17th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll

17th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll

17th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll

Possibly the most famous and probably the most popular California Chardonnay, this rich wine is sourced from Kendall-Jackson's own vineyards around the state, including Santa Barbara and Mendocino.

Grown on a ridge-top west of Occidental, this wine develops into a beauty with long exposure to air. At first, new oak masks the fruit, and then clean flavors of fresh strawberry build their fragrance into a midpalate punch of brightness. It grows increasingly generous, the red fruit lasting into a finish that contrasts saline tannins with the chocolate richness of oak. The impression is cool, clean and luxurious, the wine needing three to six years' more bottle age to reach optimal maturity.

A little softer than Kendall-Jackson's Camelot Highlands, but no less delicious, with similar lemon drop and custard flavors and a tinge of sweet, ripe pear. The mouthfeel is round, creamy and full-bodied, with a complex veneer of toasty oak.

A first-rate Merlot at a good price for the quality. Dry and complex with a soft, velvety texture, this supple wine features blackberry, red cherry, cocoa and sweet dried herb flowers, finished with toasty oak.

2 Puffs, 91 Points Hartford Court Stone Côte Vineyard 2004 Sonoma Coast. Deep, ripe and rich with a handsomely balanced blend of obviously stated but never overdone apples, pears and creamy oak in its outgoing aromas, this wine has a plush, viscous feel at entry and sports a much appreciated stratum of buoyant acidity that uplifts its juicy, tasty, showy flavors across the palate and all the way into a very long and broad finish. It delivers a lot to like today, yet the wine has the depth and balance to grow a bit with a few years of bottle age.

This tannic, backward, structured, sizeable St.-Emilion exhibits a steely backbone, huge tannins, and equally huge extract. Reserved, weighty, and rich on the palate, it is a good choice for young readers who have the time to wait for it to come into focus and shed some of its tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030. P.S. This is the St.-Emilion estate of California visionary, Jess Jackson.

A huge, complex wine that flatters the palate with enormously rich, layered flavors of lemon drop, vanilla custard and butterscotch flavors. Fortunately, there's a crisp Central Coast acidity.

A savory, earthbound style of pinot, this yields a range of flavors beyond its youthful oak. Spicy tones of roasted root vegetables and darker elements, like black mushroom, combine with edgy acidity, all needing several years to meld.

Gentle and round with soft flavors of baked red cherries, this wine has a meaty texture and enough bloody tannin for roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.

A good dose of well-defined currants and lots of rich oak come together nicely in the nose and generous flavors of this precisely drawn young Cabernet, and, while never less than fully ripe, it is firmed by a fine spine of tannin that counters a brief sensation of softness to start. A big wine, but never an unrestrained blunderbuss, it is built for improvement and looks good to go for another four or five years of age.

Sweet scents of cherry and peppermint form a rustic balance with the earthy grit of tannin. Match the sweet flavor with roasted eggplant stuffed with pork.

This is young, sharp, jammy wine but has a depth of fruit and a rich structure that make it awfully likeable. Blackberries, cherries, blueberries, cocoa, coffee, it all adds up to a palate sensation.

Easy drinking and balanced, this food-friendly Zin has pleasant cherry and berry flavors and a hint of peppery spice in the finish. It's nice and dry, with a polished mouthfeel.

Here's a Merlot that is wonderfully complex, with an intriguing mix of black plum, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, eucalyptus and espresso. It should soften with time.

Here's a Merlot that is wonderfully complex, with an intriguing mix of black plum, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, eucalyptus and espresso. It should soften with time.

captures the floral freshness of Riesling, then rounds it out with dashes of Gewurztraminer and Viognier. Most of the fruit comes from cooler Monterey County, where long sunny days and cool nights help develop flavors while maintaining acidity. Off-dry with peachy fruit notes, it's a wine to enjoy as a cocktail or sip with sushi.

This is one of the better wines produced by Kendall-Jackson, a winery that focuses on wines with broad appeal. Although the aromas are a bit light, the flavors are medium-strong, well-balanced and refined. Enjoy the wine's deliciously smooth texture with light-flavored meats such as pork.

Well-defined as Syrah with glints of peppery spice and nominal oak seasonings scattered throughout its length. Gets the job done at a very fair price.

hints quietly at varietal cherries and a splash of oaky spice.

Classic regional style; sumptuous, rich, black fruits in an envelope of dark chocolate; alcohol (for better or worse), part of the style.