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.

Rank Number 65 - 91 Points

Terra A Lago, Block 4 vineyard is in California's southern Alexander Valley and is the source for much of Murphy Goode's finest Cabernet fruit. This reserve-level Cabernet Sauvignon bursts with boysenberry aroma wrapped in toasty oak and layers of complex earthy, plumy, smoky goodness. The palate is rich with black cherry and blueberry flavors tightly held by firm tannins and notes of vanilla and bacon on the finish. Calling all meats from the grill!

The Terra A Lago Vineyard, off the Alexander Valley's southern bench is the winery's prime cab real estate. a dark-colored bold and highly concentrated wine with lots of dark fruit, it should age very well.

Here's a nice, rich white wine. It gets the Chard job done in a direct way, offering creamy flavors of pineapples, peaches, pears, vanilla bean and buttered toast, along with mouthwatering acidity. Tastes a little sweet, but it's really easy to drink.

Top Pick - An elegant pinot noir with layered flavors of cherry, plum, mushroom and spice. Great high-toned fruit. Balanced.

One of the most improved producers in California. La Crema is making excellent pinot noir for a great price. Lots of forward cherry fruit fun with toasted oak and spice notes.

The vineyard in Fulton, a cool part of the southeastern valley heavily influenced by fog, and the vines are about 100 years old. This is great, classic Zinfandel. It should be in a museum. Despite high alcohol, it has a silky, Pinot-esque suppleness, balanced with crisp acids, and is profoundly rich in Zinny flavor. Currants, mushu plum sauce, anise, crushed black pepper, dark chocolate and rich Asian spices last forever on the finish.

The Cabernet Sauvignon really sticks out, with its cassis flavors and big, tough tannins. Meanwhile, new oak adds lush layers of smoke, woodspice and buttered toast. The result is a tough young wine that needs time, and possibly lots. Don't think of opening it before 2011, and it should develop for many more years. Potentially great.

Rank Number 11 - 94 Points

Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, this Bordeaux blend is very fine, but young. It needs time to allow the aggressive tannins to resolve and for the blackberry, black currant and herb flavors to emerge. New oak adds a sweet smokiness that will become an integral part of the final wine.

Editors Choice - This is the best Pinot Noir at this price on the market. Easily. It's picture-perfect cool climate, absolutely dry and silky, with complex flavors of cherries, Mandarin orange, cola, pomegranates, licorice and cinnamon spice, made even richer by smoky oak. Just lovely, and gets even better as it breathes in the glass.