Led by an ample dose of well-ripened cherries in its deep, lightly toasty aromas, this substantial young wine follows with nicely concentrated, ripe-fruit flavors and sports the lush, slightly velvety feel of top-shelf Pinot. Markedly firmer on the latter palate and finishing with a bit of evident acidity pushing forward, the wine seems certain to grow with age and should be tagged for three or four years of cellaring.

Brightly focused with fine fruit, medium body and a long subtle finish, this is an excellent example of the pinots which are bringing Russian River Valley to the forefront for the variety.

A lighter-style wine than the others in this category, the Stonestreet Pinot was lean, smoky and peppery where its companions were lush and fruity, though tasting young, it's a well-structured wine that should gain depth and complexity with age. "So good you want to drink it by itself," was one taster's comment.

It won gold at the Harvest Fair. A wine with great potential. It's tart, tannic, still rough around the edges, but has ripe, deep plum fruit.

Rather tangy, spicy style with some authority- good balance. (Also appeared in 9/98 issue.)

While its clean, fruity, mid-sized aromas seem simple and straightforward, this wine shows a reasonable measure of cherryish fruit on entry. It hints at succulence but is too soon directed by very evident acids. The flavors suggest some depth, but never expand much, and the wine is fairly hard at the finish. This one will definitely benefit from three or four years cellaring.

Dark color, concentrated ripe blackberry fruit, great black pepper and spice notes and surprisingly firm tannins to give it body.

A worthy successor to the '93...is fragrant with classic pinot perfume, silky and delicious on the palate.

The red wines are better than the whites & cover a lot of styles. You can order the '94 Stonestreet Russian Rvr. Pinot Noir ($58).

From its very dark color to its dense, tannin-laced flavors, this impresses as a bigger, sturdier, tougher wine than Pinot Noir is wont to be. Its very rich, very ripe aromas are long on sweet oak, but, like the ensuing flavors, they are less than fruity in their basic mien. Fairly full in body, moderately astrigent and eminently suited to service with heavier meat dishes, this brawny youngster demands at least a few years of quiet cellar time.

Richness piled upon richness is the story here as lovely oak becomes an equal partner to deep, well-ripened cherry and raspberry-like fruit in the nose, and the two continue their happy alliance in the wine's lavish, impressively stuffed flavors. Full, fleshy and almost fat in feel, the wine is never soft but is keenly balanced throughout and finishes with a very long and layered finish. Worthy of a prized place in the cellar, it is capable of growing for four or five years and might well last for twice that long.

Made of grapes from cool-climate vineyards in Carneros and Russian River Valley, it gets eight months of aging in French oak and is bottled unfiltered. It has the aroma of orange peel and is packed with dry, rich butter and raspberry flavors that mellow and become plummy as it warms.

A touch of earth with some cedar notes and gamy cherry plum flavors. Holds together on the finish where the flavors come together.

Big and earthy. Cherry and cassis flavors marry with earth and mushroom notes. Balanced and full-bodied with a powerful finish.

Forward toasted, slightly charred oak, herbal notes; medium fruit, vinous notes; firm tannins, big finish. Try with smoked duck breast, pasta with wild mushrooms.

It has the aroma of orange peel and is packed with dry, rich butter and raspberry flavors that mellow and become plummy as it warms.

Well-made.

Medium-full, soft and supple.

A real powerhouse that will be better with some time. A very attractive forest mushroom aroma signals its complexity, and nearly Barolo-like impression wows with tar and leather underthemes.

A rather nice job of combining medium-depth fruitiness of cherries and raspberry with the leafy, herbal tendencies of Pinot, this wine is medium-full in body and moderately tannic without showing intrusive astrigency. It will go nicely with herb-seasoned lamb dishes ranging from chops to stews over the next three to five years.

Oaky, sweet, ripe fruit, very rich, silky, light.

A truly great wine. An amazingly complex wine, both elegant and deeply fruity and complex. A note of toast in the aroma signals use of new French oak, and the aftertaste is long, complex and rewarding.

A wine of great intensity.

"…rich, chocolatey, plummy…