When the pinot geeks trashed merlot in the movie Sideways, it wasn't the Taylor Peaks of the world they had in mind. This 100 percent Bennett Valley red is as good as Sonoma Mountain merlot gets. The powerful, mouth-filling red spends 13 months in 46 percent new French oak. The result is a sophisticated mix of cool blueberry fruit flavours flecked with licorice, tobacco and exotic bits of orange peel. Impressive Right Bank Bordeaux-styling, with plenty of fine-grained tannins to take it the distance. Cellar through 2015.

This has become a mostly Sonoma blend (87) with a dash of fruit from Mendocino (8) and Napa (5). Big, boisterous and flavourful, this is full on California cabernet. Somewhat reminiscent of the 1997, with its spicy, earthy blackberry fruit and beautiful mid-palate textures Dense, round and showing well now, this should only get better with time. Chosen from only 1.5 percent of all the KJ cab lots.

More and more French oak (now 85 percent but only 23 percent new) has really helped to shape the new style of this wine that, while ripe and full-flavoured, is eminently more suited to food. Look for a bright core of plummy, black cherry fruit and mocha notes, with warm cedar, violet and tobacco undercurrents. Highly polished fruit from some impressive sites in Sonoma (85) and Napa (15). Well done.

Floral rose scents give an impression of delicacy to the light, firm structure of this wine. The tannins have the character of green tea, broadening with air. The transparent cherry flavor will meld with salmon and wild mushrooms.

The latest GR chardonnay is delicious. The fruit split is mostly settled in at 55/45 between Monterey and Santa Barbara, but still only represents a miniscule 3 percent of total chardonnay that comes off all Jackson estates. Rich open, leesy nose, with fresh red apple fruit drizzled with honey. Sumptuous styling, with plenty of tropical fruit flavours including peach, mango pineapple and more. The finish is rich without clinging, finishing with bits of mineral and fine acidity. Very impressive effort.

Tobacco and pipe resin scents meld with the vinous cherry flavors of this pinot. It's generous and richly oaked; built for roast duck with cherries.

The '06 has the slightest whiff of lees on the nose that serves to lift the VR out of the realm of the ordinary. Clearly cool fruit, with a tropical bent, 90 percent of the blend is barrel-fermented for 5 months and 61 percent of that ferment occurs in French oak. A treat to sip and packed with honey, melon, pineapple and mineral fruit, and just a hint of butterscotch in the finish - it doesn't get much better than this for $20. Elegant, stylish, modern California chardonnay sourced from 100 percent coastal fruit from Santa Barbara (42), Monterey (38) and Mendocino (8) counties.

The nose is pinot, with an appealing smoky, black cherry aroma and bits of steeped tea. The mid-palate is rich and round, with more smoky black fruit and fine structure. Winemaker Randy Ullom adds a dash of syrah to the blend to bolster the mid-palate and add some complexity, and it seems to work just fine. Much like the previous version, this is well-managed, cool style pinot sourced from Monterey, Santa Barbara, Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties. Impressive for the price.

Well done in '05, with that appealing KJ styling sitting over a ripe, smoky, peppery syrah, with just a hint of meaty, gamey notes. The palate is round and supple, with tasty vanilla, black cherry, licorice root and coffee flavours. Impressive dry, black fruit flavours run through the finish. It's 92 percent syrah with bits of carignane, grenache and petite sirah. With 72 percent French oak and climbing, and all-estate fruit, it is well on the way to stardom.

Winemaster Randy Ullom continues to shape the VR sauvignon into a more food-friendly, fresh-style sauvignon, and the '06 is the best yet. Now 99 percent sauvignon, the aromatics are bright and lifted with a cool, super clean nose of citrus, lime rind and tropical fruit aromas. On the palate, the flavours vacillate between tropical and cool nectarine skin. The fruit is predominately Lake County (82 percent), with bits of fruit from San Luis Obispo (7), Sonoma (7) and Mendocino (3). Revamped and ready to go.

The first release in Canada of the Meritage comes with bits of olive, Band-Aid, spicy, earthy, tobacco, cassis and a slightly leafy, resin nose. Round, dry, slightly tight and hollow, with light tannins and some alcohol. Smoky, spicy, cassis, peppery, chocolate, resin, black olive flavours, with a bit of tobacco and coriander on the finish...

A true North Coast cabernet, with a rich spicy nose mixing cassis and vanilla aromas with flecks of leather, olive and spice. Dry, round, lean on entry, with more peppery, black olive, black currant fruit and vanilla flavours...

Moderate notes of cassis with lesser glimmers oaky spice and dried brush make the early going in the full-bodied bottling. It is supple and reasonably in balance at the front of the palate before drifting into slightly coarse tannins at the back. It would be enjoyable now with beef steaks and roasts and can age a bit as well.

...here are my favorites...the fruity, firm and finely balanced Kendall-Jackson 2006 Vintner's Reserve California Riesling...

Deep into the tasting, we finally had a second wine that rated Very Good. Fresh, clean and crisp, with good balance, good acidity, ample fruit and earth. This turned out to be Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2005.

Best of tasting. Dark and earthy, quite ripe yet restrained with blackberry fruit. Good structure, with mouthcoating chocolate and cinnamon and a nicely dry finish. Could age. We like the 2005 just as much.

Intense aromas of pear, grapefruit, peach and lots of citrus, such as tangerine, lemon and grapefruit. It is fun and refreshing with a note of hazelnut.

Oak aromas; flavors of apricots and minerals, crisp and firm.

Is a rich and satisfying as its Cabernet cousin, though composed in a slightly darker key. Aromas of blueberry and sweet pine greet one's nose, while the palate offers blackberry fruit blended with dark chocolate, vanilla, and sassafras.

An extraordinary wine; silky and rich with racy, jammy, spicy blackberry and blueberry fruit; pure, intense acidity and elegant flavors.

Shows the impeccable balance you expect from this master winemaker, even in this hot vintage, where supermaturity was a challenge. The wine is certainly ripe, offering a mouthful of blackberries, cherries and currants. But it never loses its elegant tannin-acid architecture. Beautiful now, and should develop through 2014.

Richly fragrant, smooth and luscious with velvety texture, ripe blackberry fruit and hints of new oak; 68% Grenache, 27% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre.

Fresh and lively, with a beam of citrus-infused acidity and intense pear, apple and spicy oak. Elegant and balanced, this ends with a clean, complex finish. Drink now through 2011.