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.

Strawberry fruit on palate with lovely oak and balanced with ripe fruit. Elegant with good extract and very good length

Kendall-Jackson 1995 Vintner's Reserve delivers lots of oaky spice and brushy varietal complexities along with a good measure of plummy fruit.

Suggestions of earth and dried brush mingle in the somewhat lower intensity aromas, and with air, oaky and slightly gamy notes also emerge. Supple on the palate with youthful flavors centered on ripe plums and cherries, the wine runs into a streak of oakiness that adds further sweetness to the flavors while imparting a certain coarseness to the latter-palate texture. Good value.

Clean raspberry and cherry themes are the central story here, and, in both aroma and flavor, the wine makes use of a bit of sweet oak. Pleasantly balanced with a slight sense of suppleness on the palate, the wine lingers nicely at the finish.

Although scoring points for its hefty feel and ample sense of stuffing, this ripe and fairly oaky wine treads a bit heavily on the palate and is slightly muddled with regard to defined fruit. Sizeable, but never graceful, it should be useful with strongly seasoned veal stews over the next two or three years.

Firm and spicy. Herb and black cherry flavors.

Soft, overripe fruit and faint earth and spice notes fill the palate. Well balanced and direct with soft acids and tannins.

Irresistible aromas of sweet cherries and strawberry jam will get your attention. Rich and smooth and lush, this wine maintains its focus with just enough acidity, tannin and wood to make it ideal for current consumption.

Hinting at ripe grapes yet showing dried herbs and a suggestion of leather in its aromas.

One of the two best Pinot Noirs of the year.

Ripe cherry notes are joined by brushy and herbal notes in the fairly rich, well-oaked aromas. Medium-full-bodied and supple at entry, the wine tastes of light-medium depth fruit with suggestions of herbs joined by lighter notes of raspberry and cherry.

Light ruby, medium-intense color; fine cherry fruit core in the nose is promising, yet slightly masked by a touch of volatile acidity; and the warm, generous palate seems to develop more toasty oak themes with time, as the volatility passes. Well crafted, with tasty touches.

The texture is opulent and lovely. Considerable earthiness is well-managed and not compounded by undue weight--this is a big mouthful of wine by any measure.

Burgundian in style with earthy notes matching fruit intensity. Well balanced, soft, rich and intense displaying ripe cherry fruit.

This is a big mouthful of wine by any measure.

Mint and oak notes over a decent layer of fruit. Excellent flavors.

This wine delivers the goods with respect to varietal fruit in its ripe and rich aromas and flavors.

Among my top three Pinot Noirs.

Very aromatic nose of cloves and strawberry-cherry fruit, enhanced by a hint of forest floor humus and a note of bacon rind; reminiscent of a premier cru Burgundy. Spicy and complex on the palate, with delicious flavors focusing on cherries and berries, plus spice. A true bargain.

Smooth and slightly velvety.

A light, pleasant red with an appealing scent and fruity taste.

The only wine that the four-person panel on which I sat unanimously agreed should get a gold medal.