A lovely pinot noir that offers a medium bodied black cherry nose and flavors with some cola notes, and a hint of oak in the mouth. Ready to drink now but should evolve well over the next 2 to 3 years. It's tough to find a better value in the California pinot noir market.

A good, showy chardonnay with aromas and flavors of baked apple, toast, herbs and spice. A creamy, lush texture, yet has good acid. A great value.

Blended of 60% Grenache, 22% Shiraz and 18% Mourvedre, the 2010 Cadenzia displays a deep garnet-purple colour and aromas of ripe black plums, blackberries and mulberries over hints of bacon, yeast extract, soy and black olives. Full bodied and with plenty of mouth-filling, muscular black berry flavours, it has lively acid and a firm level of grainy tannins, finishing long and a little earthy. Approachable now, it should drink to 2018+.

Bright and crisp, with lemon meringue flavors and hints of minerals.

A soft, simple but pretty wine, with slightly sweet, pie-filling cherry, raspberry, Dr. Pepper cola and baking spice flavors. Drink now.

Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse's deft touch with Pinot Noir is especially impressive given how much she makes of this basic Sonoma Coast bottling. The wine is elegant and aromatic, with plenty of dark-cherry fruit.

One of six wines recently won favor with the Chronicle tasting panel while also offering great value and good local availability...Great for just hanging out and sipping.

For this tender cake, Buttermilk Cake with Riesling-Poached Pears, choose a sweet Riesling like the apple-scented 2007 Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest.

Slightly frontal and lightly and brightly fruity with suggestions of kiwi and grapefruit but little in the way of the grassy/weedy side of the variety, this slightly rounded, medium-bodied bottling has more than enough clean, firm charm to earn its spurs as a useful mate to baked chicken or lighter seafood dishes.

Composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, the 2008 La Joie (2,000 cases) is reminiscent of a California version of Chateau Montrose. Tannic, earthy and dense with lots of muscle, creme de cassis, underbrush and loamy soil notes, this wine should easily last 50+ years. Tremendous density and richness suggest a powerhouse that should be forgotten for 4-5 years and drunk over the following half century. Jess Jackson and his Bordelais winemaker, Pierre Seillan, have followed their 2007s (the finest wines they have ever made) with strong efforts in 2008. To understand these wines, readers must realize that they are not meant for near-term drinking, but rather for extended cellaring. Seillan truly wants to produce a wine with the ripeness of California fruit backed up by the structure and ageability of a top Bordeaux. All of these cuvees come from Sonoma County estate vineyards owned by Jess Jackson. The La Muse (dominated by Merlot) offering represents Verite's right bank Pomerol-styled wine, La Joie is their Medoc-styled effort dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Le Desir is more of a St.-Emilion, possibly Graves-styled wine dominated by Cabernet Franc blended with Merlot. These wines all need 4-5 years of bottle age, and are capable of lasting three decades or more. If you did not catch the 2007s that were released in 2010, my scores are as follows: 2007 Le Desir (98), 2007 La Joie (100) and 2007 La Muse (99).

The 2008 La Muse (1,500 cases) exhibits a dense purple color along with a big, sweet nose of chocolate fudge, black cherries, licorice, underbrush, camphor and espresso. Full-bodied, powerful and extraordinarily concentrated, but also tannic, it is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec all of which is accessed from Jess Jackson's Alexander Mountain Estate vineyard. Like its siblings, it is aged in 100% French oak, and has the highest level of alcohol (14.5%). Jess Jackson and his Bordelais winemaker, Pierre Seillan, have followed their 2007s (the finest wines they have ever made) with strong efforts in 2008. To understand these wines, readers must realize that they are not meant for near-term drinking, but rather for extended cellaring. Seillan truly wants to produce a wine with the ripeness of California fruit backed up by the structure and ageability of a top Bordeaux. All of these cuvees come from Sonoma County estate vineyards owned by Jess Jackson. The La Muse (dominated by Merlot) offering represents Verite's right bank Pomerol-styled wine, La Joie is their Medoc-styled effort dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Le Desir is more of a St.-Emilion, possibly Graves-styled wine dominated by Cabernet Franc blended with Merlot. These wines all need 4-5 years of bottle age, and are capable of lasting three decades or more. If you did not catch the 2007s that were released in 2010, my scores are as follows: 2007 Le Desir (98), 2007 La Joie (100) and 2007 La Muse (99).

