This is one of the best premium merlots we have tasted in a long time. It is aromatic and generous in complex, rich flavors: thyme, cloves and licorice in the nose with blackberry, cassis and pepper notes on the palate. We love the mushroom, forest-floor character and the pure fruit flavors.

The long, cool growing season of the Sonoma Coast AVA is a nearly perfect climate for growing Chardonnay, and La Crema's Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a hallmark of the region's potential. A blend of clonal selections is the basis for this bottling including several California clones (Clone 4, Robert Young and Rued) along with Dijon clone fruit which has become more widely planted in recent years. Look for bright aromas of citrus and ripe apple with notes of toasty oak and butterscotch. The palate is well structured with a base of citrus and pear flavors, enhanced by hints of caramel and floral perfume, and finishing with lingering citrus and vanilla.

Kendall-Jackson’s history of producing exceptional varietal wines from California’s cool coastal regions takes another step forward with the release of this refreshing, food-friendly Chardonnay. Avant is a blend of Chardonnay wines fermented 50% in stainless steel and 50% in neutral oak barrels. Bright varietal character shines through in both the nose and on the palate showing aromas/flavors of pineapple, citrus, green apple, pear and orchard flowers. Hints of barrel fermentation linger on the finish, framing the attenuated Chardonnay fruit and adding complexity for food pairings.

A good buy in a forward, buoyant pinot; bright red fruit flavor and aroma; zippy finish.

There are many California chardonnay producers who fancy that they've made a wine worth $30. Most are wrong. Many are hardly drinkable. But this rich white wine is the real deal - a perfect balance of fruit and oak that almost restores my faith in this category. The flavors are no surprise - apple, pear, vanilla, lemon toast - but they come with layers of complexity. This may be a bit of a splurge, but it would hold its own with wines twice the price.

It demonstrated the easygoing expression that is fairly common for this variety. Classic California merlot with black cherry, and a bit of oak spice in the nose and nice cherry and berry flavors in the mouth. Just a nice, drinkable California merlot.

One of Year's Best Pinot Noir's - Denise Shurtleff blends this wine from estate blocks planted on shallow, shaley soil above the Santa Maria bench. The mix of clonal selections yields layers of meaty flavor, the tannin complex and dynamic, the ripe cherry fruit intermingling with the structure and lending transparency to the finish. There's a gloss to the flavors, a graceful finesse that belies the wine's power. The structure is substantial enough to match rognons de veau with mushrooms.

Medium ruby color; rich, spicy plum and cherry aromas; rich. ripe, forward cherry and plum flavors with lots of spice and clove notes; silky texture; the right amount of sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Delicious and silky Pinot that tastes great by itself.

One of the Year's Best Pinot Noir's - Cambria produces a small collection of pinot noirs from individual clonal selections, including 115, the clone proprietor Barbara Banke considers a top performer at the estate. This contrasts bright, strawberry-red fruit with subtle, earthy darkness. The flavors are transparent, the tannins smooth and pleasingly sweet. Tightly built, this will benefit from a year or two in bottle as well as decanting for roast quail.

Medium-deep ruby color; complex, layered aromas of plum and cherry; deep, complex plum and cherry flavors with earthy notes; silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Complex, deep Pinot with a lot of layered flavors. Needs some time, but definitely worth the wait.

This grows on an old riverbed of sand and gravel at the base of Mount St. Helena, where sauvignon ripens to bosky green apple scents and cool, tropical notes of papaya. It's a substantive white enriched by a bit of sauvignon musqué as well as lees aging, its toastiness restrained by tight, fresh fruit.

This grows on an old riverbed of sand and gravel at the base of Mount St. Helena, where sauvignon ripens to bosky green apple scents and cool, tropical notes of papaya. It's a substantive white enriched by a bit of sauvignon musque as well as lees aging, its toastiness restrained by tight, fresh fruit. For roast sturgeon or other meaty fish.

Medium ruby color; deep floral, cherry and strawberry aromas with spice notes; rich, ripe red cherry flavors with floral and spicy notes; silky texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Ripe fruit and spicy notes make this a nice Pinot for lighter grilled fare.

Medium-deep ruby color; deep, spicy cherry aromas with mineral, earthy notes; ripe, forward cherry and plum flavors with lots of earthy notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep, full Pinot with the structure for some age.

You might expect rich texture and plush fruit from a high-end Kendall-Jackson wine, but you may be surprised by the distinctive character of the fruit here. It's in the savory mode of persimmon - firm, spicy and earthy rather than sweet. An elegant wine for braised partridge or other dark-meated game birds.

One of the Year's Best Pinot Noir's - A rich pinot noir with warm black cherry flavor, this is dark, chewy and broad. The tannins have a touch of smoky bitterness, needing a steak to bring them into line.

One of the Year's Best Pinot Noir's - Big and brash up front, this pinot noir has some jazz in its acidity, a firm, lively finish that breathes with black cherry and smoke. The tannins are fine, holding the warmth of the wine in check. Ready to serve with Peking duck.

High in concentrated black currant character and complemented by notes of roasted vanilla bean oak, this direct and fairly generous wine turns out to be a bit muscle-bound on the palate despite its deep, dense, concentrated flavors.