Slightly stewed black cherry fruit and spicy oak. Sweet fruited, black cherry fruit, velvet texture, allspice and clove, balanced structure. Up to 5 years.

A bit closed, but black cherry and plum on the nose, hint of earth, pine and herb; similar flavors plus black currant, tea and light spice; firm, integrated tannins.

...has violet aromas and delicate cherry and mint aromas and a deep flavor...they are fascinating in that even though they are above 14 percent alcohol, they are lighter in color than many of the other French clone pinot noirs, and yet more deeply flavored.

Ripe cherry and Blackberry aromas, creamy texture, great fruit, balanced acidity and tannins, lingering finish.

But by far, the most exciting thing for everyday consumers is La Crema's new 2000 pinot noir. All things equal, the taste of barrel samples may be an insider's cherished dream, but one sip of the final product tells you that the art of the winemaker is still one of mystery and magic. My wine of the week this week tells the tale. About as complete a wine as you will find for the money, this handsome wine offers strawberry, cherry and clove aromas and a succulence rarely found in a red wine. Not to be missed.

...one of the finest pinot values on the shelf. The aroma here is pure pinot, with faint herbal and spinach notes amid bright cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit. The taste is lush and rich, with a faint note of smoke and chocolate from barrel aging. A wine that will improve for at least two years, but simply tastes great now.

Medium-Full body; Dry; Forward berry/spice aroma; slightly jammy flavors, big tannins, hint of mint; good length.

Its ripe, well-oaked, eminently spicy aromas make for a very fine start here, and, while the wine's ample flavors similarly begin on a positive note, they run afoul of elevated acidity and palpable heat in the latter going. Still, there is enough depth and solidity evident to make this one worth a gamble, and a wait of three to five years should help immeasurably.

This concentrated, complex wine reminds me of Hermitage from a ripe vintage in that it needs time to fully express itself.

An appealing syrah with good balance. Complex, with notes of toast, leather and black pepper. Nice Oak.

Spicy and rich. Clean, ripe, fruit-forward flavors. Cherry, blueberry and plum. Nice and bright. Medium complexity.

Vibrant and showy. Full-bodied, with a rich texture. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, blueberry, mint and camphor.

A big jammy zinfandel, with blueberry and blackberry fruit flavors. Bright and tart, full-bodied and balanced. Notes of oak and chocolate. Nice finish.

Big, ripe, and tannic, with dark berry, black pepper and oak flavors. Tasty.

Sweepstakes winner at the New World International Wine Competition, a delightfully seamless example of the varietal, with a lift that just begs for it to be poured with tri-tip or some other cut of beef off the grill this Labor Day weekend. The wine is lush with suggestions of blackberries and raspberries, a touch of peppery spiciness and the caress of vanilla form the French oak in which it was aged.

A bit tart with raspberry and strawberry fruit flavors.

Bright purple cast. Moderately full-bodied. Full acidity. Moderately extracted. Mildly oaked. Mildly tannic. Briar fruits, vanilla. Aromatic, with a pleasant interplay between fruit and oak nuances. Well balanced and lively, with subtle tannins through the finish.

Sweet Talk - Decadent dessert wines to top off your meal A riot of jasmine and lavender wraps around juicy apple, Asian pear, and Meyer lemon.

Elegant and showy with lovely floral aromas. Expressive with notes of peach, apple and melon. Slightly grassy.

Crisp, yet rich. Nice blend of citrus and tropical flavors. Notes of lime, Mandarin orange, pear, ginger and toast.

Elegant, with enticing aromas of peach, melon, and tangelo. Flavors of apple, apricot and spice. Rich and Round.

This is a strange style of California Viognier, but an interesting one. The usual flower and fruit notes are undercut by much crier, tart notes of acidity. It's as if the winemaker wanted to make a leaner style of wine. It succeeds, but at the cost of losing varietal character. It's fresh and clean, but easy to mistake for Sauvignon Blanc.