Cool cassis, cherry. Good balance, burnt fruit character, shows promise. 2 years.

La Crema is one of a growing list of Russian River wineries producing tasty, distinctive Pinot Noir. This wine shows the inviting cherry-berry and spice side of Pinot, with medium to full (but not over-ripe) fruit and good length. Of note is the wine's excellent structure and supple finish. 92 points.

The color of this bad boy is light to medium ruby, while the nose is a blend of ripe fruit, boiled tea and leather. It has dry, medium flavors, and is a bit light on the lush supple fruit you want from Pinot Noir. There is some heat in the finish. It is hard to tell if this wine, made from organically grown grapes, is serious or not, but for the price, it should be. 90 points.

Lovely fragrant, ripe berry fruit. Bright and breezy, juicy style with good concentration and balance. Very drinkable up to 3 years.

Anyone who follows Wine Access magazine will remember the California chardonnay issue that came out earlier this year and our coverage of winemaker Randy Ullom's pursuit of the perfect clones for his many Kendall-Jackson chardonnay labels. It would appear he has the Vintner's Reserve completely dialed in. Its lively, fresh style sets a new standard for high-quality, affordable California wine, where the fine-tuning of whites has been a slow process.

93 Points - Hartford Court 2003 Sonoma Coast Stone Cote Vineyard Chardonnay. Featured as one of the 100 Best Wines of the Year

Anakota Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Knights Valley); Mountain grapes have yielded an intense, concentrated young Cabernet, grown on the Sonoma side of Mount St. Helena. The wine is brash, dry and astringently tannic now. But it possesses a classic elegance and refinement and a remarkable core of cassis fruit. How could it not develop, given the balance and harmony? Best 2008-2015. Cellar Selection.-S.H.

Anakota 2002 Helena Dakota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Knights Valley); It's sometimes overlooked that Jess Jackson produces very small quantities of competitive wines such as this. This 100% Cabernet is a mountain wine, dens in tannins and very dry, yet intense in classically Cabernet black currant fruit. The all new French oak feels natural. As good as it is, more refinement is necessary, but Anakota is a label worth watching.-S.H.

A rustic and voluptuous red balanced by mouthwatering acidity, this wine grows at K-J's estate vineyard, which rises more than 1,000 feet above sea level. Saline flavors run through it, like salty figs or spiced plums, mellowed by the richness of new oak. Its firm tannins will sustain the wine as it ages.

89 Points Hartford Court Three Jacks Vineyard 2004 Russian River Valley. Close to its mate above in depth and in richness, it may be a touch less fruity overall, but its never short on that score, and its oaky, ripe apple and pear qualities persist from first sniff to lasting aftertaste. Like its partner, it has all the stuffing needed to improve with age.

this affordable middleweight offers a nice bit of honest Zinfandel fruit and is not overrun by ripeness. It has a few coarse edges that should lessen with time.

Here's a Pinot that shows all the classic, cool-climate qualities of the variety, from silky tannins and crisp acids to cherry cola flavors and a spicy finish.

This is a pretty nice, average Cabernet, dry and balanced, with good fruit flavors.

Also represents an upgrade in quality. It exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, pleasant mocha and berry fruit, medium body, and a clean, surprisingly complex finish.

Reveals a juicy, spicy, earthy, red berry and black current-scented bouquet, sweet tannin, a good texture, and a strong varietal character.

Exhibits blueberry and blackberry fruit notes along with notions of crushed rocks, spicy oak, and tobacco leaf. Sweet and rich with soft tannin, terrific fruit intensity, an earthy/mineral component, and a long finish. It should evolve nicely for 15 or more years.

Reveals this region's classical tropical fruit character, primarily pineapple, along with hints of honeysuckle, vanilla beans, and a delicate touch of wood. Its rich, full-bodied palate, and Burgundian, leesy-like minerality and texture suggest it should drink well for 3-4 years.

It is a serious, unmistakably California Chardonnay exhibiting loads of honeyed tropical fruit, medium to full body, and admirable freshness as well as texture. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

Possesses a sweet bouquet of graphite, black currants, earth, and high quality spicy oak. It reveals a beautiful texture, terrific purity, and plenty of structure as well as an accessible sweetness. It should drink well for 12-15+ years.

In what must be the New World's finest value in Chardonnay, there are slightly more than two million cases…for the first time made completely from Jackson Estate vineyards. This is undeniably the finest Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay K-J has yet made. A beautiful nose of orange skins, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit is followed by a medium-bodied effort with terrific fruit, good acidity, a subtle influence of wood, and a crisp finish. It should drink well for another 12-16 months.

The opaque blue/purple color is followed by smoky, camphor, blackberry, currant, and pepper notes. Good acidity, medium to full body, and a well-textured, long finish suggest it should be consumed over the next 5-6 years.

Top-notch…Its dense purple color is followed by a stony, earthy, terroir-driven nose, black currants, high tannin, and a backward, primordial personality. It requires 2-3 more years of bottle age to round into shape. Only time will tell whether the tannin of fruit will ultimately dominate.

Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet, concentrated, chewy mid-palate revealing notions of mocha, underbrush, and a pleasant resiny note. Medium-bodied, plump, and juicy, it is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.

Deep ruby/purple-tinged. Exhibits a classic cassis, licorice, and smoke character along with abundant fruit on the attack, medium body, light to moderate tannin, and a heady, earthy finish. Drink it over the next decade.

Exhibits notes of cranberries, strawberries, and plums as well as an elegant, medium-bodied personality with a cool-climate feel. It should age nicely for 4-6 years.