Massive fruit on this ripe Pinot Noir. Offers a blast of raspberries, cherries and strawberries, with a dusting of powdered sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. As delicious as a confection, but a bit over the top.

This is the kind of Merlot people will love. It’s smooth, soft and silky, with rich, sweet flavors of raspberries and cherries. There’s even a candied note of chocolate-covered mint.

Sweet limes and hints of pears and white melons give this nicely inviting, mid-sized wine an easy-drinking aspect that makes it a more than willing partner to dishes like roasted chickens or ham croquettes. Fresh and hinting at a touch of sweetness balanced by a citrusy finish, this wine is ready now and decently priced.

Concentrated and full throttle, with ripe red-cherry fruitiness, yet it's so keenly balanced and refreshing for the style.

Bright gold. Ripe melon and peach aromas are lifted by zesty lemon pith and white pepper nuances. Juicy, focused honeydew and citrus flavors show impressive power and pick up toasty leesiness with air. Smooth and seamless in texture, with excellent finishing thrust and lingering smokiness.

The underlying wine, before the winemaker put it into oak barrels, was delicious in tangerine and pineapple fruit, brightened with brilliantly crisp acidity and a fine, steely minerality. The oak, which is modest, adds a richer coating of buttered toast. A great price for Chardonnay this drinkable.

A very good Pinot Noir, rich in cherry, licorice, cola and spice flavors that are wrapped into firm tannins. It’s on the forward side, trading complexity and nuance in favor of immediate gratification.

Great price for a Cabernet this smooth and tasty. Shows appealing blackberry and cherry flavors, with a sweet, smoky touch of oak. All five classic Bordeaux varieties constitute the blend.

The 2010 Le Desir is a gorgeous wine. In 2010 the Cabernet Franc is 51%, considerably lower than it was in 2009, but the blend works beautifully here. Cabernet Franc provides the aromatics, while Merlot yields the fruit in this super, dense, powerful wine. All of the elements come together beautifully in this sumptuous, gracious wine. I can't wait to taste this when it is ten years old. The 2010 Le Desir is 51% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2030.

The 2009 La Muse is a rich, sumptuous wine bursting with dark plums, black, cherries, graphite, espresso, spices and licorice. It shows gorgeous balance from start to finish. Persistent veins of minerality frame the long, beautifully articulate, creamy finish. This is a deceptively accessible wine today, but there is so much underlying power and sheer structure that I will not be surprised if it shuts down in the bottle. The 2009 is 86% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.

The 2009 La Joie is dazzling. Firm yet well-integrated tannins frame an expressive core of dark red and black fruit, graphite, cassis, mocha and minerals. This is one of the more structured wines in the lineup, and it will require a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften. I especially like the energy and focus here. In 2009 the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.

The 2010 La Muse bursts from the glass with an exciting melange of dark red berries, freshly cut flowers, spices and licorice. Layers of dark fruit flow effortlessly to the long, wonderfully nuanced finish. The 2010 has a level of energy and pure vibrancy that isn't quite there in the 2009. Today the tannins are a bit firm, but that should only serve to provide backbone for the wine as it ages. This is a dazzling wine from Pierre Seillan and Verite. The 2010 La Muse is 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.

The 2010 La Joie is a cool, mineral-drenched wine oozing with class and elegance. Today the 2010 is all about potential, and there is no shortage of that here. Blackberries, cassis, graphite and spices are some of the many notes that wrap around the powerful, insistent finish. This is another showstopper from Verite. In 2010 La Joie is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.

The 2009 Le Desir blasts across the palate with layers of deep, sumptuous fruit. This is an especially deep, plush wine packed with fruit. Hints of mocha, espresso, licorice and tar wrap around the finish in this muscular wine as varietal Cabernet Franc notes take shape in the glass... The 2009 Le Desir is 74% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Christopher's is a huge, wonderfully complete wine. It boasts considerable inner sweetness and perfume, but has more than enough fruit to match its tannic heft. Black cherries, blackberries, mint, menthol, mocha and spices are all woven together in this exceptional, refined Cabernet. Layers of fruit build to the huge, opulent finish. The minerality and acidity of this great hillside site comes through in spades. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.

