Certainly a step down from Edmeades' single-vineyard Zins from the Ridge, but not by much. Rich and earthy and dry, with berry and tobacco flavors and a spicy finish that lasts for a long time. The wine has a plush smooth mouthfeel that's sheer pleasure.

Good ruby-red. Cassis, licorice, espresso, Dark chocolate, leather and mint on the slightly binary nose. Chewy and dense, with good breadth and underlying mineral spine. Finishes a tad tough, with firm tannins and an herbal element.

Very different in character from the Zeni and Ciapusci bottlings reflecting another terroir. From the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, a brambly, jammy wine with clove and tobacco notes, and a rough-and-tumble mouthfeel. Finishes a bit earthy and sharp.

Serves up a lot of flavor, with mocha-laced currant and black cherry fruit that's sweet tasting and supple, before firming and flexing its tannic muscles on the finish.

Intense, with a complex mix of dry, dusty berry, currant, black cherry, cedar, mineral and anise. Depth and richness to the flavors.

A muscular Syrah that's balanced and delicious. Notes of black plum, licorice, cassis and coffee.

Jammy, sweet & lush /dark spice; cranberry, rose petal nose w/black pepper, spice, deep berry fruit; moderate tannin; rich, soft, lush in the mouth.

Because it is a bit out of fashion, top-grade California Chardonnay is under priced. Sonoma has the edge on Napa here.

Typically shows zippy raspberry and cherry fruit, up front and in your face. Seasoned with cinnamon from the nearly half new French oak, and sporting a velvety texture, Holloway says the idea is to preserve the fruit. as much as possible and achieve a mouth-filling opulence.

Completely different again, if not downright untypical. It shows a spearmint core character, along with apple, lemon zest, unripe peach and stone fruit flavors as well as dried apricot. Aged in 100 percent new Francois Frere oak, it shows a big, rich, well-rounded mouthfeel and palpable acidity, which makes it perfect for food.

More Californian in style, sort of a Katherine's taken to the next level. The nose and palate reveal a tropical fruit essence, like it had been boiled down and concentrated, with some apple and pear too. Viscous and creamy, it also shows roasted nuts, vanilla, wood spice, and baked apple nuances in the background and a lingering finish. Both this wine and the 2000 Bench Break spent more time in 100 percent new French oak than the Katherine's, which utilized one third new French oak.

From a specific vineyard parcel, is completely different. With the grapes coming from shallower soils, the nose shows minerality and slate, while the smoky flavors include butterscotch, lemon zest and marshmallow toast. It has a certain Burgundian leanness to it, and while the wine is rich, it's streamlined and very focused.

It epitomizes the house style, with a pineapple and tropical fruit nose, as well as lush and buttery fruit forward flavors on the palate, tempered with both oak and ginger spice. The goal, explains Holloway, 'is to integrate all the components and flavors.'

Drawing fruit from cool Mendocino County, this wine is a real mouthful of raspberry / blackberry fruit. Full throttle zing with a long and fruity finish. Nice oak frame.

Drawing fruit from cool Mendocino County, this wine is a real mouthful of raspberry/blackberry fruit. Full throttle zing with a long and fruity finish. Nice oak frame.

Full-bodied dry red wine; medium deep magenta. Aromas and flavors of crushed dark fruits blackberries and black plums. Rich concentrated and well-knit. Tannins from fruit, big "guy wine" but balanced, well-structured. Alcohol about 15 percent, but not hot thanks to ripe fruit. Oak well-handled. Ageable.

highly recommended wine, Soft, undeveloped ripe strawberry fruit. Well structured and polished wine.

recommended wine

recommended wine

Warm fruit, well balanced, nice chewy tannins. Very good wine.

Fresh mildly blossomy, slightly pineappley fruit emerges nicely with balanced oak and hints of sweet butter in the immediate aromas of this juicy youngster, and its open flavors run parallel in their bias to tropical fruit.