This simple viognier is fragrant rather than aggressively floral. Its generous texture and green, grassy bite...

A shiver of fruit comes after rose, coffee and jasmine scents, then this wine ends light and pleasantly bitter...

Deftly balanced, achieving ripe, rich, concentrated flavors without being too ripe. Shows off currant, pencil lead, blackberry and cranberry notes. Excellent structure. Firm tannins, but maintains a fleshy texture.

Complex, if on a small scale, with elegant, toasty oak wrapped around pear, fig and apple flavors that fan out nicely.

Light and zingy, with tart cranberry and cherry flavors. A distinctive style, but not a typical Cabernet.

Don't let the nearly 16 percent alcohol fool you (at 17 percent you start getting into ports and fortified wines), this full-bodied wine is rather elegant. The fresh herbal, black cherry aromas hint at the cool-weather growing conditions, while the flavors wow you with characteristic pepper and spice.

Medium-Full body; Dry; Forward berry/spice aroma; slightly jammy flavors, big tannins, hint of mint; good length.

This concentrated, complex wine reminds me of Hermitage from a ripe vintage in that it needs time to fully express itself.

A consistently popular wine full of apple and pear fruitiness complemented by well-balanced, spicy oak flavors and a barely perceptible, but appealing, touch of sweetness.

Elegant, light, perfumed nose with good alcohol. Soft, undeveloped ripe strawberry fruit. Well structured and polished wine.

Fresh respberry nose which is straightforward, not too oaky with a hint of violets. Fresh, clean, not complex, yet pretty, well-made wine.

Tight, youthful, raspberry and blackberry fruit. Good quality feel. Ripe jammy fruit, firm tannins, very youthful, undeveloped violet fruit. Good potential and structure.

Big, juicy and oaky. Obvious but good.

Slightly stewed, boiled fruit nose. Warm fruit, balanced, nice chewy tannins, firm and structured. This will keep very well. Very good wine.

...bottlings are fruity, well-focused and eminently enjoyable wines that hit the mark when it comes to varietal fruit and the seductive, supple texture of Pinot Noir.

Slightly jammy but discreet nose. Fresh, vigorous, medium bodied, a touch simple and jammy. Quite spicy, lacks finesse. Good, if you like this style of Pinot.

Musky, rather wild aromas of oatmeal, smoke, iodine, and Islay scotch. Firm-eged flavors of apricot, smoke, earth and spicy oak. Some intriguing mineral notes throughout. Slightly hard on the finish, but has backbone.

Musky aromas of lemon, melon, flowers and stones. Rick and fat but dry and uncompromising. I'd like to have seen a bit more flavor. Finishes slightly warm. This needs to be served with food.

Lively and generous, a juicy mouthful of pineapple, nectarine and cream flavors, finishing with a distinctive balance between crisp acidity and polished texture.

Light and refreshing, with raspberry and beet flavors lingering nicely on a lively frame.

This is a strange style of California Viognier, but an interesting one. The usual flower and fruit notes are undercut by much crier, tart notes of acidity. It's as if the winemaker wanted to make a leaner style of wine. It succeeds, but at the cost of losing varietal character. It's fresh and clean, but easy to mistake for Sauvignon Blanc.

Soft, almost plush, here's a value-priced Merlot in a generous style, its spicy cherry and red plum flavors lingering with a hint of dusky herbs on the solid finish.

With complex aromas of blackberry, mushroom and beet, and an overlay of smoky oak, this wine tastes young, rich and sappy. It's quite dry--even tart at this young age--but with a core of berry fruit and enough dusty tannins to suggest short-term aging.