All the Chardonnays are 100% Chardonnay aged in anywhere from 50% to 100% new French oak for nearly 11 months prior to being bottled. The Alexander Mountain Estate is a superb high elevation vineyard source and the Upper Barn (made famous by Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer in the decade of the nineties) is a true grand cru site for Chardonnay. The other blocks, which vary from 900 feet to a whopping 1,800 feet elevation, producing stunning Chardonnays that have abundant characteristics in common. As the scores indicate, my favorite is the 2009 Chardonnay Upper Barn simply because there is always a little more to this offering. From an 1,800 foot elevation, it reveals lots of honeyed pear, tropical fruit, brioche, nectarine and marmalade notes along with terrific acidity as well as richness. Moreover, little oak can be detected despite the fact that it (as well as its siblings) sees 50% new oak.

A stunning effort, the 2008 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard (a 44-year old site planted with California selections of the Martini clone) was bottled after 15 months in French oak (60% new). This dense ruby-colored, killer Pinot boasts abundant notes of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, flowers and loamy soil. Full-bodied with stunning concentration, a broad, savory texture and impressive purity, this is a wine to drink over the next 5-7 years although it may last a decade or more. Owned by Jess Jackson and Don Hartford and assisted by winemaker Jeff Mangahas, Hartford Court is one of the bright shining stars in Jess Jackson Family Vineyard's impressive portfolio. All three Chardonnays come from cool climate sites, either the Sonoma Coast or the Green Valley. I tasted five 2008 Pinot Noirs, a challenging vintage for some producers but Hartford Court had no smoke issues.

This deeply drawn Pinot Noir is nothing less than a tour de force whose brilliant combination of nervy, wonderfully concentrated young fruit, lightly laid-on, well-knit oak and impeccable balance earns it a place at the very head of the class. Its insistent and very articulate flavors build and build as they cross the palate, and its lengthy finish shows an uncommon sense of sophistication and polish. It is wine possessed of a great many pieces and all of them are seamlessly fit, and, as good as it is now, it will age famously.

The 2009 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard is the only parcel of the Hartford Zinfandels where 50% of the vineyard is head-pruned 99-year old Zinfandel and the balance is wire-trained, which is unusual. It exhibits a beautiful floral berry note, a Pinot Noir-like delicacy and sensibility, medium to full-bodied flavors and stunning purity, fleshiness and texture. Like its siblings, it is complex, supple textured, full-bodied, and a tour de force in Zinfandel wine production. It should drink nicely for 5-7 years. One of the top Zinfandel specialists in California is Don Hartford at Jess Jackson's Hartford winery. They also produce an impressive portfolio of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays under the Hartford Court label. These five Zinfandels all come from dry-farmed, low-yielding, old vine Russian River sites.

There are nearly 300 cases of the 2009 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard, another century old vine Zinfandel. The most concentrated, lavishly rich, exuberant offering in this portfolio, it boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to an extra gear or two as well as abundant amounts of boysenberry, blueberry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with spice, pepper and hints of wood. With beautiful purity and vivaciousness, this prodigious Zinfandel is about as good as it gets for this varietal. Drink this opulent, flamboyant Zin over the next 5-7 years. One of the top Zinfandel specialists in California is Don Hartford at Jess Jackson's Hartford winery. They also produce an impressive portfolio of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays under the Hartford Court label. These five Zinfandels all come from dry-farmed, low-yielding, old vine Russian River sites.

