A merlot with aromas of cherry, plum and spice. Notes of tangy cherry, anise and pepper. A good quaff.

We absolutely loved this quaffable blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petite verdot from Alexander Valley fruit. Light touch of oak and hint of anise add to the black cherry and vanilla flavors.

Sweet, jammy fruit redolent of blackberries and raspberries, rich texture and easy tannins. A great wine to serve with hamburgers, pulled pork, sausage and other grilled meats.

Temperate in ripeness, nicely rounded in fell and very generous in its straightforward, berryish fruit, this carefully made middle-weight might arguably wants for little more ambition, but its combination of cleanliness, fine balance and accessibilty makes it a frontrunner in terms of honest varietal value.

Spicy notes, bright acidity and certainly a crowd pleaser.

This starts off as black satin, mostly tannin and dark fruit, before air brings up more distinct black cherry and earth in the middle of the wine. The plush texture doesn't get in the way of the firm structure, allowing the wine to build complexity as it develops in the glass. Cellar it for a few years, or decant a bottle for roast leg of lamb.

Medium ruby color, deep red cherry and clove aromas; rich, ripe, bright cherry flavors with spicy, clove notes; forward fruit; silky texture, good structure and balance; long finish. Rich and bright flavors make this medium-weight Pinot a great choice for the table.

Golden fruit flavors of apricot and lemon balance this wine's oak tones of vanilla and toasted wheat, all refreshed by a crisp, apple-like acidity. It's full-on chardonnay, hinting at sweetness, but not tiring to drink. Serve it with roast pork glazed with apricot.

Greenish yellow. Exotic aromas of pineapple, lichee, lemongrass and white flowers. Juicy and bracingly mineral-driven, with very good intensity and surprising depth to the flavors of lemon curd, tropical fruits and honeysuckle. The pliant, persistent finish leaves sweet citrus and spice notes.

Several months since I last tried a bottle, but I recall liking the red for its jammy, ripe fruit flavors. They were still singing. The sweet-tasting fruit flavors and toasty vanilla notes worked really well with the smoky notes of both the bacon and the beans. The wine was plush and vibrant, it not only complemented my meal, but was great on its own for an additional post-meal glass.

Despite some very ripe flavors and ample alcohol, this full-bodied Shiraz isn't particularly lush. The tannins are rich and velvety, but the acids are elevated and tartness dominates the finish. Drink it over the next several years.

89–91 Château Lassègue. St-Emilion Grand Cru. The top wine produced by Jess Jackson in St-Emilion, Lassègue is soft, ripe, open, packed with dark plums, very opulent. —R.V.

The nearly perfect, inky/purple-colored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder boasts abundant aromas of blueberry pie, ink, violets, burning embers, and camphor. The staggeringly intense, provocatively complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied wine with exquisite concentration as well as a stunningly pure texture. One of the most prodigious 2007 Cabernets I tasted, it should provide magical drinking in 5-6 years, and last for three decades or more.

Classic aromas of graphite, crushed rocks, boysenberries, black raspberries, blackberries, and subtle wood soar from the glass of the inky/purple-colored 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. Full-bodied and formidably endowed with awesome purity as well as a stunning, layered texture, this beauty has it all. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age and enjoy it over the next three decades. It is a prodigious Howell Mountain wine from Jess Jackson's Keyes Vineyard.

A classic mountain-styled effort is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain. Blueberries, acacia flowers, and lavender make appearances in this offering as well as a strong minerality, a subtle hint of oak, endearing elegance, medium to full body, a textured, layered mouthfeel, and superb purity, length, and overall equilibrium. This 2007 can be drunk now or cellared for 25 years.

The most limited production offering, the opaque purple-hued 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain displays classic, Bordeaux-like characteristics of cedarwood, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis, licorice, and spice box along with a note of minerality all presented in an elegant, powerful, full-bodied style with sweet tannins. Representing elegance and terroir allied with considerable power and purity, this offering is made from a vineyard planted in the mid-1970s. While approachable, it will be even better in 5-6 years, and should still be going strong at age 25-30.

The impressive 2007 exhibits an opaque purple color as well as abundant aromas of sweet red and black currants, kirsch, spice box, licorice, and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, big, structured, and layered, it will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring. Winemaker Christopher Carpenter has again turned out a wine that should evolve for 25 years. Impressive!

The finest wine yet made under Jess Jackson's leadership is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Release. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes from the finest parcels of the La Jota vineyard, spends 22 months in new French oak. It is a seriously-endowed wine meant for collectors/connoisseurs who have the patience to wait it out. An inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by aromas of boysenberries, blueberries, black raspberries, and blackberries. The wine exhibits lots of minerality, a certain floral character, full-bodied power, a boatload of tannin, sweet, dense, rich fruit, and good structure, ripeness, and length. Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20-25 years.

The 2007 Merlot (99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon) is unquestionably a sleeper of the vintage. Lots of chocolate, cocoa, black cherry, earth, and subtle herbs make for a creamy, lush, full-bodied, sexy wine that is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of smoked herbs, damp earth, black currants, plums, and a hint of licorice. Dense, medium to full-bodied, and lush with silky tannins, it should drink well for 10-15 years.

Medium-full red-purple; chocolaty and rich to sniff; palate soft and smooth, has depth and density, richness and flow. Medium-bodied but all in proportion. Black olives, earth, savoury blackberry, etc. Good depth. Big structure and depth, power and concentration. One of the most gutsy of its type - and tannic! Spicy, charry, a hint nof funk. More shirazzy than most.

An approachable pinot noir with notes of cherry, herbs, spice and a hint of caramel. A good quaff.

This is a flashy, Rhone-style blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and Grenache. It's enormously rich in pear, pineapple, honeysuckle, butterscotch, vanilla and smoky flavors, with a savory touch of lime. The tart bite of acidity calls for rich fare, such as seafood in cream sauce.

Saralee's Vineyard, Russian River Valley: hint of oak, flavors of tart limes and ripe apricots, big and rich , intensely fruity.

Rich in fruit and oak, but balanced with crisp acidity. It's strongly flavored, brimming with pineapple jam, white peach. apricot, buttered toast and vanilla. Gets the Chardonnay job done with some elegance.