The outstanding 2008 Chardonnay Bench Break has delicate yet substantial fruit flavors, a light green hue to its straw color, terrific minerality, floral notes, honeyed citrus, and tropical fruits. It is rich and full-bodied, but a Chardonnay of finesse as well as power. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

The 2008 Pinot Noir Nielson Vineyard, which is produced from Burgundian Dijon clones as well as the old Joseph Swan clone, exhibits plenty of raspberries, black cherries, cola, and roasted herbs in a full-bodied, round, generously endowed style. This is an impressive Pinot Noir to drink now and over the next 3-5 years.

The generic and least expensive Pinot Noir, the 2008 Santa Maria, is a user-friendly, yet seriously endowed Pinot Noir with loads of fruitcake, roasted herbs, black cherry, and plum notes. The wine has a dark plum color, deep, lush flavors, and succulence and fleshiness that are totally seductive. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

The only Chardonnay I tasted from Byron was also outstanding. The 2008 Chardonnay Santa Maria exhibits crisp apple and tropical fruit with loads of background wood, spice, and earth. The wine is medium to full-bodied, pure, and a strong effort. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.

Intense, deeply scented with lots of rich oak and woody spice piled atop its ample compliment of dark fruit, this potent and sturdy young Cabernet walks a fine line between being rich and slightly austere. It is bound up in stern tannins, and it tends to gritty, back-palate astringency just now, but it hangs on to a fair measure of nicely concentrated cassis-like fruit and the finish and promises better with age. This is a keeper very much meant for the long haul, and it may not show its true colors until upwards of a decade has passed.

Deep colour; savoury Provençal herbs mingle with dark cherry and raspberry fruit; the palate is firm and full of luscious sweet fruit, with the oak just detracting a little on the finish.

Juicy, with cherry and sweet cola flavors, this wine almost tastes of warm California sunshine. Its fun-loving personality makes it enjoyable to drink now, but odds are good that it will taste even better (on account of being more nuanced) with a couple of years in the cellar.

Juicy and fresh with racy citrus and lively minerals; vibrant and showing exotic fruit and lovely floral notes.

The 2006 Chardonnay Rae's was difficult to judge, seeming very tight, with high acidity as well as a structured feel to it. Nevertheless, there are some attractive tropical fruits and minerality behind this Chardonnay, which plays it close to the vest. For a wine already four years old, this is surprisingly youthful and backward.

I'll keep my tasting notes on Cambria's Pinot Noirs short, since the only wine produced in acceptable commercial quantities is the Bench Break. The rest are experimental, small lots, all of them solidly made wines emphasizing the red currants, strawberry, and sweet and sour cherry notes as well as the minerality of Pinot Noir. I didn't see as much difference in the clonal choices as one might expect, although the alcohol percentages ranged widely.

I'll keep my tasting notes on Cambria's Pinot Noirs short, since the only wine produced in acceptable commercial quantities is the Bench Break. The rest are experimental, small lots, all of them solidly made wines emphasizing the red currants, strawberry, and sweet and sour cherry notes as well as the minerality of Pinot Noir. I didn't see as much difference in the clonal choices as one might expect, although the alcohol percentages ranged widely.

The one lot available commercially in decent quantities is the 2008 Pinot Noir Bench Break. This red shares many characteristics with the others - minerality (wet rock notes) intermixed with strawberry, black cherry, and pomegranate. It is medium-bodied and crisp, in a tart, fresh style of Pinot Noir that should drink well for 4-5 years.

I'll keep my tasting notes on Cambria's Pinot Noirs short, since the only wine produced in acceptable commercial quantities is the Bench Break. The rest are experimental, small lots, all of them solidly made wines emphasizing the red currants, strawberry, and sweet and sour cherry notes as well as the minerality of Pinot Noir. I didn't see as much difference in the clonal choices as one might expect, although the alcohol percentages ranged widely.

Clean, controlled and confidently focused on lightly grassy, green-melon fruit from front to back, this well-made, medium-full-bodied Sauvignon steers down the center of the varietal road without getting too pungent, too heavy or too stiff. It is, in short, a balanced and eminently likeable wine that is approachable now, but one whose stamina should hold it in good stead for several years.

I'll keep my tasting notes on Cambria's Pinot Noirs short, since the only wine produced in acceptable commercial quantities is the Bench Break. The rest are experimental, small lots, all of them solidly made wines emphasizing the red currants, strawberry, and sweet and sour cherry notes as well as the minerality of Pinot Noir. I didn't see as much difference in the clonal choices as one might expect, although the alcohol percentages ranged widely.

I'll keep my tasting notes on Cambria's Pinot Noirs short, since the only wine produced in acceptable commercial quantities is the Bench Break. The rest are experimental, small lots, all of them solidly made wines emphasizing the red currants, strawberry, and sweet and sour cherry notes as well as the minerality of Pinot Noir. I didn't see as much difference in the clonal choices as one might expect, although the alcohol percentages ranged widely.

2008 La Crema Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley: aromas of oak, black raspberries and spice, flavors of mulberries and cinnamon, lush and smooth, full-bodied.

Kendall-Jackson is reputedly the largest grower of Pinot Noir in California and the Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir is the best selling Pinot Noir in the United States. Moderate reddish-purple in the glass. Pleasing slightly confected aromas of strawberries and cherries with supporting oak and cedar. Modestly intense cherry and berry fruit core veering toward cherry Life-Savor flavor. Soft in the mouth with slippery tannins. A fine training wheels Pinot that is highly drinkable and a stellar value. Your wine impaired in-laws will love this wine. Good.

Classy, with details of barrel spice.

A smoky pinot with aromas and flavors of cranberry, herbs, mineral and spice. Balanced. Good length.

We enjoyed this luxurious blend of eight white grapes. You're not sure what you are drinking, but you know you like it. Citrus and tropical fruit notes.

An inky wine full of warm spices, cedar, earth and some fruit. A lovely nose; incense, berry and earth.

Simple, sweet cherry notes underscored by an aromatic earthiness. The nose is of incense and smoke with a touch of green tea.

RED WINE with a huge steak, pour a full-bodied, big-flavored wine like an all-American Zinfandel. Try the berry tinged 2007 Edmeades Mendocino from California.

Paired with recipe - Smoky Barbecue Chicken. Oaked Chardonnays have toasty notes that go well with smoky dishes like this chicken. Look for the pear-scented 2007 Cambria Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay.