, baking spice and barbecue smoke.

Light to medium brassy colour, almost copper-tinted and seems forward-developed. The bouquet is likewise forward and evolved, with some dry straw, leaf litter and dried fruit aromas, the palate soft and broad and open-knit, finishing dry and showing a little skin tannin.

Compact but refreshing, with dried citrus zest notes and apple flavors. Offers a touch of dried flowers on the finish. Drink now.

Medium-bodied, this red offers dried red fruit and spice flavors, with beefy hints and dried portobello notes on the finish. Drink now.

Smells like cherries and cinnamon with a whiff of wet stone. Fruit is lean, with a decent oak vibe pushing up from the core of the glass. It doesn’t hang around much on the finish but would be a good social lubricant at a get-together.

Rich cherry and cinnamon feels on the nose. The palate is a little off with the vanilla oakiness being very separated from the juicy fruit. If they come together over a year in-bottle, then it will jive.

Fuji apple flavors are ripe and offer notes of nutmeg. The snappy finish has buttery accents. Drink now.

Pretty neutral and easy, but very balanced. This cheap and solid bottle is worth a case-or-three-buy for whatever is going on, whenever. Keep a couple in the fridge in the name of spontaneity.

Dried fig and ripe apple flavors blend easily in this spicy version, with buttery accents on the finish. Drink now.

An aromatic white, offering dried chamomile and orange zest notes that give way to lemon meringue and melon flavors, with a fresh thread of acidity. Drink now.

From Kendall-Jackson, this Merlot is warm and toasty, with aromas of popcorn, roasted plum and leather. The palate is a bit more settled, and it's where you'll find dark cherry flavors resting on a bed of rubbery, lively tannins. Finishes with toast, vanilla and char, along with another dose of spiky tannins.

Pear, apple and faint citrus notes are fresh and appealing, finishing on a slightly spicy accent. Drink now.

Stemmy and earthy, this wine is thick in tannin and demure in red fruit, with a simplicity that works well within its medium-bodied context and structure.

Bright red colored, even to a light outer rim. Medium-bodied. Moderate extract; mild oak and tannins. Cherry, berries, vanilla. Crisp vanilla scented aromas lead into a mild fruit palate with a subtle astringent finish.

Dark and intense, with a solid core of tannin, but the plum and wild berry flavors that peek through are appealing. Best to age a little to let this soften somewhat.

Dark and intense, with appealing plum and wild berry flavors that peek through.

Firm and somewhat oaky now, but ripe plum and cherry flavors pick up a spice and anise edge on the finish.

Ripe cherry flavors are the immediate and principal attraction, and they expand on the palate.

Longtime winemaker Van Williamson has crafted a late-harvest style wine, with 16.5% alcohol. The rich berry flavors drink on the sweet side, but the wine is saved from flabbiness by firm acids. Zinfandel from these fog-free ridgetops ripens to high sugars, and the winemaker's challenge is to make the wine balanced.

Actually from Redwood Valley appellation, a bruiser of a wine, with 15.6% alcohol. The lush, ripe berry flavors are delicious and jammy, but drink hot, and there are raisiny notes in the finish. Still, it's a big, bold example of this style, and quintessentially California.

Smells very ripe and fruity. A dark wine that's fairly heavy-bodied. Tastes thick and jammy on the palate, with the flavors and texture of berry marmalade; sweet and full.