Bright medium ruby. Blackberry, cassis and violet aromas lifted by a peppery nuance; rather reduced. At once penetrating and pliant, with good intensity to the dark fruit and floral flavors. But I don't find the sweetness or breadth shown by a barrel sample a year ago. Finishes juicy and persistent, with firm but fine-grained tannins. Give this reduced wine plenty of aeration if you plan to serve it anytime soon.

Pale color. Very clean and pure on the nose, with aromas of orange, ginger and stone. Then juicy and penetrating in the mouth, with slightly edgy acids and notes of grapefruit skin and rocks giving this a rather austere character. But this steely, low-fat chardonnay avoids coming off as hard.

Deep red-ruby. Aromas of plum, chocolate and tobacco leaf. Juicy, tangy and intense, with sweet, well-defined flavors of black plum, licorice, minerals and menthol. Firmly structured, serious cabernet with good lift. Possesses the sweetness of fruit to stand up to its rather firm tannins.

Dullish red. Darker aromas of raspberry, cinnamon, allspice, smoked meat and roasted oak. Lusher and sweeter than the Hailey's, with the spice character carrying through onto the palate and joined by a suggestion of smoky reduction. Round and seamless. Finishes with sweet, even tannins and good length.

Bright, deep red-ruby. Crushed redcurrant, dark plum and blackberry on the nose. Suave and silky but serious in the mouth, but with a bit less definition to the dark plum and cherry flavors than the Fanucchi-Wood wine displays. Finishes a bit edgy and not at all overly sweet, with hints of peppery spices, licorice and herbs.

Ruby-red. Aromas of black cherry, menthol, cigar box and brown spices. Juicy and tight, with intriguing saline and rocky nuances adding complexity to the dark fruit flavors. Not an expansive style of merlot, but offers very good intensity and sneaky length. The tannins are substantial but not dry. (My sample of the regular Bennett Valley merlot was distinctly peppery and green in the mouth, and too dry on the back to recommend.)

Bryon's regular Chardonnay has historically been a very good wine. This continues that tradition, rich in tropical fruits, but extremely dry, with a stony minerality and high acids that stimulate the taste buds and call for rich fare.

Lemon drop, mint, flowers and hay on the nose. Lively apple and pineapple fruit framed by firm acidity. The strategy here is to make fruit-forward wines unsullied by oakiness. In fact, only about 60% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, and it spent just six months in one-third new French oak. (A second bottle of the same chardonnay seemed distinctly tart and hard-edged.)

Medium-deep ruby purple color; spicy, rich, red cherry fruit with some spice, good structure, lingering finish. Nice fruity Pinot...

Bright red-ruby. Aromas of dark cherry, tobacco, earth and chocolate. Rather suave if subdued in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness to the tobacco, earth, spice and fresh herb flavors. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins. Conveys a sense of soil character.

Red-ruby color. Dark cherry and strong spice notes on the nose. Juicy and in a distinctly dry style, with the flavors of red berries and cherry showing a very restrained sweetness. Not especially complex, but this should make a flexible bottle at the dinner table. Finishes with slightly dry but light tannins.

Bright medium ruby-red. Brooding aromas of raspberry, licorice and cinnamon. Fat, sweet and expressive but with obviously elevated alcohol. The strong, sweet berry fruit flavors are joined by cinnamon oil and mace on the rather exotic back end.

Good medium ruby. Aromas of currant, blackberry, menthol, leather and bitter chocolate. Juicy, lively and rather wild in the mouth, with flavors of redcurrant, tobacco, leather and game. Bright acids and substantial firm tannins give this young cabernet a leanness as well as a youthful toughness. Today, the finish comes across as rather dry. (A second bottle of similar quality showed more mid-palate sweetness and texture but also finished with tongue-dusting and slightly dry-edged tannins.)

Bright ruby-red. Reticent black fruit and leafy aromas complicated by pepper, graphite and candied violet. Juicy and high-pitched, with firm acidity giving it a rather rigid texture. Finishes with substantial tongue-dusting tannins. Gained in sweetness with aeration but retained its very firm edge.

Aromas of mirabelle, fresh herbs and honeycomb, with a whiff of gooseberry. Juicy and fruit-driven, with good lift to the flavor of candied lemon peel. A bit harsh on the back, though, finishing with elevated alcohol and a note of grapefruit pith.

Ruby-red. Dark berries and chocolate on the nose. Creamy but firm-edged in the mouth, with complex flavors of cherry, mocha, espresso, tobacco leaf and fresh herbs.

On the smooth side. Flavors of cherry, dark plum, cassis, oak, spice and licorice. Balanced. Chewy tannins.

Grand Reserve Merlot comes primarily from Kendall-Jackson's premium hillside vineyards in Sonoma. The red berry fruit is lush and layered, with a finishing sheen of vanilla from aging in new oak barrels. Medium in body, it will match well with poultry and salmon but has sufficient structure to handle red meat.

A medium-bodied white wine such as Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay has citrus notes, ripe apple flavors, and a smooth creamy texture.

Soft and smooth, with a hint of cocoa that underscores the ripe fruit, this Merlot also imparts a suggestion of toasted bread

Blacksih purple. Tarry, inky aromas and a suggestion of over-ripeness on the palate. Lots of quite aggressive tannin, but I'd like to see a little more acidity and freshness of fruit, especially on the rather heavy finish. Picked 26 sept to 11 oct apparently with a record long post fermentation maceration of up to five weeks. Drink 2012-2018. 15.5/20 pts.

Elegant, subtle aromas. Juicy, ripe, rich palate. Tannins provide structure with acidity carrying flavours to long length. Up to five years.

17th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll