Ripe apple and pear flavors show some peachy accents, with a soft, spicy finish. Drink now.

This wine opens in inviting aromas of currant, blackberry and orange—a fruitiness that veers flat on the midpalate, overtaken by oak. Blended with 7% Petite Sirah, the wine is overtly ripe and brawny in style

A modest ensemble of green apple and herbal flavors. New from Kendall-Jackson.

Modest floral, plum and cherry flavors turn citrusy midpalate, their focus ebbing on the finish. Ultimately rather simple. Drink now.

...similarly-styled, with less herbaceousness, as well as less flavor intensity. Softened round, it will provide competent drinking over the next several years.

Sturdy, pleasant red offers a nice core of blackberry fruit and a touch of vanilla to make it gentle on the finish.

Light, fruity, supple, appealing for its pretty cherry and strawberry flavors.

From a series of plots, certified biodynamic. In the past this has been a belter of a wine, if not one of Australia’s best roussanne’s (not faint praise, a great white wine regardless). Something amiss here. Scents show discordant between lemon essence, lemon soap, sandalwood and barley sugar water. The palate is fine, sleek, but again feels like something is awry in lemon drop, sweet fruit flavours, resinous character, then a lack of mid palate, short finish, and a feel like a coarse filter has been applied to strip out something from the wine (not suggesting this, just a feel). The finish has a rustic thing to it, then resinous and slick again. It’s just not quite up to speed, it feels.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley seems straightforward, somewhat innocuous, light-bodied, with notes of sassafras, strawberry and red currant. Drink it over the next year.

Pleasant band of cedar, spice and currant flavors, but they lack richness and lose concentration on the finish. (Also appeared 9/15/96).

Purple. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted and oaked. Quite tannic. Black fruits, flowers, tar. Weighty on the tongue, with well integrated flavors and subtle, complex aromatics. Finishes firmly, but seems a bit closed at present.

Medium-bodied, decent, slightly above average quality wine that is pleasant, but unexciting.

The 2001 Merlot exhibits deep colors, but has hard tannins, a certain austerity, and a noticeable lack of texture as well as persistence on the palate.

Reddish brick color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Mildly oaked and tannic. Green tea, cherry, strawberry Restrained nose leads an accessible palate in warm fruity style without marked complexity.

"Shows off earthy cola and wild berry notes with a leathery edge that carries over to the finish, where a funky note chimes in. Tastes like an old-style California Pinot Noir." (Also appeared 2/28/97).

"Pleasant enough, with hints of cherry, herb, cedar and spice. Drinks well now." (Also appeared 2/28/97).

The 1994 Merlot Vintner's Reserve, no longer a value at $17, offers a medium ruby color, an herbal, berry-scented nose, adequate, ripe, medium-bodied flavors, and a spicy finish.

Smooth and simple, with modest cherry and currant flavors that finish with an herbal, menthol note and modest tannins.

...exhibits a strawberry and berry-scented nose, medium-bodied, and an elegant, light style. It is very perfumed and attractive in a low key sort of way. It should drink well for 4-5 years.

Has hints of spice and pear, but it's straightforward. A good, quenching quaff.

Bright lemon and honey notes are at the core of this spicy wine. It moves to reveal some peach and apple at the end. Enjoyable but lacking balance.

Fresh and citrusy. A lively wine with refreshing grapefruit and floral flavors.

Fresh and fruity, with lively pear and pineapple flavors that finish bright and clean. Ready now.