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

Great colour, cedar and ripe blackberry, some tannins to be resolved but classy.

This has such cool-climate zing (and yes, that's even possible in California) it blasts the nose with intense aromas of lime, melon and kiwi, and then drills the palate with ripe, sweet fruit, offset by edgy acidity. It's sure to up your standing with any wine snob in the crowd.

Deep, dark ruby purple color; rich black cherry, chocolate, earthy notes on the nose; dry full, lots of black cherry and plum notes, incredible depth, toasty oak, great balance and a finish that goes on forever. Incredible concentration of flavor, rich and mouthfilling! Hartford Court is making some of the finest Pinots in California. The Arrendell is no exception-truly exceptional Pinot. (originally published in the 7/1/03 issue.)

Slightly medicinal nose with black currant and cola notes; subdued cherry, berry and fig flavors with a touch of greenness. Low production.

Rich, quite full Pinot Noir, good attack. Good fruit, but more on attack than in complexity. Big solid wine. Up to 5 years.

Roses, wood, discreet. Medium-full body, medium acids and tannins, lots of red ripe fruit. Good balance, not too much oak. Crisp, medium length. Up to ten years.

Deep, dark ruby purple color; full black cherry and plum aromas with a hint of spice; highly concentrated, very clean and full on palate, black cherry, plum flavors, complex with just the right amount of toasty oak; great structure, mineral notes, long finish. This is a terrific Pinot for the cellar at an unbelievably low price! (Originally published in the 7/1/03 issue.)

This Kendall-Jackson project from Australia debuted with the 2000 vintage; beginning with the 2001 vintage they introduced the Appellation Series to showcase the regional Australian character (the original Varietal Series blends grapes from different sources). Winemaker Peter Fraser blends grapes for this wine from two different sub-regions of McLaren Vale: the cooler Foothills/BlewittSprings subregion and the warmer Seaview Hilltops region.

If never less than wholly ripened, this sleek and stylish youngster counts balance and brightness among its chief assets and is ever keyed on nicely focused fruit. Its creamy oak plays a supporting role to its larger themes of sweet cherries, and the unexpected presence of a bit of finishing heat does little to distract from its inviting message of lively fruit.

Differing from its singularly unschooled cellarmate by virtue of both fruit and its better managed heat, this chunky wine is only a shade less ripe in tone, but has a good dose of blackberries at its heart. Its 16.2% alcohol is simply impossible to hide, but its finish is more dry than burning and its ready richness lifts it into the one-star ranks.

Bright ruby-red. Lively aromas of red currant, cherry, tobacco and fresh herbs, with a truffley nuance. Lush, sweet and accessible, with red currant, tobacco, leaf and wood smoke flavors and a light vegetillity. Juicy and nicely delineated.

Another very good value, produced primarily from North Coast and Central Coast fruit. Deep ruby-colored with a purple hue, it offers sweet black currant and berry fruit along with hints of smoke and licorice in a medium-bodied, soft, supple style.

It possesses all the attributes of the 2001, just more of everything. A wine of considerable intensity, it displays a black/purple color as well as a powerful, sweet perfume of toasty oak intermixed with black currants and chocolate espresso, a formidable mid-palate, and a powerful, moderately tannic finish. This blend should hit its prime in 4-5 years, and last for nearly two decades.

It is a full-bodied, unctiously-textured effort revealing notes of tangerine oil, honeyed grapefruit, peaches, and a hint of cloves. This pure, ripe, lusty Chardonnay should be drunk over the next 1-2 years.

The inky/purple-colored 2001 Stature Meritage exhibits aromas of lead pencil shavings, licorice, black currants, smoke, and minerals. This closed but medium to full-bodied red boasts outstanding richness, sweet, well-integrated tannin, and a serious finish that lasts 40+ seconds. This impressive 2001 needs 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15+.

Reveals the potential of some of the Jackson vineyards on higher elevations in Knight's Valley. Deep, rich, chunky, and full-bodied, it exhibits loads of black fruits intermixed with licorice, smoke, espresso, and a hint of chocolate. This could be an outstanding offering when released. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2016.

The fragrant bouquet reveals plenty of honeysuckle, macerated white fruits (especially peaches), spice oak, and caramel aromas. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, and good vigor, it will drink well for 12-18 months.

Another excellent offering is the 2001 Chardonnay Camelot Bench. There are 23,000 cases of this rich, ripe white. It offers abundant amounts of tropical fruits, a hint of honeysuckle, and well-integrated spicy oak.

More serious with an inky/purple color, full body, and impressive volume....reveals excellent to outstanding potential.

The finest of this quartet, the expansive 2002 Pinot Noir Russian River offer aromas of black cherry, earth, allspice, smoke, and a hint of white chocolate. This nicely-textured, rich, slightly tart, but authentic Pinot Noir will drink well foe 3-5 years.

Offers elegant cranberry strawberry, and currant flavors with notions of crushed rocks in the background. Medium-bodied and clean, it is best drunk over the next 3-4 years.

It offers attractive notes of black currants, cedar, spice box, licorice and toasty oak.

from a 2,000 foot altitude vineyard in cool Mendocino. Dense purple-colored, with sweet blue and black fruits intermixed with a touch of licorice as well as toast, this medium-bodied, fruit driven Merlot reveals surprising length in addition to a deep mid-palate. It should drink well young, yet keep for a decade.

The 2001 Pinot Noir Estate Carneros exhibits more underbrush, forest floor and cinnamon characteristics along with straightforward cherry and strawberry fruit. This medium-bodied Pinot is meant for immediate consumption.