This is a very serious Pinot Noir, one that will benefit from cellaring despite the drink-me-now deliciousness. It's not just the fruit, which is deeply satisfying in cherries, raspberries, sweet rhubarb pie, blood oranges and juicy pomegranates. It's the structure. Crisp acids and silky tannins create a near-perfect architecture. Elegant and sophisticated, this wine should develop additional complexities for at least six years, with proper cellaring.

“Classic Napa Mountain Cab, intensely concentrated in fruit, richly tannic, and dry, and of course, such a wine needs and deserves the new oak they lavished on it. Flavors and structure perfectly balance, with massive cherry pie, cassis and mocha flavors meshing with sweetly ripe tannins and rich barrel notes of vanilla and char. This is a dramatic, complex young Cab that will hold for six years.”

Bone dry, high acidity, minerally and stony like granite, with the essence of Meyer lemon and green pears, and leesy. Champagne-like doughiness. There's toasty oak in the background. Elegant and complex now, and should ride out the next decade. Cellar Selection.

This one's a prime example of how fat overripeness is yielding to a leaner balance and elegance. Not that there's anything austere about this luscious Chard, with its white apricot, citron, guava and mineral flavors. It's terrific wine and showcases Hartford Court at its best.

Arceno is Jess Jackson’s estate in Chianti Classico, just north of Siena. Pierre Seillan blends several wines from the property: Arcanum I, which is focused on cabernet franc (59 percent) with cabernet sauvignon and merlot, is consistently the best. This wine glows in the glass, its aroma pure black currant, sweet and fresh. It has the class of finely grown cabernet franc with tannins that speak more of Tuscan earth than fruit. Robust in weight, yet silky smooth, this combines the best of the Old and New Worlds in a supple, luscious red wine. Probably best around ten years from the vintage, to serve with grilled baby lamb chops.

Showing the beautiful silkiness and delicacy that great Pinot should have, this one also combines immense power. The end result is an important wine of ageworthy proportions. Drinking it now rewards for the wealth of cherry, raspberry, cola, cinnamon spice and oak flavors that are so delicious. But the wine has a fine balance that will allow it to age gracefully for at least six years.

Seascape is perhaps the winery's coldest vineyard, right in the path of the wind blast coming in off Bodega Bay. You can taste the Pacific chill in the high acidity that makes the fruit so pure and intense. The flavors, of Meyer lemons, lime zest and stony minerals, are bracing, and the finish is absolutely, thoroughly dry. This is a sommelier's dream of a Chardonnay.

A french sommelier on our panel described the aroma of this wine as traditional, which is probably the best compliment winemaker Pierre Seillan and his American partner Jess Jackson could get. This is the second vintage of Lassegue since Jackson bought this property on a hillside adjacent to Pavie. It starts off with floral currant and blueberry scents; the fruit stands up to generous, satin-textured tannins and lasts right through the wine. The fine texture and lingering fruit is there, still fresh, a day later. Check on this eight to ten years from the vintage.

Toasty, spicy character competes against ripe cherry fruit, bringing welcome tension to this earthy blend. The finish persists impressively. Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre. Best after 2008.

Earthy mineral flavors and scents of gingery mead give this citrusy chardonnay plenty of grip. Serve it with roast monkfish wrapped in pancetta.

Values/California Red

Ripened to exotic scents of baked strawberries and beeswax, this is warm and bright. Fine cabernet franc (40 percent) melds with merlot in tannins that feel gentle and soft, to match roast duck with cherries.

Ripe and velvety, this plush-textured red has a leafy edge to its blackberry and licorice flavors, finishing strong. Drink now through 2013.

This smooth wine has a peppery sangiovese rasp rounded by light, honeyed sweetness. It’s dark and juicy, with a lasting spice for roast lamb.

Richly extracted and polished to a sleek gloss, this is a generously textured wine. The fruit is ripened to raisin and prune, suggesting early enjoyment, suited to steak.

Deep golden in color and equally concentrated in flavor, this emphasizes barrel-aged tones of baking spice and toasted lees. It's rich and savory..

Lithe and silky, with toasty oak notes weaving through the modest nectarine and citrus flavors. Drink now through 2010.

There's a reason K-J's V.R. wines sell like hotcakes, and this wine is a primo example. It's dry and very crisp and tart, just like a good SB should be. The lemon, lime, grapefruit, and peppery-fig flavors are savory and rich.

A Burgundian style. Earthy with notes of cherry and smoke.

Vibrant. Loaded with fruit. Toasty, with notes of red clay and tobacco. Drink now or hold for five to 10 years.

2003 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon Arrowood Vineyards produces a powerful yet elegant Monte Rosso Cab; the 2003 offers firm structure and ripe black cherry flavors accented by cedar and spice.

Yangarra's 2006 Shiraz Grenache Rosé was a cooling compliment to an alfresco lunch of tuna tartare.

Dry and lovely. Notes of rose petal, cherry and raspberry. Showy. Medium complexity. Medium-bodied. Vibrant.

Rhone-like, with earthy, smoky notes. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, plum, cola and spice. Has good depth.