Like the final statement in a trial, wine master Randy Ullom says this wine is the study and final blending of red varietals. It's dark, rich and smooth, with flavors of blackberries and mocha.

It's hard not to enjoy the plush, luxurious texture of this juicy Bordeaux-like blend of cabernet sauvignon (80 percent), merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec. The black cherry and plum fruit is sweet on the palate and is accompanied by vanilla and spice notes.

Generous cherry aromas abound in this zinfandel from Northern California. Brambly dark berry fruit and easy tannins. Blended with petite sirah and syrah.

Concentrated flavors of black cherries and cassis with pleasant additions of chocolate and black pepper. Round mouthfeel and fruit-forward style make it a delicious wine.

Medium-bodied and fleshy for a sauvignon blanc, this excellent white oozes ripe peach, orange marmalade and melon flavours on a smooth texture, with a hint of smoke on the long finish.

Opens with black cherries, raspberries and smoky berries. There are hints of violets and cigar box that make this full-bodied wine ultra-seductive with its polished tannins and soft texture. Extremely cherry-berry in flavour.

Dark, rich nose of minerals, smoke, oak and savoury notes. Opulent, in-your-face caramel and toffee cake with some grip on the back palate. Quite interesting.

Moderate reddish-purple hue in the glass. Exotic and intriguing nose featuring aromas of black cherries, dark berries, Moroccan spices and a hint of coffee broadening over time to even deeper autumnal notes. Beautifully complex array of dark red Pinot fruits robed in mild dusty tannins, ever-expanding in the mouth, and finishing with amazing persistence and length. The fruit really sings in this seamless and classy wine. Still great the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle.

Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Beguiling aromas of brandied cherries, rose hips, tea, violets and seasoned oak. Delicious black raspberry and cherry sappy flavors on a medium weight frame complimented by hints of exotic spice and fruit leather. The most intense, deeply fruited and structured wine of the three, more opaque than see-through lingerie. The aromatic peacock tail on the finish is notable for its length. Even better the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. A very special wine.

Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Shy aromas of black raspberry, dried cherries, and brioche. Discreetly concentrated flavors of black cherries, blueberries and bramble caressed by ripe, finegrain tannins, persisting on the slightly tart cherry pie finish. Sleek, elegant and refined, weaving a stylish dance ever so lightly on the palate.

Like an old style Burgundy with flint and dried apple character. Walnuts too. Some clarified butter. Full body, with fresh acidity and a creamy finish. Drink now

Fresh, clean and alive with citrus and tropical fruit; juicy, ripe and balanced with lots of charm and depth.

It is not that we have anything against unoaked Chardonnay, it is just there are too few that are particularly well-made, but every so often a bright and zesty version comes along to make a good case for the genre. This is just such a wine. Nicely fruited and hinting at half-candied citrus with a strong streak of green apples giving varietal direction, it is a refreshing change of pace from the too-serious set, and it is priced quite enticingly.

Briary and zesty, offering appealing cherry and herb aromas, with crisp plum, anise and pepper flavors. Tannins sneak in on the finish.

This likeable wine counts cleanliness, good balance and a bit of lightly oaked fruit among its modest assets, but its slight lack of richness and depth holds it back from the big leagues. All the same, it is easy to drink, it is affordable and there is a lot of it, and it will find useful service with a wide range of foods from chicken to fish.

Mildly fruit, mildly oaky...this mid-sized working turns to crispness as its slightly candied fruit flavors firm up. Its zesty imperatives steer it to service with milder seafoods, but it will do fine service with poultry in cream sauce as well.

This is a lovely, elegant Merlot for drinking now and over the next several years. It's dry and smooth, with dusty tannins framing cherry, red currant, herb, olive and cedar flavors.

Shows plenty of Cabernet character in the blackberry and black currant flavors, enhanced with oak, and the firm tannins. A good wine...

This is an elegantly constructed wine. It's not especially rich, but subtle in citrus fruit, roasted nut, jasmine, vanilla and oak flavors, brightened with notable acidity.

The nice thing about many California sauvignons is their luscious textures, so soft and pillowy that they coax along food flavors instead of fight them.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain (from Spring Mountain Vineyard) is a big, super-ripe wine laced with racy red cherries, rose petals, dried flowers and licorice. It possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous length. The tannins in particular are especially refined for this appellation.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (from the Von Strasser Vineyard) is a gorgeous wine. It bursts onto the palate with an exciting melange of dark red fruit, mint and licorice. It is an intensely spicy, focused wine with plenty of Diamond Mountain tannins that come through. Tar, smoke and licorice are some of the notes that inform the energetic, vibrant finish.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as gorgeous and round in its expressive dark red and black fruit, earthiness, menthol, spices and graphite. The firm Howell Mountain tannins are there, but the presence of Merlot (12%) helps to soften the wine. This is a gorgeous showing from La Jota and winemaker Chris Carpenter.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard is quite a bit more structured than the Bosche. Menthol, pine, spices, licorice and dark red cherries are nicely layered in this powerful, rich wine. Hints of smoke and tar add gravitas on the powerful finish. The Sycamore Vineyard could prove to be a long-lived wine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

The 2009 Cardinale is a gorgeous, beautifully balanced wine endowed with gorgeous textural finesse and depth. Dark red fruit, spices and mint are woven together beautifully in this supple, engaging wine. Bright floral notes add lift, freshness and vibrancy on the finish. There is enough finesse to make the 2009 approachable early, but also enough richness to suggest the wine will drink early for a number of years. Winemaker Chris Carpenter creates the blend from a number of vineyards, including Veeder Peak, La Jota, Spring Mountain, Andrew-Geoffrey and Clem Cardinalli. In 2009 the final blend is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot, predominantly from hillside sites, aged in 100% new French oak barrels. This is a remarkable level of quality considering the 1,300-case production. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.