A simple chardonnay, this melds citrusy fruit and spicy oak in perfumed orange and clove scents. It finishes a touch sweet, with the warmth to match roast veal.

Ruby-red. Mineral-accented red currant cherry on the nose, with complicating notes of Asian spiced and cinnamon. Dense but energetic, with tangy raspberry and blackberry fruit and floral flavors and silky tannins. Becomes firmer on the finish, which repeats the raspberry note and shows very good precision.

Vivid gold. Ripe melon and peach aromas are complemented by sweet butter, dried flowers and herbs. Showing a decadent quality but this is also surprisingly lively. Full-bodied honeydew and pit fruit flavors are subtly sweet and expansive, with a hint of candied ginger coming up on the back half. Finishes with serious punch and lingering smokiness.

Bright ruby. Lively, nuanced aromas of raspberry, cherry compote, allspice and smoke, lifted by a note of orange peel. Sweet, spicy and deep, with a tanginess to the spicy red berry and orange peel flavors. The gently tannic finish features sweet red fruits and closes with very good grip and length.

Bright yellow. Lemon zest, green apple and orange on the pungent nose, with a sexy floral quality adding complexity. Juicy, faintly warm citrus flavors give way to deeper pear and melon with air. Creamy pear and honeydew notes linger on the finish, which echoes the floral note.

This is a good Sauvignon Blanc whose touch of oak adds smoky cream and vanilla. The underlying wine shows Lake County balance, with citrus, lemongrass, peach and green apple flavors accented by crisp acidity, and finished with honey.

Bright red. Pungent aromas of cherry skin and red currant, with a subtle herbal quality. Fleshy and gently sweet on the palate, offering vivid raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn a bit hard with air. Dusty tannins and support and carry through the sharply focused, spicy finish.

Pale gold. Fresh lemon and peach aromas are pleasantly straightforward and complemented by subtle spice and floral qualities. Light-bodied, fresh citrus and pit fruit flavors deliver good punch and are given depth by hints of melon and peach. Juicy, gently sweet and easy to drink if on the simple side, with good finishing cling. This would work well with spicy Asian foods.

Bright red. Musky, earthy aromas of dried red fruits and plum. Juicy red currant and candied plum flavors show good depth but could use a bit more energy. A rich, fleshy style of pinot that finishes with good lift and lingering smokiness.

Smoky and smooth, this is a black and tannic cabernet, the kind of warm, meaty red that would meld well with braised beef.

Tasted in a flight of great and famous Napa wines, this Cardinale stood at the head of the pack. Starts with a very fine nose of cedar, cassis, ripe blackberries and violets, then turns dramatic and refined in the mouth. Shows vast depth and length, with the finish a full minute of sweet fruits and spices. Marvelous tannins, so plush and elegant, so powerful yet refined. The grapes hail from Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap and Oakville, and the blend contains 14% Merlot. As good as it is now, it will improve for a least eight years.

Beautiful! A ripe clean wine.

A brand-new wine from Byron, this black cherry, smoke and spice. Forward, fruit-direct and approachable, it hits with true pinot flavors and then flames out, like a shooting star, at the end.

Again, a new Byron chardonnay sourced from county fruit. It's not as big or rich as the regular chardonnay, but that works in favor if the Thanksgiving table. Crisp and minerally, with aromas and flavors of stone fruit, fig, red apple and brown baking spices, it finishes with a good cut of acidity to cleanse the palate.

The holidays offer a great excuse to splurge on a wine gift. If your target is high-end California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, I suggest forgoing the quest for a cult wine. Instead seek out one of the great wines below...These wines are some of the best this winery has ever produced.

The holidays offer a great excuse to splurge on a wine gift. If your target is high-end California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, I suggest forgoing the quest for a cult wine. Instead seek out one of the great wines below...These wines are some of the best this winery has ever produced.

The holidays offer a great excuse to splurge on a wine gift. If your target is high-end California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, I suggest forgoing the quest for a cult wine. Instead seek out one of the great wines below...These wines are some of the best this winery has ever produced.

The holidays offer a great excuse to splurge on a wine gift. If your target is high-end California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, I suggest forgoing the quest for a cult wine. Instead seek out one of the great wines below...These wines are some of the best this winery has ever produced.

A tasty, tropical sauvignon blanc that's approachable. Aromas and flavors of grapefruit, kiwi, toast and spice. Juicy.

A lively sauvignon blanc, bright and citrusy. Notes of grapefruit, herbs and mineral with a hint of jalapeno. Creamy texture.

The firm, keenly Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2008 from Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties simple shines at the price.

Silky and velvety soft in the mouth, coating the palate with extraordinary raspberry and cherry flavors, enriched with sweet oak, and spiced with cloves, cinnamon and white pepper. There are even notes of cocoa and orange zest. Yet brisk acidity makes it all clean and vibrant. It's hard to imagine a California Pinot Noir tasting better than this - and what a fantastic bargain. Drink now-2014.

Take a great Napa Cabernet and turn it into a Russian River Pinot, and you get this wonderful Pinot Noir. It's a low production blend of various vineyards controlled by Jackson Family Farms, and each barrel seems picked for sheer lusciousness. Dry and silky, with perfect tannin-acid balance, it shows rich, complex waves of raspberries, cherries, Dr. Pepper cola, balsam, pepper and all kinds of hard to define forest floor and mineral complications. Fully approachable now and for the next 3-4 years.

This best of barrels selection from Byron's considerable number of vineyards in Santa Maria Valley is a stunner. It's immediately likeable for its soft, creamy mouthfeel, and the way the raspberry, cherry, currant, bacon, cocoa and sandalwood flavors finish so rich, yet so dry. Seems too soft for the long haul despite the firm tannins, but should provide beautiful drinking over the next six years.

Planted to the Martini clone in the late 1980's, Arrendell sits in a cold spot in Green Valley, where restricted yields produce fruit with a wild berry character and foresty spice. This 2007 is rich and complete, the texture making it satisfying all the way through. Even so, the brightness of the fruit cuts through the wine's darker tones and leaves a mouthwatering impression. It's a boysenberry-cherry-earth combination that would be delicious with roast duck.