so appealing, with silky smooth, fruit-dominated flavors, that I planned to include it as a wine recommendation.

Until the 2004 of this wine is released the 2003 vintage remains available and is a very good value. Nice tropical and citrus fruit, a moderate level of creaminess, but crisp acidity saves it from been too fat or unctuous

A classic, rounded California take on Sauvignon Blanc, with hints of lemon and melon and a bright finish.

The wine isn't fat or clumsy, and in fact, is well balanced, with a nice bright fruit and a supple, yet still crisp finish. What was surprising about this was the press release that came with it. It said that despite the product of two million cases of this wine, it is 100 percent estate grown and 100 percent Chardonnay, and thus not blended with any cheaper grapes...The concept is mind-boggling. I did the math on this, and it worked out to the fact that Kendall-Jackson farms some 7,700 acres of Chardonnay vines! This represents more than 8 percent of the state's total of Chardonnay and 20 percent of the Chardonnay growing in coastal regions. The result is a masterful blend by one of Kendall-Jackson's winemakers, David Hastings, one of California's unsung heroes in the art of Chardonnay craftsmanship.

Polished fruit, plush on the palate and long finish.

Large-scale, lovely ripe black fruit, bold flavoured with oak.

Honey, citrus, spicy lees, vanilla, baked apple and pineapple aromas. Round, rich, slightly sweet entry with good acidity and freshness. Good smoky, leesy, vanilla, buttery, baked apple, peach and pineapple flavours. Good intensity.

A bigger style of Chardonnay, but only in terms of fruit--the oak is nicely balanced, if rich.

I have watched this wine for the first time and know that it is an ager, especially in a great vintage like this one. made from very high Mayacamas Mountain grapes, it's relentlessly tannic in its youth. But the core of black cherry and cassis is fabulous. Hold on until 2010.

I get the idea of this wine. It's to craft a mountain Chard that's lean and acidic now, but cellar candidate. It is indeed tight and austere, not offering a lot of satisfaction beyond oak and a hint of spicy pear on the finish. If you're adventurous, hod on until 2006.

Ripe and intriguing, and holding onto its from after four years. Delivers some creamy lemon pudding aromas that are backed by flavors of citrus, apple and egg yolk. Solid on the finish, and appealing. Even offers a bit of cannoli/créme brûlée flavor at the end.

Bright pale gold. Aromas of toasted grain and apricot nectar. Supple, ripe and sweet, with apricot, peach and spice flavors leavened by decent acidity. ..Finishes with lemon peel, banana and toffee.

Full scaled aromas of pepper and dried blackberries introduce this fat and flavorful wine, and, if the flavors that follow do run low on fruit energy at the finish, they remain rich to the end. An ample streak of dry tannins washes across the latter palate, yet the wine's slight leaning to structural softness points the way to comparatively early drinking nonetheless.

Ruby-red. Aromas of dark berries, leather, meat and white pepper. Supple and spicy, with cola and rooty notes.

Juicy and easy to drink, with vanilla and raspberry fruit and hints of spice. Drink now.

Serves up tangy berry and cherry flavors that weave in olive, herb and earth tones... Drink now through 2007.

Well-balanced with a zesty display of ripe cherry, raspberry and wild berry. Intense and vibrant, it exhibits loads of berry flavors on the finish, giving it a good measure of complexity. Drink now through 2009.

Fresh scents of peach and citrus lead to a tight, lemony beam of flavors, picking up hints of vanilla, and finishing with a burst of fruit and complexity. Drink now through 2008.

Deftly balanced, with a mix of rich currant, cedar, tobacco and sage. The tannins are firm and end up drying out. Drink now.

Aromas of toast, black cherry, wild raspberry, oak and spice; quite rich and big; flavors of vanilla, toast and black cherry; lingering finish.

Very Good. Blueberry, smoke, black cherry, violet, vanilla and toast nose, firm entry with blackberry, oak, licorice and cherry flavors; ripe and juicy with a long finish.

Big bouquet, vigorous in the mouth, round and fruity, this is a Saint Emilion with personality