Vintner's Reserve is the K-J signature Chardonnay, loaded with ripe tropical flavors and hints of sweet fruit and vanilla. Barrel fermented and aged on the lees, the wine has ample toasted oak, simple ripe pineapple flavors, modest 13.5% alcohol and a rounded fruity finish. Vintner's Reserve is the more overt style of the duo of K-J value Chardonnays.

Marsanne and Roussanne are two varieties that never gained as much attention out side the Northern Rhone as Viognier, although Roussanne has attracted some moderate interest. This 2009 from McLaren Vale was barrel fermented in French oak and remained on the yeast lees for four months. The color is a medium gold and the nose is closed-in but showing citrus rind and pears. It has good texture but the flavors are delicate and undistinguished, with 13.5% alcohol and some oak in the finish.

One of the finest Chardonnays I have yet tasted from K-J is the stunning 2009 Highland Estates Chardonnay Camelot, a classic California Chardonnay exhibiting notes of caramelized citrus, pineapples and mangos intermixed with a hint of spicy, smoky oak. It displays an attractive steely minerality, full-bodied richness, a layered mouthfeel and an extremely long finish. This beauty should drink well for 3-5 years. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

A fabulous wine that should be purchased by the case is the 2007 Highland Estates Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa's Mt. Veeder. Made from estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the Veeder Peak Vineyard, this is a stunningly rich, full-bodied, opulent, blue/purple-colored Cabernet displaying notes of ink, asphalt, creme de cassis, blueberries and hints of underbrush and spring flowers. It is another sensational Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder, a tricky sector in the Mayacamas Mountains. A wine for true connoisseurs, this 2007 needs another 4-5 years of cellaring and should be capable of lasting 20-25 years or more. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

The luxury cuvee of 2009 Chardonnay Journey is 100% barrel-fermented and aged in French oak (50% new) for ten months prior to bottling. It reveals more caramelized tropical fruit, honeysuckle, white peach, toast and brioche notes in a full-bodied, rich, concentrated, pure style with an enticing texture as well as a long, authoritative finish. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. Quality is slowly rising at Matanzas Creek since it was acquired by Jess Jackson a number of years ago. He has done an excellent job bringing in winemaker Marcia Monahan and returning this estate to its glory days of the early nineties.

A stunning effort is the more limited production 2009 Chardonnay Jackson Hills from Santa Barbara. From hillside Chardonnay vineyards, this beauty offers plenty of tropical fruit, honeysuckle, peach and pineapple notes along with a medium to full-bodied, elegant yet authoritative personality. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

The finest red wine produced at Matanzas Creek in more than a decade is the 2008 Journey Proprietary Red. A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple hue along with notes of black currants, black cherries, tobacco leaf, underbrush, toast and earth. Medium to full-bodied with moderate tannin and a youthful, unevolved personality, it will benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age and should age effortlessly for 15-20. Quality is slowly rising at Matanzas Creek since it was acquired by Jess Jackson a number of years ago. He has done an excellent job bringing in winemaker Marcia Monahan and returning this estate to its glory days of the early nineties.

Even better is the sensational 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Helena Bench a limited production white that is also both tank and barrel fermented. More honeysuckle, caramelized grapefruit, orange zest and fig characteristics are found in this medium-bodied, fresh, fruit-driven 2009. Quality is slowly rising at Matanzas Creek since it was acquired by Jess Jackson a number of years ago. He has done an excellent job bringing in winemaker Marcia Monahan and returning this estate to its glory days of the early nineties.

The 2009 Chardonnay Bennett Valley was barrel-fermented and aged in 20% new oak. Medium to full-bodied with notes of honeysuckle, pear, pineapple and white peach, it is a stylish, crisp white with the oak component clearly pushed to the background. Quality is slowly rising at Matanzas Creek since it was acquired by Jess Jackson a number of years ago. He has done an excellent job bringing in winemaker Marcia Monahan and returning this estate to its glory days of the early nineties.

The outstanding 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Hills from Jess Jackson's holdings in Knight's Valley is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 19 months in nearly all French oak (45% new). Its dense opaque purple color is followed by notes of spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, graphite and ink. Full-bodied and rich with moderately high tannins as well as tremendous concentration and length, it needs 2-3 years of cellaring and should keep for 15-20. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

Readers looking for more caramelized tropical fruit and honeysuckle characteristics as well as more opulence and flesh should check out the 2009 Grand Reserve Chardonnay (a blend of equal parts Santa Barbara and Monterey fruit). This 100% Chardonnay was aged 9 months in primarily French oak, and was put through 100% barrel and malolactic fermentation with lots of lees stirring. Kendall-Jackson's Chardonnay program has always been a reference point for how to get the most out of this grape and this cuvee highlights the buttery melon, tropical fruit and peach-like characteristics of Chardonnay. It also possesses medium to full body, well-integrated wood and a long, heady, rich finish. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

The star of this line-up is the delicious, exotic, fruit-forward 2009 The Fume, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc from the North Coast (primarily Lake County and Alexander Valley). It offers abundant notes of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, fig and melons in a crisp, fresh, medium-bodied, exotic, exuberant style. It needs to be consumed over the next year.

