Sweet themes of juicy apples play the lead to entirely supportive oak first in the nose and then again in the flavors of this up-front offering, and, while acidity firms up things by mid-palate, it does so without taking away from the wine's generally juicy nature.

Decanter Wines of the Year - Whites

Classic style. New oak. Fantastic weight, depth and flavour. 2-10 years.

Vanilla scents of oak round the sweet ripeness of pear, while the wine remains clean and oriented toward that pear fruitiness. The oak seems to bring a savory bitterness, a supple, waxy base for the lemon and pear flavors to linger on, substantial and satisfying with roast veal.

...would rival any pinot noir in California and even many in Burgundy. Made in small quantities, it isn't available in Maryland but still shows off the producer's ability.

We were pleasantly surprised with this opulent, well-structured Merlot that draws juice from Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Carneros. Ripe berry aromas with dense, rich blackberry and cherry flavors and a touch of vanillin oak. One of the better made Merlots on the market.

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.

Made from coastal grapes, this chardonnay has all the bells and whistles: barrel fermentation, whole-cluster pressing and malolactic fermentation. Forward tropical fruit flavors, butterscotch oak and butter aromas. Maybe there's too much going on here, but it doesn't lack flavor.

We have been an avid follower of this Anderson Valley producer's zinfandel, so we are delighted to discover another reason to buy this label - pinot noir. Grown in a cold climate, pinot noir can offer some dense, serious wines. That's what you have here - good complexity, forward raspberry fruit and a nice earthy note. The zinfandel remains good wine, too.

Complex and medium-bodied. Ripe raspberry, pomegranate and blueberry flavors. Notes of leather and anise.

Delicate in style, with spicy cherry, raspberry and elegant earthy nuances. An excellent value.

Zinfandel from California's Mendocino County has a character all its own - a high-tones fruit flavor and racy acidity that distinguishes it from the more cabernetlike Napa Zins and blockbusters from Sonoma. This brilliant wine from Edmeades captures that Mendocino character beautifully. It's an exceptionally intense red wine with penetrating black-raspberry flavor and a nice touch of chocolate.

A zin lover's zin. A fruit bomb, with juicy boysenberry and cherry concentrated flavors. Notes of licorice and spice.

Berry and cherry fruit, smoky touch.

From Jess Jackson's mountain estates, and still fairly tannic. Packed with spicy black fruit, reflects its home terrior to a T. Hold for 2-3 years.

Just what you would expect from a long, cool vintage and hillside vineyards - a tightly wrapped, dense wine that needs some time in the cellar to unfurl its flavors and chocolate, cassis and lead pencil. Has richly textured mouthfeel and, despite some drying tannins, finishes with enough juicy fruit to more than compensate.

Like the Christopher's Cab, this wine is firmly structured; it also has higher-toned aromatics consisting of red cherries and mint. Then the flavors come in waves of black cherry, plum and cassis, finishing long and chocolatey.