Spicy and rich with lush texture and wonderful smoky, velvety qualitites.

Lots of power and substance. Big and peppery, dense and chewy. Vivid raspberry-plum fruit. Very good.

Very smoky aromas; full and flavorful, with the lightly peppery fruit of a Rhone-style palate and a long berry finish.

A provocative bouquet of bacon fat, toasty new oak, smoke and black fruits.

Lots of power and substance. Big and peppery, dense and chewy. Vivid raspberry-plum fruit. Very good.

Rummaging around the cellar for something interesting for dinner with old friends, I brought up my last bottle of Kendall-Jackson Syrah Durell Vineyard 1986. It had held up beautifully, wowing everyone at the table.

The coastal vineyards around Santa Barbara are producing some of California’s best syrah. Oodles of fresh boysenberry and plums with a delightful spice element. This is an amazing value for one of the best syrahs we have tasted recently.

Kendall Jackson winemaker Randy Ullom selected grapes mostly from the cooler coastal region in Santa Barbara County. The wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak to produce a wine that is balanced and structured. Aromas and flavors of jammy blackberry and blueberry mingle with earthy mineral, cola and spice, finishing with smooth tannins.

Soft but zesty, with easygoing notes of black raspberry, orange zest and bittersweet chocolate.

Sticky tar, dense blackberry, leather, soy and lilacs combine for a thick nose on this well-priced, widely available bottling. Beef char, dense purple flowers, blackberry jam and tar consume the palate, which is chewy with a strong tannic structure.

Try these selections if your post-holidays wallet is a bit light From the brand started in 1983, Kendall-Jackson has grown into one of the world's larger family-owned wine companies. The Vintner's Reserve line remains the company's backbone.

aromas and flavors of black plums and licorice, soft tannins, full body.

Last, but by no means least, the sturdy *KENDALL-JACKSON Vintner’s Reserve Santa Barbara County 2014 is a substantial, very specifc Syrah that, while a very good buy at its winery-suggested price, becomes an out-and-out steal when found at a discount as it often is. One star, best buys in the market

The 2013 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Syrah, made from Santa Barbara County grapes, offers lively blackberry fruit, accented by hints of smoke and lavender.

Aromas and flavors of red plums and spice, soft tannins, smooth.

2012 Kendall-Jackson Syrah Vintner's Reserve, Calif.: (81 percent syrah, 12 percent petite sirah, 7 percent grenache): floral aromas, flavors of ripe black plums and cloves; $17.

Syrah's plunge in popularity has been well-documented. It's a pity, because the grape is so versatile. And you can find good, inexpensive versions, like the 2011 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Syrah ($17), which is bright and smoky, with ripe berry, white pepper, a hint of roasted meat and fine tannins.

2010 Kendall-Jackson “Vintner’s Reserve” Syrah, Santa Barbara County: aromas and flavors of black cherries, mocha and spice, smooth.

Pinot Noir, mourvedre and grenache join the syrah in this motley but juicy blend from three California counties. Earthy, ripe black berry grapes and soft mouthfeel.

Aromas and flavors of red plums; soft, rich and smooth.

It may be street food, but it's gourmet. Pair it with a big, rich 2007 Kendall-Jackson Syrah.