Bright, greenish yellow. Pungent aromas of lime and orange pith, lemongrass, iodine, crushed stone and anise, plus a suggestion of jasmine. Juicy, savory and dry, with a gripping tactile quality to the bracing flavors of citrus and orchard fruits. Mint and smoky mineral notes add cut to the long, sappy, penetrating finish. Lots of Wente clone here, says winemaker Mangahas.

Vivid ruby. Fragrant bouquet of raspberry, red currant, rose, white pepper and smoky, spicy oak, plus a whiff of star anise. Suave and sweet on entry, then tight and minerally in the middle, with lovely lift and perfume to the raspberry, floral pastille and herb flavors. An edge of acidity focuses the wine's sweetness and amplifies the impression of inner-mouth perfume. This has the structure to reward a few years of cellaring but it's pretty delicious now.

Opaque ruby. Explosive aromas of dark berry compote, cola, vanilla bean and incense, along with suggestions of exotic spices and licorice. Large-scaled, broad and impressively deep, with a liqueur-like quality to its boysenberry and mulberry flavors that's given bite by sneaky acidity. Finishes quite sappy and penetrating, with lingering notes of sweet cola and dark berries.

Outstanding '08s: Vibrant yet complex.

Deep ruby. Explosive, high-pitched aromas of blackberry, blueberry and licorice. Densely packed and sweet, with terrific inner-palate energy and violety perfume to the black fruit and mint flavors. Fruit-driven, high-pitched and quite long. Seems suaver and more energetic than the Helena Dakota.

Cabernet Sauvignon with about 10% each merlot and cab franc) Good medium ruby. Complex nose melds cassis, plum, black cherry, minerals and cedar, plus hints of pepper and torrefaction. Sweet, bright and vibrant, with a slightly wild character and very firm acidity. A suggestion of wine-like coffee add nuance. I like this blend's tannin/acid backbone and length, but give this aromatic wine at least a couple years in bottle to stretch out.

Good medium ruby. Distinct medicinal cast to the aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and menthol. Juicier, tighter and more imploded than the Keyes Vineyard example, with an element of fruity peppercorn giving lift to the middle palate. The substantial dusty tannins arrive late, allowing this very primary young wine to unwind a bit.

(100% cabernet sauvignon) Good deep ruby. Cassis, violet and licorice aromas are complicated by oaky torrefaction and lifted by a peppery element; darker and more brooding than the basic bottling. A step up in depth and sweetness but this is still a baby today. This, too, has the stuffing to support its tannins. Finishes with very good energy and length.

Bright ruby. Seductive aromas of red and dark berry preserves, cola and smoky herbs. Sweet, sappy black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors are framed by velvety tannins and gain weight, spiciness and a licorice pastille quality with air. The spice and cola notes carry through a long, alluringly sweet, youthfully gripping finish. I'll bet this will be better with a few more years of aging.

Inky ruby. Spicy cherry, red currant, licorice and pipe tobacco on the nose, all lifted by a gentle floral topnote. Big and rich but juicy, offering sweet red berry flavors and notes of candied violet, cherry pit and rose. Impressively broad and focused cabernet with good extract and building notes of bitter cherry skin and herbs. Finishes with youthfully gripping tannins and a jolt of peppery spice. I'd stash this one away for a while.

Bright yellow. Nectarine, orange, peach nectar and candied ginger aromas display more energy than I'd expect from a wine with this much sugar. Smooth and lightly spicy,with seductively sweet citrus and pit fruit flavors. Offers very good clarity and finishing notes of ginger and honey. Offers an intriguing blend of vivacity and candied fruit character.

Bright green-tinged yellow. Complex aromas of peach, nutmeg, smoky minerality and coconutty, vanillin oak. Silky and broad, with impressive volume to the stone fruit and spice flavors. A note of citrus zest firms the finish. I'd give this a year or so to fill in.

Tasted in January, this Merlot was still quite unresolved. Oak dominated, with its characteristics, vanilla and caramel notes, while underneath was a substantial core of cherries, blackberries, currants, cocoa and roasted almonds, reminiscent of a granola bar. It's a distinguished Merlot, but one that wants a few years in the cellar.