The 2009 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard was bottled without fining or filtration. It exhibits a deeper ruby/purple color along with abundant notes of loamy soil, boysenberries, black cherries and a garrigue-like character that is reminiscent of a southern France Rhone Valley wine. The perfumed style is in keeping with the personality of this charming, fruit-forward, fragrant vintage. Drink this medium to full-bodied, juicy, impeccably pure Zinfandel over the next 7-8 years. One of the top Zinfandel specialists in California is Don Hartford at Jess Jackson's Hartford winery. They also produce an impressive portfolio of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays under the Hartford Court label. These five Zinfandels all come from dry-farmed, low-yielding, old vine Russian River sites.

From another iconic site for Hartford, the dense ruby/purple-colored 2009 Zinfandel Dina's Vineyard (a 94-year old vineyard) exhibits beautiful boysenberry, blueberry and blackberry fruit along with a flinty, graphite, earthy character. This full-bodied effort is a brilliant example of both the vintage and the varietal. It should drink well for 5-7 years. One of the top Zinfandel specialists in California is Don Hartford at Jess Jackson's Hartford winery. They also produce an impressive portfolio of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays under the Hartford Court label. These five Zinfandels all come from dry-farmed, low-yielding, old vine Russian River sites.

A great, elegant Cabernet to drink now and for the next four years or so. It's soft in acids and satiny in tannins, with extraordinarily delicious blackberry-and cherry-pie filling, anise liqueur, cassis, cola and sweet, smoky oak flavors. Gets better as it breathes in the glass.

The 2008 Chardonnay Reserve Speciale, which comes from five vineyards, was 100% barrel-fermented and put through 100% malolactic. Always one of California's top Chardonnays, it is a blend of 51% Russian River and 49% Carneros fruit. This light straw/gold-colored Chardonnay offers up notes of peach, honeysuckle, popcorn and brioche in a rich, concentrated, pure format with good underlying acidity as well as a generous mouthfeel. This 2008 should continue to drink well for 5-6 years.

It appears owner Jess Jackson is positioning this wine to be a separate entity apart from the wines of Stonestreet. A 600-case blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot made by Graham Weerts, this beauty reveals a deep purple hue along with abundant notes of blueberries, black currants and crushed rocks intertwined with toast and earth. It possesses superb purity, silky tannins and a concentrated, intense mouthfeel. It should drink well for two decades or more.

...From an 1,800 foot elevation, it reveals lots of honeyed pear, tropical fruit, brioche, nectarine and marmalade notes along with terrific acidity as well as richness. Moreover, little oak can be detected despite the fact that it (as well as its siblings) sees 50% new oak.

From an 1,800 foot elevation, it reveals lots of honeyed pear, tropical fruit, brioche, nectarine and marmalade notes along with terrific acidity as well as richness. Moreover, little oak can be detected despite the fact that it (as well as its siblings) sees 50% new oak. A handful of these Chardonnays (Gravel Bench and Gold Run) see 100% new oak. Of the other 2009 Chardonnays, the Red Point, Broken Road, Bear Point and Gravel Bench are similar to the Upper Barn, with the Gravel Bench perhaps having a more flinty character and the Bear Point slightly more structure.

Very much biased to green grass and citrus with glimmers of mineral peeking out here and there, this very firm yet well-ripened youngster hits all the right varietal marks and does so with a great sense of reserve. It may show a brief bit of roundness on entry, but it gets downright tight as it goes. We nonetheless find its present coarseness easy to forgive, and its minor offenses are but those of a wine that is simply too young. Good things lie ahead, and it wants another year or two to prove it.

Given its comparatively restrained nose of fresh cherries, minerals and wood spice, this wine surprises a bit by being bigger and far more expressive than expected once in the mouth. Its deep and solidly varietal flavors show layers of vanilla, dark cherries and sweet spice, and, if fairly ripe, it keeps fruit front and center all the way through. It is full and fleshy in feel with an open architecture that invites early drinking, and it will make a fine mid-term foil to succulent lamb stews or classic Boeuf Bourguignon.