Deep red-ruby. Youthfully medicinal aromas of cassis and bitter chocolate. Creamy and suave on entry, then tighter in the middle, showing excellent intensity to the dark berry and chocolatey oak flavors. Boasts a lovely combination of sweetness, firmness and breadth, along with smooth but tight-grained tannins that suggest a graceful evolution in bottle. Very nicely balanced, dense cabernet from east-facing vines above the fog layer.

Pungent gooseberry, grapefruit and anise aromas. Dense, supple and full for sauvignon, with enticing tropical fruit flavors dominating. Not a steely style of the variety but boasts lovely intensity of fruit.

Light yellow-gold. Spicy, mineral-accented orange and quince on the nose and in the mouth. Becomes richer with air, picking up fresh melon and fig qualities and a touch of sweet butter that carries through a very long, focused finish. This youthful wine should be even better with another year or two of bottle age.

Deep ruby. The deepest and darkest in fruit profile of this set of pinots, displaying intense cherry and blackberry scents and flavors. Broad and fleshy on entry and then more lively in the mid-palate, with impressive power and clarity on the long, smoky finish.

Bright ruby-red. Pungent aromas of red and dark berries, violet and woodsmoke, with a spicy overtone. Sappy and refreshingly bitter on the palate, offering bright cherry and black raspberry flavors that become spicier with air. Finishes tangy and very long, with lingering florality and a hint of bitter chocolate.

An intensely aromatic bouquet displays raspberry, blackberry, incense and vanilla. Lush and creamy, offering berry preserve flavors and a sexy rose pastille quality. Quite rich but surprisingly lively, with excellent finishing thrust and lingering florality.

Deep ruby. Pungent aromas of black fruits, licorice, violet and fresh herbs, with slow-building spiciness. Then dense and lush on the palate, showing a seductive sweetness to the flavors of dark berry and cherry preserves, minerals and black tea. This palate-staining, vivacious pinot finishes with lingering spice and smoke notes.

Bright yellow. Pungent pineapple, tangerine and peach aromas are complicated by smoky minerals and ginger. Rich and weighty but energetic, offering sappy citrus and tropical fruit flavors and a chewy texture. Impressively lively on the finish, leaving notes of spices and citrus zest behind.

Youthful purple color. Intensely perfumed nose evokes red and dark berries, potpourri and Indian spices. Rich and smooth in texture but surprisingly lithe, offering juicy raspberry and mulberry flavors complicated by notes of candied flowers and star anise. Supple tannins add shape to the long, sappy, floral finish.

Bright ruby-red. Very floral aromas of black raspberry, cherry and minerals. Round and seamless, with good inner-mouth definition and lift to the flavors of plum, dark cherry, cigar box and green olive. This solidly structured wine finishes with substantial broad, dusty tannins. Winemaker Ted Edwards noted that he may fine-tune the tannins prior to the bottling. All of these 2009s represent a step up in quality from this winery's 2008s.

89-91. Barrel sample. Spicy new wood dominates this wine, with the weight of fruit to justify it. It's solid, full-bodied and already balanced.

Opaque ruby. Smoky dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of olive, cracked pepper and licorice. Sweet and expansive, offering powerful blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that pick up allspice and candied violet notes with air. Closes sappy and long, with very good energy and lingering florality.

Deep ruby. Ripe cherry, cassis, tobacco and vanilla on the nose, with a subtle herbal undertone. Fleshy dark fruit flavors are supported by gentle acidity, taking on spiciness with aeration. Finishes sweet and persistent, with the dark berry and tobacco qualities lingering. This nicely balanced cabernet is approachable now.

Saturated ruby. Pungent aromas of redcurrant and cherry, with a floral topnote and a hint of cracked pepper. Lively, nicely focused malbec with appealing sweetness to its red fruit and floral pastille flavors. Fine-grained tannins come on late, adding shape and grip to the long, subtly sweet finish. I suspect that this wine will drink well on the young side.

Bright yellow-gold. High-pitched aromas of tangerine, pear and ginger, with a touch of sweet butter in the background. Sappy, palate-staining citrus pith and orchard fruit flavors show good concentration and brightening juicy acidity. Closes nervy and long, with lingering spice and floral notes.

Full red with ruby tones. Refreshing, lightly dusty nose offers blueberry, black cherry, menthol, chocolate, sassafras and herbs. A firmly built midweight, offering a bit more intensity to its dark berry and fresh herb flavors than the Monument Ridge bottling. This, too, derives lift from its harmonious acidity. Finishes with building tannins and very good length. Should show more pliancy with a few years of cellaring.

Opaque purple. Complex aromas of cherry-cola, rose oil, sassafras and peppery spices, with a subtle vanilla quality in the background. Fleshy, palate-coating dark fruit and candied licorice flavors show very good depth and a velvety texture. Warm and expansive on the the finish, which shows very good intensity and sweet persistence. This is the style of merlot that made the variety such a hot item a few decades ago.

Bright gold. Displays an array of orchard and citrus fruit aromas, with zesty mineral and ginger nuances adding complexity and lift. Racy and precise on the palate, offering lively Meyer lemon and pear flavors and a hint of sweet butter. Closes with very good energy and cut, leaving a subtle floral note behind.

Good deep ruby. Musk cassis, black cherry and chocolate on the nose. Fatter and sweeter than the merlot, at once muskier and more penetrating in the mid-palate, with a distinctly juicy quality and good energy to the mountain berry flavors. Finishes with substantial but round tannins and very good length. Owing to its vibrancy, this may yet merit an even higher score with a few more years in bottle.

Full ruby. Assertive aromas of fresh blackberry, cassis and candied cherry are lifted by white pepper and bright minerality. Offers a suave blend of power and finesse, with vibrant raspberry and blackberry flavors that gain sweetness with air. Finishes silky and soft, with lingering flavors of red fruit preserves.

Bright ruby. Aromas of cherry and boysenberry are complicated by notes of candied rose and white pepper. Suave and silky in texture, offering intense dark berry flavors that become spicier with air. Finishes on a sexy floral note, with very good clarity and sweet persistence.

Bright ruby-red. Oak-spiced red and dark berry aromas are complemented by notes of vanilla and mocha, with a floral topnote. Sappy, expansive black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors show good depth and pick up a licorice quality with air. Closes sweet and long, with lingering smokiness and impressive tenacity.

Green-hued gold. Bright, sharply focused lime, pear and mineral aromas are complemented by notes of honeysuckle and jasmine. Shows deeper orange and melon on the palate, with a sweet vanilla note adding depth. Shows very good power as well as energy, finishing with strong cut and tangy persistence.

Bright yellow. Fresh, highly perfumed aromas of citrus fruits, pear and fig, with suave floral and lees nuances adding complexity. Juicy and expansive, offering bright orange and Meyer lemon flavors given depth by suggestions of honey and buttered toast. Finishes spicy and long, with lingering honeysuckle and citrus zest qualities.

Smooth and juicy; spicy, dense and ripe with cherry and long, lush texture and good balance.