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.

If I had to pick a favorite of the trio, it would be the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder (280 cases). A Chateau Margaux look-alike, it possesses superb intensity and tremendous perfume as well as elegance allied to power. The sweet nose of tobacco leaf intertwined with melted licorice, spring flowers, black cherries, creme de cassis, and blueberries is extraordinary. With great intensity, medium to full body, tremendous richness, softer tannin that its two siblings, and a finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds, it is a sensationally seductive, rich, multilayered Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 15-20 years.

Inky/purple/black in color, with a nose of graphite intermixed with acacia flowers, blackberries, cassis, and charcoal, this 2001 reveals profound intensity, superb purity, and a mulitlayered finish of more than 60 seconds. Aromatically, flavor-wise, and texturally, it is a spectacular tour de force in winemaking. More accessible than the structured, delineated 2001, the 2002 should be drinkable between 2005-2022+.

The 2002 Le Desir may be the finest example of this cuvee yet produced. A blend of 52.7% Merlot, 41.2% Cabernet Franc, and a tiny dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Malbec, it performs like a ballet dancer. Magnificently muscled, symmetrical, and stunningly proportioned, it is medium to full-bodied with explosive aromatics reminiscent of a charcoal fire combined with blackberry and currant fruit as well as violets. It possesses layers of concentration, a massive yet surprisingly light mid-palate, and a huge rich finish. Somehow, it does not come close to tasting over the top, heavy, or forced, but is clearly a blockbuster. This thrilling 2002 should hit its prime in 2-3 years, and last for two decades.

I was thrilled by the awesome quality of the 2001 La Joie, a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. Aromas and flavors of roasted espresso, grilled herbs, scorched earth, blackberries and cassis liqueur are accompanied by and unctuously-textured, full-bodied, expansive, dense, phenomenally concentrated, pure blockbuster. It should be at its finest between 2005-2020+.

The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (473 cases) reveals a strikingly complex perfume of cedar wood, white chocolate, acacia flowers, creme de cassis, and hints of earth as well as truffles. Full-bodied, dense, and layered. with gorgeous sweetness and purity, tremendously intense flavors, and well-integrated tannin, acidity, and wood, this blockbuster, classically rendered Cabernet Sauvignon should hit its stride in five years, and last for two decades.

The 2001 Le Desir is another enormously concentrated, sweet yet elegant, medium to full-bodied effort revealing intense notes of red, black, and blue fruit intermixed with camphor, lead pencil shavings, and spice box characteristics. Rich and intensely flavored yet remarkably light on its feet for such power, with beautifully integrated wood, acidity, alcohol, and tannin in the long finish, it will provide immense pleasure if drunk between 2004-2025.

There are 393 cases of the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. Scents of bay leaves, lavender, blackberries and crushed rocks are in this steely, firm Cabernet. It boasts huge body along with hard, noticeable tannin, and a broodingly backward, muscular personality. The tannin is elevated, but so is the wine's extraordinary richness and intensity. It is a classic mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that requires 7-10 years of cellaring. It should keep for 2-3 decades.

Another brilliant offering is the 2001 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard, a 520-case cuvee from the cool Green Valley. It possesses a fabulous texture, medium to full body, and potentially superb nose of flint, lemon oils, pineapples, background toasty oak, and a hint of caramel. Full-bodied, weighty and rich yet remarkably agile on its feet because of good underlying acidity, this stunning Chardonnay should drink well for 5-6 years.

The opaque purple-colored 2002 La Muse ( a blend of extremely sweet, concentrated bouquet of blackberries, blueberries, melted licorice, and smoky oak. Notes of espresso, incense, and Asian spices also make an appearance in this full-bodied, voluptuously-textured, sensationally extracted 2002. It may be more forward, riper, and headier than the 2001. Enjoy it between 2005-2020.

The 2001 La Muse (85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec; 500 cases) possesses a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of chocolate-infused blackberries and cherries intermixed with hints of smoke, earth, an truffles. Full-bodied, with great intensity, tremendous purity, sweet, well-integrated tannin, and a long, blockbuster finish that lasts for 40+ seconds. It offers both power and finesse, a rarity in the super-charged world of big California reds. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+.

The 2001 Chardonnay Laura's offers a stunning array of tropical fruits along with hints of butterscotch, orange marmalade, and spring flowers. Full, rich, and extremely pure, with a multilayered texture, this is another brilliant Chardonnay that showcases Mike Sullivan's winemaking talents.