The 2009 Legacy Red Wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2.8% Petit Verdot and 2.7% Merlot fashioned by Stonestreet winemaker Graham Weerts. Dark red berries, flowers, mint, mocha and espresso are woven together beautifully in this impeccable, polished wine. The fruit profile tends towards the redder end of the spectrum, which differentiates Legacy from the wines Weerts makes under the Stonestreet label. A sumptuous, elegant finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.

The 2010 Chardonnay Gravel Bench is the only Chardonnay aged in 100% new French oak barrels, but there is more than enough depth in the fruit to provide balance. Tangerine, mint, apricots and honeysuckle meld together beautifully in this seamless, opulent wine. Despite its richness, there is plenty of minerality to support the fruit. This is another fabulous effort from Stonestreet. In an interesting twist of fate, the Gravel Bench is made from the Peter Michael clone, a Chardonnay clone that was developed at Peter Michael from cuttings originally obtained from Stonestreet. The Gravel Bench is the most opulent of the Stonestreet Chardonnays and stands miles apart from most wines made in this style. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard bursts from the glass with layers of intensely perfumed fruit. The aromatics are especially pronounced, but it is the wine's balance and overall sense of harmony that elevate the Seascape. Small red berries, crushed flowers, mint, pine and licorice wrap around the intense, saline finish. This is a very typical west Sonoma Coast Pinot. The purity of fruit is simply striking. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2017.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard reveals tons of energy and focus in its intense, mineral-infused dark fruit. This is a very typical Sonoma Cabernet full of edginess and mountain character. This is a warmer site than Dakota and the fruit is harvested 5-7 days earlier. I very much like the wine's sheer vibrancy. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Rockfall is a big, tightly wound wine. Dark red raspberries, mint, white flowers and spices emerge from this energetic, vibrant Cabernet. The Rockfall impresses for its power and sheer drive. A complex, multi-dimensional finish leaves a striking last impression. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021.

The 2010 Zinfandel Dina's Vineyard is a striking wine endowed with tons of finesse, richness and power. All of the elements are beautifully balanced here. A sensual, expressive bouquet leads to dense, layered fruit, all supported by huge tannins. Crushed rocks, licorice, leather and menthol develop in the glass. The Dina's needs time to soften, but it is explosive and full of personality. These head-trained vines are nearly 100 years old. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.

The 2010 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard is another impressive wine, but here it is the silkiness and graciousness of the tannin that distinguishes the Highwire. The presence of Carigane in this site gives the wine much of its high-toned, floral bouquet. Sweet red berries, flowers, mint and licorice inform the sensual, inviting finish. This is another terrific showing from Hartford. The Highwire is an especially racy, sleek wine. It makes a fascinating contrast to the Dina's as the two sites are essentially next to each other but the field blends are quite different. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Jennifer's presents an intriguing combination of density in its fruit, but with plenty of underlying minerality from the site's proximity to the Petaluma Wind Gap. Wilder hints of earthiness, game, black olives, tar and licorice develop in the glass, adding considerable complexity. This is almost Syrah-like in its aromatic and flavor profile. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale, from vineyards in Sonoma Valley and Knights Valley, comes across as soft, lush and beautifully expressive. The wine boasts gorgeous inner sweetness, layers of soft fruit and an open, seductive personality that is hard to resist. Sweet herbs, licorice and mint are layered into the inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard shows good inner perfume and softness. Plums, black cherries, tar, smoke, licorice, savory herbs and tobacco are woven together beautifully in this highly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 needs another year or two for the tannins to soften, but it will always remain a firm, structured wine best paired with similarly hearty foods. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.