2001 Reserve Fume Pears, Melons and light, fresh smells of grassy meadows start this wine off in the right direction, and its fruity, direct, slightly green-edged flavors follow right in suit.....

A sauvage coastal red, this delivers on its heady scent with a deep, plush texture. Give it a year in the cellar, then enjoy its soft riches with roast salmon.

Closed off in its tannins for now, this wine gives hints of a foresty Russian River breeze. The fruit needs several years to absorb the black tannin; it could grow to be an impressive wine.

Scents of red apple skin, beeswax and mossy earth give this pinot an autumnal tone. The raspberry seed tannins tighten it up, needing time or roast beef to mellow.

Simple, light red cherry scents follow through this clean, dense pinot. It finishes warn and smoky, for grilled pork.

Marzipan, tart tatin/spiced apple and caramel with some mineral and a touch of bacon; hint if residual sugar in a style many will like; toasty with richness and balance.

Very good. Lots of oak with tropical fruit, banana, baked apple, fig, spice, lemon and Mandarin orange; vanilla and toast also on the nose; nice texture; citrus finish.

A merlot with a ripe, sweet mouth-feel. Layers of red and black fruit. Notes of mint and eucalyptus. Long finish.

Widely available, the 2002 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc captures California ripeness. It's perfect for those who prefer Sauvignon Blancs with softer acidity and loads of melon flavor.

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

Tobacco, meat, and berry fruit lace the nose of this medium to full-bodied effort, Soft and engaging. Up to five years.

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.