With grapes from the cooler Mendocino region, K-J has a rich and multi-dimensional zinfandel with good body. It is blended with petite sirah, grenache and carignane and comes from old vines.

The wine has a brawny intensity to its flavors of fresh herbs and dark berries.

When first poured, this is as bright as the sun reflecting off the beach. So bright, it's hard to catch the bottom notes, the fruit slowly revealed below all the dusty red spice that hovers like a cloud-thread of perfume. A chocolate note of tannin emerges as the dust begins to settle, along with a deeper tone of black olives and dense red fruit. But the tension continues, a contrast of grounded strength with elusive perfume, feverish as a young wine and well worth following as it ages.

Seductive earth, currant and spices lead to a smooth, supple-textured, richly flavored wine, with layers of currant, blackberry, coffee, mocha and mineral. Turns elegant and sophisticated, with hints of anise and cedar. Well-integrated tannins suggest short-term cellaring.

Sweet strawberry fruit runs tart and loose through this wine. The hard brown spices of the tannin attempt to round it up, but in the end, it remains loose.

A big Chardonnay, with lovely apple and melon fruit flavors. Toasty and spicy. A long finish.

Charming perfumed nose, elegant raspberries, wild strawberries. Medium bodied, graceful, oak and acidity left in background. Good length, Up to 5 years.

Intricate flavors and excellent balance indicate highly skilled handling of top class grapes.

Tries, with considerable success, to advance the argument that Sonoma is Merlot's natural home. A ripe, rich, plummy wine, with terrific fruit and superb tannins, easy enough to drink tonight or age a few years. It's so good, you can't help but reach for another glass.

Darker than the Alexander Valley bottling, and richer in fruit, with powerful black-currants blasting from the glass. The structure is better, too, with beautiful Napa tannins that have the deceptive simplicity of the Bauhaus. A notable success for the vintage.

Medium to full red-purple; there is abundant ripe and sweet raspberry and blackberry fruit on the bouquet, backed by subtle French oak; a rich, full-bodied palate with lots of extract, adding coffee, vanilla and mocha to the generous berry fruit.

"Long on ripeness and evocative of sweet berries throughout its length, this full and fairly luscious wine hangs onto varietal fruit where many of its alcoholic ilk do not, and its appealing spice further helps it stave off the jammy simplicity and dullness that can come with its late-harvest style. It shows a fair degree of heat at the end, yet it is always well-structured and had sufficient tannins to argue for another few years of cellaring.

Surprisingly true to its variety for this price, a lush, juicy, mouth-filling wine with smooth tannins and pretty flavors of berries and cherries. It's just what you think of in Merlot, an easy-drinking wine that's rich and full-bodied, yet silky and accessible.

This wine's strawberry fruit is held in the nutmeat flavors of oak; it's brightened and sharpened by acidity even as it's smoothed by that oak.

In this price range you don't often find vintage bubblies (that is, ones with a year attached), but this is a special bottling. Multifaceted and layered, it coats the mouth with smoothness and tastes of nuts and baked apples.

A delicate sparkling wine that tastes clean and crisp, with green apple and grapefruit flavors. A long finish of lime and apple. Pairs well with oysters.

Smells forward and ripe, with wild-berry, bramble, and blueberry aromas and an array of crushed, dusty Oriental spices. On the palate, it's awkward, somewhat hot, with 15% alcohol and some over-ripe, raisiny flavors that are Port-like. Some, however, will go nuts over this style.

From this red hot AVA, this exciting Chard rocks with bold, penetrating fruit. You can taste the cool, ocean tang, which coaxed out apples and citrus, while winemaker bells and whistles, such as barrel fermentation and sur lie aging, provide welcome complexities. They completed the malolactic fermentation, which softens the wine a bit but makes it buttery and creamy.

Well-balanced with floral, ripe plum, cherry and wild berry fruit that's supple.

The underlying flavors are of tart green apples, with a bite of acidity. Despite barrel fermentation, oak stays in the background of this very dry wine.

rich, complete and quite spectacular

The vastly preferred of Kendall-Jackson's Great Estates duo, this exceptionally well-made Cabernet manages at once to be both ver rich and wonderfully refined. It's fragrant opening suggests cherries, vanilla, touches of sweet and slightly dust earth, and its deep, easy-to-access flavors follow accordingly with energetic fruit fully in charge. Those who can resist its short-term charms will find an even more involving wine waiting just a few years down the line.

From mountain vineyards, with a touch of Petite Sirah, Grenache and Caringnane, this tastes like an old-fashioned field blend. It has that wild explosion of berries and stone fruits, but the winemaking was very fine, resulting in fine tannins and a soft, dry mouthfeel.