Dusty spice, brushy herbaceousness and dried cherry notes are the essential themes of this medium-bodied Pinot Noir...the wine's flavors are quite clean...

Tasting for all the world like the inexpensive wine that it is, this soft, open, nicely rounded effort neither attempts nor achieves complexity, but it manages to convey a decent sense of varietal cherries, and, with Pinot, that is not always the easiest thing to do. No budget buster this, it comes in high on the list of values.

A California premium favorite...

Dark, earthy notes punctuate smoked-meat and bright cherry aromas. Turns leathery, spicy and meaty on the full-bodied palate, finishing with firm tannins. Structured, complex and built to age...

A step up in richness from the wine below and far more reliant on toasty oak spice, this weighty, moderately full-bodied Pinot displays a good measure of ripe cherry fruit and shows an extra bit of fleshy extract and tannic grip. It finishes on the coarse and slightly ragged side just now, but it has the fruity heart it needs for age, and it should continue to grow and soften for another four or five years.

A huge success, very ripe and concentrated, with juicy plum, blackberry, black cherry, mint, sage and spice attributes. Well-focused and firmly tannic, with a solid follow- through. Drink now through 2008.

Very complete, with ripe, supple blackberry, cedar, plum, herb, sage and dill flavors that are focused and elegant. Finishes with well-integrated tannins. Drink now through 2006.

This rich, wholly accessible Pinot holds nothing in reserve, and it leads with concentrated aromas of ripe cherries and creamy oak that are paralleled in character by its deep but open and not-so-complicated flavors. Despite a trim of tannin at the very end, the wine is biased to softness throughout, and it will likely show its very best face as a near-term partner to savory veal dishes rather than being left to age for more than a year or two.

Jammy berries - sweet and sour - and smoky oak open this even, smooth and well-structured wine. Shows nice weight without being heavy. Has good length and moderate tannins on the close, along with a reprise of jammy fruit and smoke.

Traditional viognier aromas of sweet nectarine and peach. A creamy, lighter style and yet crisp. Well balanced.

Black cherry, currant, sandalwood and fresh herb notes are wrapped within slightly green tannins.

A tremendous effort, very rich and full-bodied, with plush tannins wrapped around a complex, concentrated core of earthy currant, toasty oak, hints of sage and chocolate and rich black cherry fruit. Beautifully focused, elegant and tapered on the long, detailed finish.

Austere and tannic, yet it's a very deliberate, seamless style, with layers of rich currant, plum and black cherry fruit, plus hints of toast, anise, sage, cedar and berry, all tightly wound and sharply focused. Complex, concentrated aftertaste.

Impressive for its array of ripe plum, currant, blackberry and wild berry flavors, it offers depth, richness, concentration and length. Cedary oak and fine grained tannins are well-proportioned. Drink now through 2006.

An immense style that's firmly tannic, offering a mix of herbal and cedary flavors. Hints of coffee, leather and tar commingle with earthy currant and sage notes. Definitely needs time. Best from 2003 through 2008.

Blueberry, black cherry, herb and beef notes firm up in the toasty oak nuances of the modestly tannic finish.

Firmly tannic, with artichoke, green bean, plum and currant tones underscored by plenty of toasty oak and dry tannin on the finish.

Medium-full body. Dry. Smoky oak, blackberry and spice aromas; go0d mouth-feel, layered fruit, bright and juicy flavors; long balanced finish.

Pure blueberry fruit compote on the nose, then juicy plum and dark fruit flavors come through. Again, not deep stuff, and probably not meant to be, but certainly not simplistic red wine. The blueberries and cream (from the oak) provide an upbeat finish with vanilla lingering on the finish well after the last swallow.

Well-balanced, with blackberry, toasty oak and plum flavors. Herbal tones mix with firm tannins on the finish.

Firm and tart, with chocolate, game and fresh herb flavors. Tannins are crisp in the finish. Drink now through 2005.

Filled with blackberry and strawberry fruit, it filled the mouth with soft tannins and vanillin oak. Again, it won't be the biggest shiraz you have ever tasted, but there won't be any doubt that it was well made.

...a generously fruity wine with classic tropical fruit and citrus flavors and a long finish. Its crisp acidity is a marked difference...

Very rich, oaky and a bit jammy. Sumptuous and concentrated with a chewy finish.

Scents of raspberry fill this juicy, sweet zin, a simple red to serve with a slight chill.