There are generally 2,000-3,000 cases produced of this Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, one of the flagship offerings in the Jackson Family Farm umbrella. The 2001 Cardinale allies power with elegance, exhibiting a sweet nose of black fruits, pain grille, espresso roast, and toasty oak. Rich, full-bodied, opulent, and surprisingly forward, it possesses copious quantities of fruit and glycerin in addition to a heady, voluptuous finish that lasts for 45+ seconds. Most Cardinales tend to be more tannic and closed at such a young age. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.

One of the finest efforts I have tasted from Stonestreet is the 2001 Legacy, a 1,400-case blend 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. It boasts an opaque purple color in addition to a gorgeously intense bouquet of melted licorice, smoky barbeque aromas, black currant liqueur, road tar, and high class French oak. Sweet and expansive, with full-bodied flavors, and tremendous texture as well as depth, the wine's elevated tannin in the finish is largely buries under the extravagant richness and wealth of extract and glycerin. This is a beauty! Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020.

A California version of Chevalier-Montrachet, it is fashioned from an old Wente clone. Boasting an incredible earthy, liquid minerality intermixed with subtle lemon oil, pear, and white peach characteristics, this full-bodied Chardonnay possesses good acidity and a restrained personality. It is bursting at the seams with intensity as well as power. This stunning offering should age well for 5-6 years, possibly longer. Sadly, only 347 cases were produced.

Inky black in color and densely rich on the palate. This is one of the five fine Zins from this winery-plush, silky, sexy and complex, with a broad array of black cherry, plum, cola, coffee, chocolate, spice, and herb flavors. Velvety smooth and long on the finish.

There are generally 2,000-3,000 cases produced of this Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, one of the flagship offerings in the Jackson Family Farms umbrella. The black/purple-colored 2002 Cardinale boasts a sweet perfume of vanilla, blackberry and currant fruit, roasted herbs, licorice, and Asian spices. Full-bodied and chewy, with considerable power, low acidity, and tremendous ripeness, this big, thick, juicy 2002 should hit its prime in 5-6 years, and last for two decades.

The cool-climate 2001 Chardonnay Seascape, from a vineyard not harvested until November, exhibits high acidity along with a liquid flint-like bouquet offering notes of honeyed grapefruit, nectarines, and a striking minerality, This lustrous, singular style of Chardonnay has more in common with a grand crus Chablis than most California Chardonnays. It should provide immense pleasure over the next 4-6 years.

A selection of the best estate barrels, this year's Rae's is considerably richer than the Julia's bottling. Cherry, espresso and herb flavors are framed in voluptuously soft tannins, with a rich mouthfeel and a distinctive silky texture. Has the stuffing and style to elevate it into the realm of excellence.

Readers with both patients and youth on their side will enjoy the huge, massive, excruciatingly tannic 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Christopher's Vineyard. Although high, the tannin is not excessive because the fruit is so intense and rich. An inky/purple color is followed by notes of creosote, lead pencil shavings, and huge, full-bodied, blackberry as well as blackcurrant fruit with an underlying notion of crushed rocks. Clearly made from mountain fruit (Jess Jackson's Alexander Valley Mountain Estate, from which this offering emerges, is a windy, cold vineyard planted at 2,400 feet elevation), but 7-10 years of cellaring is required. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025+.

The 2001 Pinot Noir Arrendel Vineyard possesses sweet raspberry liqueur-like aromas intermixed with notions of beef root, oak, and damp earth. Rich and medium-bodied with tart acidity as well as a firm, moderately tannic finish, there is a lot going on in this limited production 310-case offering. Cellar it for 12-18 months and enjoy it over the following 7-8 years.

More interesting is the 2001 Chardonnay Upper Barn, which boasts glorious notes of honeysuckle, ripe pear, pineapple, and peach-like fruit as well as good underlying acidity in a medium to full bodied, intense, luscious format. It will drink well for 3-4 years.

A blend of Santa Barbara, Monterey and Sonoma in true K-J style, and very good in a generic sort of way. What it lacks in terroir it makes up for in flamboyantly ripe fruit. Impresses for its lush, creamy texture, layers of smoky oak and long spicy finish.

The intense 2001 Pinot Noir Marin Vineyard offers aromas of rose petals intermixed with smoke, pomegranate, and cherries in a medium-bodied, mocha-infused personality. There is excellent richness, good underlying acidity, and a firm, moderately tannic finish. Drink it over the next 5-8 years. Given real estate prices in Marin County, I suspect this may be one of the most expensive vineyard sites in that chic San Francisco suburb.