From the Los Alamos region, this young, firm Pinot wants a little time in the bottle to mellow. Tasted in January, it's unresolved in tannins, fresh acidity, oak (76% new) and primary cherry and raspberry fruit.

A new price point tier for K-J, in between Grand Reserve and Highland Estates. Bright and racy in cool-climate acidity, with layered flavors of lemondrop candy, lemon chiffon pie and buttered toast. Delicious and savory. The grapes are from the Santa Maria Valley and the Los Alamos region.

Vivid red. Sexy, highly perfumed bouquet of strawberry, raspberry, potpourri and minerals, with a bright note of blood orange gaining strength with air. Impressively pure, with fresh red berry and floral flavors and a seductive sweetness. The finish strongly echoes the raspberry note and leaves a tangy trail of minerals and candied flowers behind. The wine's intriguing blend of sweet and tangy should make it extremely flexible at the table.

Ruby-red. Smoky raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by cinnamon, dried rose, musky herbs and sexy oak spices. Supple red berry and floral flavors are firmed by silky tannins and pick up a suave spicecake quality with air. Suggests dark fruits on the broad penetrating, persistent finish. This benefits from aeration.

Lightly hazy yellow. Smoky aromas of white peach, fig, wild herbs, iodine and vanilla. Round and fleshy on the palate, with intriguing flavors of tangerine, pit fruits, smoky lees and flowers. There's lively acidity here, but it comes on late, adding energy to the wine's sweet fruit. Silky, understated chardonnay with impressive finishing sappiness and cling.

Bright ruby. High-pitched aromas of crushed dark berries, bitter chocolate, licorice and Indian spices. Juicy, dense and spicy, with sappy, intense dark berry flavors lifted by zesty minerality. Quite dry but ripe and penetrating, with a building element of exotic Christmas spices. Finishes with gentle tannins and very good persistence. These vines reportedly average around 85 years of age.

Good full ruby. Aromas of blackberry, licorice and coffee torrefaction. Juicy, minerally and sweet, with very good depth of flavor and a sexy wildness. The coffee note carries through in the mouth, where it's joined by forest floor and floral notes. Finishes quite long, with substantial dusty tannins and lingering sweetness.

Bright, saturated ruby. Youthfully brooding aromas of blackberry, mulberry, cocoa powder and licorice, with slow mounting spiciness and a hint of dried violet. Deeply pitched dark berry and bitter cherry flavors are slow to unwind, showing serious structure without coming off as hard. The gripping finish is a touch rigid but packs a lot of rich fruit. Give the bottle a little age.

Light, bright yellow. Sexy, highly perfumed nose displays textbook varietal aromas of peach, pear, flowers and orange peel. Round and fleshy on entry, then tightens up in the middle palate to offer tangy orange and green apple flavors. The finish leaves sappy pear and sweet citrus notes behind. I find this very pretty.

Inky ruby. Ripe but subdued aromas of blackberry, cassis, olive and licorice, with complicating suggestions of dark chocolate and herbs; this smells a lot like syrah. Spicy and tightly wound on entry, then ripe and smooth in the middle, with subtle sweetness to its deep dark fruit flavors. Supple tannins dust the fruit-driven, spicy finish. This is pretty impressive version of the variety, even in the context of the best Argentine renditions.

Yellow-gold. Smoky pit fruits and white flowers on the expressive nose. Then sweet, juicy and dense, with powerful nectarine and tangerine flavors and good stony cut. Weightier on the finish, which features a note of honeysuckle and surprising nervy persistence. This is distinctly rich but in not way heavy. At once balanced and powerful.

Good full ruby. Brooding aromas of cassis and black cherry. A step up in density and breadth from the Monument Ridge bottling, conveying a small-berry intensity to its dark fruit flavors. There's more mid-palate stuffing here to support the wine's substantial tannins. This is from gravelly volcanic soil at an altitude of 2,200 to 2,400 feet.