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.

There's brisk, firm fruit behind this wine, but for now it presents oak, tough and wooden as a tobacco store Indian. It's tight, with a spiciness that lasts. The fruit should come forward with time.

Bright lemon and honey notes are at the core of this spicy wine. It moves to reveal some peach and apple at the end. Enjoyable but lacking balance.

A big, dark, intense and earthy style, with rich currant and berry fruit laced with green olive, herb and mocha-shaded oak. Finishes with a potent aftertaste, too, with dry, chewy tannins. Needs time. Best from 2005 through 2014.

Doesn't quite give you the goods you might expect from a grand reserve status wine, but it's well-balanced, showcasing dusty currant, mineral, cedar and spice, finishing with mild tannins and moderate depth.

Smooth and simple, with modest cherry and currant flavors that finish with an herbal, menthol note and modest tannins.

This chardonnay, celebrating K-J's 20th anniversary, is a wonderfully rich wine with tropical fruit and pear flavors. Lush mouthfeel and good depth of character.

Packed with mineral, black cherry, and lots of spice.

Dense and extracted, with lots of flesh, spice, and rich plum fruit.

Lovely sage, apple and hazelnut nose. Lots of ripe stone fruits on palate. Creamy, textural and bold peach fruits.

Violet aromas, dark fruit, juicy, succulent, powerful.

Powerful, complex, and voluptuous; filled with explosive raspberry fruit.

An extraordinary wine, and not just because it wears its 16.4% alcohol so well. The raspberry and cassis flavors are rapturously delicious. It seems almost a crime for wine to taste this good. At the same time, the round soft mouthfeel and dry dusty tannins are textbook perfect.

They say these vines are 121 years old, and certainly, the wine they produce is concentrated. The winemaker, Van Williamson, finds nutmeg, fir, white pepper, tobacco, raspberry and strawberries, which sounds about right. It's also a little more tart than the magnificent Zeni bottling.