The outstanding 2009 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley (from newer Dijon clones such as 667, 777 and 115) reveals classic Anderson Valley notes of flowers, blueberries and raspberries. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, flesh and texture, this is a delicious Pinot to enjoy over the next 4-5 years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is outstanding. Its medium ruby color is followed by aromas of loamy soil intermixed with sweet black cherries, raspberries and plums. This medium-bodied, elegant, flavorful Pinot is already endearing and should continue to drink well for 2-3 years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

The outstanding 2008 Pinot Noir Los Carneros reveals abundant damp earth, beet root vegetable, plum, black cherry and black currant characteristics that offer considerable complexity. Sweet tannins are present in this medium to full-bodied, velvety-textured, irresistible wine. It should continue to drink nicely for 2-4 years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

More tropical aromas of pineapples, orange marmalade and honeysuckle jump from the glass of the 2009 Chardonnay Monterey. Fifty percent of this cuvee was put through malolactic fermentation and it came in under 14% alcohol, not unusual in a cool year such as 2009. It exhibits abundant fruit, medium body, good depth and a seductive style. Enjoy it over the next several years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc possesses lovely melon and tropical fruit notes in its intense as well as delicate, fragrant, medium-bodied personality. It admirably showcases the wonderful aromatics that all varietals seem to possess in the 2009 vintage. Composed of nearly all Sauvignon and a tiny dollop of Semillon, 93% was tank-fermented and 7% was barrel-fermented. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years. Quality is slowly rising at Matanzas Creek since it was acquired by Jess Jackson a number of years ago. He has done an excellent job bringing in winemaker Marcia Monahan and returning this estate to its glory days of the early nineties.

The 2008 Pinot Noir Russian River displays loamy, earthy, sassafras and beet root vegetable notes as well as a distinctive spicy, herbal style. Medium-bodied with a more muscular/masculine style than the 2008 Los Carneros, the Russian River Pinot will benefit from another 6 months of bottle age and should last for 3-4 years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

The excellent 2009 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is a crisp, elegant, fresh effort revealing notes of nectarines, honeyed citrus and zesty lemon rind in its medium-bodied, fresh, fragrant, pure personality. Representing elegance at its finest, it should drink well for several years. La Crema is an excellent value winery owned by Jess Jackson with an impressive group of winemakers, including Melissa Stackhouse.

The 2008 Grand Reserve Merlot (98% Merlot and the rest other Bordeaux varietals) offers notes of graphite, charcoal, plum sauce, black cherries, mocha and toast. This dense, structured, medium to full-bodied Merlot is approachable now, but is capable of lasting 7-8 years. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

Even better is the 2008 Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. It is made from 100% estate fruit with 70% coming from Sonoma and 30% from Napa. A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, this serious Cabernet exhibits a deep ruby/purple-tinged hue as well as notes of cedar, charcoal, black cherries, black currants, licorice and herbs. Medium-bodied and rich with silky tannins and surprisingly abundant richness and extract, it should drink nicely for 5-6 years, perhaps longer. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines. Any offering from Kendall-Jackson bearing the Vintner's Reserve designation will offer much more quality than its humble price suggests.

A new addition to the portfolio is the 2009 Vintner's Reserve Summation, an intriguing blend of 33% Sauvignon Blanc, 27% Viognier, 15% Chardonnay and the rest Semillon, Roussanne, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Muscat Canelli, all largely fermented in stainless steel and neutral oak. It is a terrific perfumed, juicy white displaying a rainbow of tropical fruits in addition to crisp acids, medium body, a dry, flavorful mid-palate and lots of purity. This is a pleasure-giving, exciting, dry white that sells for a song. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines. Any offering from Kendall-Jackson bearing the Vintner's Reserve designation will offer much more quality than its humble price suggests.

Abundant aromas of white peach, honeysuckle, green apple skins and a hint of tropical fruits jump from the glass of this medium-bodied, crisp, dry, fruity, well-made Chardonnay. It is a sensational bargain. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines. Any offering from Kendall-Jackson bearing the Vintner's Reserve designation will offer much more quality than its humble price suggests.

Composed of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec aged 19 months in French oak (47% new), the 2008 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon displays an inky/purple color as well as abundant aromas of creme de cassis, camphor, tobacco leaf, licorice and background smoky oak. This rich, full-bodied Cabernet admirably showcases the potential for rich, layered, ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma. It will benefit from another 1-2 years of bottle age and should keep for at least 12 years. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.

Tasted from barrel, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Hills seemed more backward, tannic and unevolved. Jess Jackson likes his Cabernets to age a long time and therefore, almost all of them, even the low end cuvees, have plenty of structure and extract. This 2008 does not reveal the charm, opulence and intensity of the 2007, but there is a lot going on and it unquestionably has outstanding potential. Kendall-Jackson enjoys a well-deserved reputation for over-delivering quality vis à vis price for its wines.