(79 percent pinot gris, 9 percent roussanne, 4 percent grüner veltliner, 3 percent chardonnay, 3 percent viognier, 2 percent albariño: ripe and rich and intensely fruity, with floral aromas and tropical fruit flavors.

You won't go wrong with this forward pinot gris from California. Using grapes from several California appellations, it is blended with roussanne, gruner veltliner, chardonnay, viognier and albarino. It may not have the classic pinot gris profile with that mélange, but it's unquestionably delicious — and a tad sweet.

Kendall-Jackson has amassed such a wealth of vineyard resources throughout California that for them, providing a good bottle of wine on the cheap is almost second nature. Winemaster Randy Ullom and his winemaking team of Chris Johnson and Mark Theis sculpt wines from the tropics of the Central Coast to the fog bound zones of Mendocino, and somehow they're always able to find the sweet spot that balances all these divergent elements in ways that seem effortless.

dry, light-bodied, light tannin, medium acidity; Vivid tart cherry flavor, accented by a little smokiness. Light and inviting. It's well-priced too.

Tasting for all the world like the inexpensive wine that it is, this soft, open, nicely rounded effort neither attempts nor achieves complexity, but it manages to convey a decent sense of varietal cherries, and, with Pinot, that is not always the easiest thing to do. No budget buster this, it comes in high on the list of values.

...bottlings are fruity, well-focused and eminently enjoyable wines that hit the mark when it comes to varietal fruit and the seductive, supple texture of Pinot Noir.

...would rival any pinot noir in California and even many in Burgundy. Made in small quantities, it isn't available in Maryland but still shows off the producer's ability.

The aromatic nose of raspberry, cola, blackberry and wood smoke is just plain huge. Exotic and very forward flavors of black fruits, cherry, clove, nutmeg, brown sugar and pepper expand in the mouth...this wine has a ease about it, as if nothing were forced. Extremely ripe...it could become liquid velvet with a couple of years in the bottle.

Slightly jammy but discreet nose. Fresh, vigorous, medium bodied, a touch simple and jammy. Quite spicy, lacks finesse. Good, if you like this style of Pinot.

...a wine that many of the judges liked because of its depth, body and intense berry fruit. This Monterey pinot noir is characterized by its rich, full body and forward cherry flavors. Hint of nutmeg and pepper. A very good pinot noir for the money.

"This Monterey County pinot has deep, bold flavors of ripe black cherries and oak. It's big enough to serve with grilled food.

Elegant and balanced - a blend of cherries and pepper. Medium-bodied with aromas of cherry and cola.

Lean, with charry, smoky berry, notes.

...displays smoky tomato and cherry notes in the nose, medium body, tart aidity in mid-palate, but good fruit and depth in the finish.

Firm, with a narrow range of strawberry and tea flavors...

This is a grape that is difficult to make well and sell at a price less than $30, but the boys at K-J have done their homework. At $14.50, this is a good example of how tasty and fruity (but not sweet) a pinot can be, clean cherry/cigar box nose that has great fruit-to-acid balance.

Here is a clean, correct, properly fruity Pinot that delivers a good dose of cherryish fruit with just the right measure of sweetening oak. Its flavors are a bit limited in depth, yet its fix on varietal character is unwavering and its overall richness marks it a good choice for the money.

Light and refreshing for its soft berry and spice flavors.

.Randy Ullom has produced a knockout Pinot Noir, for the first time includes a larger blend of North Coast fruit, mainly Sonoma Coast and Mendocino County. Any Pinot Noir fan will quickly find that this wine, just now coming into supermarkets nationwide, is classically silky, with deep plum flavors and a soft vanilla taste.

...crisp, tart, spicy, peppery, light to medium-bodied.

Quite peppery on the nose with hints of black cherry. Soft and juicy and has some charm but lacks length and finesse.

.texture and a certain delicacy.