Santa Barbara County, where long east-west valleys funnel cooling Pacific influences, is home to two great pinot noir regions. At the northern end of the county, the Santa Maria Valley sources a growing number of wineries. My tastings revealed an impressive portfolio from one of the pioneers of the area.

Santa Barbara County, where long east-west valleys funnel cooling Pacific influences, is home to two great pinot noir regions. At the northern end of the county, the Santa Maria Valley sources a growing number of wineries. My tastings revealed an impressive portfolio from one of the pioneers of the area.

Wines labeled with a California designation are most likely to sport an everyday price. The 2008 Murphy-Goode offers a good varietal character for the price.

The Sonoma Coast is the new hot region for Pinot Noir. It is a large and largely isolated area but already contains several of the most-respected pinot vineyards.

California's central coast also is a wellspring of outstanding pinot noir. Certain microclimates in Monterey County have been cultivated successfully by small, quality-minded producers. Two wines crafted from select vineyards within Monterey - 2009 La Crema Winery...are a good introduction to the region.

Wines labeled with a California designation are most likely to sport an everyday price. The 2009 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve offers good varietal character for the price.

Lovely and rich with butter-oak richness. White peach, lime and green apple. Full-bodied.

Carefully selected from the top 1% of all Kendall-Jackson Sauvignon Blanc lots, this Grand Reserve represents qualities that Sauvignon Blanc lovers enjoy. The color is a brilliant light gold with a pale green cast, while the nose displays hints of vanilla, citrus and a blend of floral and subtle grassy notes. Dry and textured, the flavors show inviting mineral accents. Nicely balanced with juicy flavors, this Grand Reserve finishes with 14.3% alcohol and layers of fruit.

It was well balanced with generous citrus and toasted oak aromas followed by apple and orange flavors, good mouthfeel and a hint of vanilla and butterscotch. A good value for what you get.

Jess Jackson, the self-made billionaire, the lawyer-turned-vintner, made a fortune by creating a slightly sweet chardonnay that played to America's soda-pop palate. But the Jackson empire has expanded its chardonnay repertoire to include a crisp, refreshing option - our wine-of-the-week winner, the Avant, 2009 KJ Chardonnay, a steal for $14.

A tropical chardonnay with aromas and flavors of pineapple, green apple, mineral and spice. Round texture. Hint of caramel and vanilla. Bright and balanced. A great value.

The first sip of our Wine of the Week, Kendall-Jackson Avant 2009 California Chardonnay, is like falling facedown in an orchard on a summer morning. An enormous amount of mid-palate fruit - pineapple, mango, custard apple, pear and sweet lime - grabs your attention as it lingers on your palate, you're soon thinking of both vanilla and cream soda. There's just the slightest hint of oak, not much at all, and enough acid that the finish evolves from almost-cloying to moderately refreshing. Fans of California chardonnay will love this wine.

This dry white wine displays full flavors and a creamy texture in a way that finds a middle ground between the style of Alsace and Italian wines from the same varietal. It offers generous flavors of pear, apples, honey and Asian spices. It has much of the appeal of a good chardonnay but without the overwhelming influence of oak. It's all about the fruit.

Soft aromas of black cherries, blackberry jam and violets, picking up intensity with swirling. Lightweight flavors of darker Pinot fruits with supple tannins and a velvety mouthfeel.

Highly aromatic with scents of plum reduction sauce, dark roses, lavender and Santa Maria spice. The flavors of dark plums, purple grapes and dark berries are quite distinctive and zesty, with an impressive aromatic lift of black cherries on the finish. A little earthy, a little spicy, with well-proportioned fine-grain tannins and a pleasingly smooth mouth feel. Drank beautifully the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Immensely satisfying.

Byron Santa Barbara County 2009 Pinot Noir is a deeply fruited, well-crafted wine that shows real complexity.

A meaty, smoky red blend with rich, concentrated flavors. Notes of plum and cracked black pepper. The blend is 35 percent grenache noir, 33% syrah and 32% mourvedre.

Generous aromas of cherries, raspberries and strawberries with hints of exotic woods. Medium-weight flavors of slightly confected red cherries and berries with the slightest oak vanillin evident. Impressively smooth like Elvis on velvet. I kept sipping over an extended period and the wine kept delivering appealing fruit flavor. All you could ask for at this price: low alcohol, smooth texture, simple but tasty fruit, instant drinkability, ease of acquisition, all from a renowned producer.

Delicate aromas of darker red berries and raisins with a hint of oak. Mildly intense flavors of strawberries, raspberries and cherries with some persistence on the fruit-driven, dry finish. Smooth in the mouth and easy to drink. Will work beautifully at the table when Pinot Noir is called for.

A great success for this bottling. With extraordinarily high residual sugar, the wine is very sweet in wild honey, infused with the essence of oranges and apricots, folded into rich, buttery custard, and sprinkled with vanilla sugar and cinnamon. It's all balanced with a squirt of lime acid. If that sounds good, it is. Only 95 cases were produced, but finding this wine is worth a search.

Bone dry, and brightened with zesty acidity, this fabulous SB defines the category. Accented with a touch of oak, it stars potent citrus and tropical fruit, green apple, white flower and mineral flavors, with a complexity that makes it easily worth the price. Gets better and better as it warms in the glass.

This Cabernet doesn't show any signs of age, even though it's more than four years old. It's still fresh and powerful in tannins, with intensely concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit. With an impeccable structure, it should easily negotiate the next decade.

The Yangarra Viognier was made using the same techniques as the Roussanne, but here the wine has distinguishable varietal character, fresh fruit flavors and good length. There's a brilliant medium gold color, deeply set stone fruit aromatics, excellent texture and fruit, leading to a dry finish at 13% alcohol and good length. The one factor that has kept Viognier from becoming a major player in the U.S. market is high price and this appealing wine is another example.

A fine, bone-dry and minerally Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy with shellfish, grilled chicken or on its own as an appetizer. A touch of oak adds richness to the vibrant, acidic citrus fruit, lemongrass and green apple flavors.

Fresh tropical fruit, peach and apricot flavors star in this flashy young wine. Oak also plays a prominent role, giving buttered toast and caramel notes. And the texture is creamy and smooth. The overall impression is very rich and powerful...