The inaugural 2003 Meritage, which blends cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, is surprisingly complex.

Luscious and well balanced on the nose. Very rich and sweet and readier than the 2001 - supple tannins. Dark chocolate and velvet. Long. Slightly astringent finish.

Cedar smoke nose, concentrated black fruit flavours, complex finish. Fruit sourced from Napa's To Kalon and Oak Knoll vineyards.

One other new Kendall-Jackson wine deserves attention, the 2001 Stature, the winery's aromatic, complex and long entry in the Napa Valley's cult-wine sweepstakes. It shows here that it can turn out a meritage wine as deep and layered and with even better balance than some cult wines with higher profiles. The fruit is from several of the finer vineyards in Napa Valley, including To Kalon, Oak Knoll and Stagecoach.

Slight evolution of color on the rim. Highly aromatic...

When one thinks of the Kendall-Jackson label, one usually thinks of decent, value-priced wines in quantity. But K-J, as it's known in California, also makes a $95 Meritage called Stature that drinks well young but has the qualities to age for many years.

In just 20 years of existence, Kendall-Jackson has become one of the California wine industry's most amazing success stories, with dozens of brands at all price levels. But the quality remains high, and its Great Estates wines are made from some of the winery's best vineyards. Try the 1999 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and the 1999 Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon.

In just 20 years of existence, Kendall-Jackson has become one of the California wine industry's most amazing success stories, with dozens of brands at all price levels. But the quality remains high, and its Great Estates wines are made from some of the winery's best vineyards. Try the 1999 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and the 1999 Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon.

Full Body, Dry, Nose of blueberry, herb, toast, eucalpytus and barnyard: cherry bittersweet chocolate and dill flavors; a huge wine with big fruit and big tannins. Limited production

Appealing fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry. Port and root beer aromas. Some depth, Grippy tannins.

Sweet, creamy and so very polished in both its richly oaked nose and rounded, slightly juicy flavors, this up-front offering is very easy to like, yet its fruit comes up a touch short on energy and its finish fades to heat and dryness.

The Cabernet may define K-J's red wine portfolio. This is an excellent wine, made almost entirely of cabernet sauvignon grown in Napa, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. Good complexity and depth of flavors, broad mouthfeel with soft tannins and layers of blackberries, plums, cassis and cedar.

Full-bodied with a velvety core of black fruits and cocoa, supple tannins and a modest prick of acid on the finish. Approachable now, it could probably cellar nicely for 10 years.

Black currant and cranberry nose, richly textured flavors, tobacco notes, sweet fruit finish

The Napa is big-bodied, loaded with texture and fruit, mouthfilling and long on the palate.

The vastly preferred of Kendall-Jackson's Great Estates duo, this exceptionally well-made Cabernet manages at once to be both ver rich and wonderfully refined. It's fragrant opening suggests cherries, vanilla, touches of sweet and slightly dust earth, and its deep, easy-to-access flavors follow accordingly with energetic fruit fully in charge. Those who can resist its short-term charms will find an even more involving wine waiting just a few years down the line.

. . . this is pure Napa Valley fruit: black cherries with a hint of mint and good oak flavors. It is quite a mouthful.

Blended from a range of vineyards, virtually all from the Napa Valley (one percent from Alexander Valley), this cabernet comes off soft and ripe. The sweet red jam flavors have a crispness in the finish...

Dark color, with a deep, rich, young nose that leaps out and bites you back. Edgy. Serious breeding and awesome fruit. Black-cherry wine. Definitely one for the future.

Black cherry, currant, sandalwood and fresh herb notes are wrapped within slightly green tannins.

Good full red. Perfumed, fruit-driven nose combines redcurrant, raspberry and black cherry; fresher and less rustic than that of Alexander Valley bottling. Dense, sweet and full in the mouth, with harmonious acidity keeping it fresh. Conveys Alexander Valley bottling. But finishes slightly more aggressive, with big, dusty, tannins.

You can literally smell the rich texture along with the aromatic complexity in this wine after one swirl of the glass. Dark plum and blackberry fruit flavors are well extracted with a deep, chewy texture, perfect balance and fine, flavor sustaining acidity. A classic Napa cab, with Rutherford dust, that deserves some bottle age to really blossom.

dry, full-bodied, full tannin, medium acidity; This wine delivers big, bold flavors: blackberry, cassis, cherry, vanilla, and tar.