...the light green/gold-colored 1999 Stature Chardonnay Santa Maria...is a full-throttle, Santa Barbara-styled Chardonnay offering notes of honeyed pineapple, guava, and other exotic fruits. Full-bodied, layered, opulent, and viscous, with tremendous underlying acidity, this sexy, flamboyant effort...These are both sexy, exotic Chardonnays

The 2000 Zinfandel Eaglepoint Vineyard is a sensational effort. Its 16.4% alcohol is well-hidden by copious quantities of black raspberry and cherry fruit, and notions of spice, pepper, minerals, and smoke. Full-bodied and lush...

Another whopper from one of Van Williamson's favorite vineyards is the 2000 Zinfandel Piffero Vineyard. It possesses loads of berry fruit, good freshness and vibrancy, and a dense, full-bodied, monstrous personality. Long, deep, and appealing...

The terrific 2000 Pinot Noir Nine Barrels displays soaring aromatics of red fruits infused with smoke, mineral, and roasted meat aromas. More oak is obvious in the smoky, vanilla-like flavors. Dense, with good acidity, moderate tannin, and a chewy, fruit-filled finish...

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...A sensational effort, the 1999 Great Estates Chardonnay Sonoma Coast...This singular Chardonnay exhibits a big, smoky, leesy perfume of orange marmalade, honeysuckle, lemon rind, and ripe pineapples. Dense, rich, and full-bodied, this terrific white...All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

Lastly, the 2000 Zinfandel Zeni Vineyard was still in barrel when I tasted it, but it revealed an inky black/purple color in addition to gorgeous aromas of blackberry liqueur, blueberries, huckleberries, licorice, and smoke. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured, it should prove to be the best of this impressive quartet.

Purple-colored, exhibits tremendous density, muscle, and power along with sweet black currant fruit, smoke, licorice, and earthy characteristics as well as great fruit on the attack. This deep, powerful, long 1999 will be at its finest between 2006-2018.

The denser 1999 Zinfandel Eaglepoint Vineyard tips the scales at 15.6% alcohol. Big, fleshy, and briery, this full-bodied effort displays abundant quantities of black fruits mixed with notes of earth and underbrush. Interestingly, there is 24% Syrah in the blend.

Similarly-styled, the 2000 Zinfandel Ciapusci Vineyard is a fat, heady offering with high alcohol, loads of fruit, a mouth-coating style as well as good purity and depth.

As its name indicates,the 1999 Chardonnay Nine Barrels is a selection of the finest Chardonnay barrels. Its attractive bouquet of peaches, acacia flowers, and hazelnuts is followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with ripe, nicely layered flavors.

The elegant, Domaine Dujac-styled 1999 Stature Pinot Noir Carneros reveals earthy, smoky, fig, plum, cherry, and strawberry characteristics along with hints of Asian spice. Sadly, there is only one barrel of this powerful Pinot.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...the exceptional 1999 Great Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Napa...This opaque purple-colored Cabernet...No shy wine at 14.5% alcohol, it exhibits aromas of vanilla, black currants, cedar, and loamy soil in addition to loads of concentrated fruit. Full-bodied and impeccably-balanced...

The 1999 Stature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa...It offers pure creme de cassis aromas fixed with vanilla in a multi-layered, young, unevolved style. Deep, powerful, and dense...

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The outstanding 2000 Great Estates Zinfandel emerges primarily from Mendocino. It boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of briery, berry fruit intermixed with mineral and pepper scents. Spicy, nicely layered, and full-bodied, this delicious Zin...

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...the 2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Arroyo Seco. Its complex bouquet of lemon zest, hazelnuts, minerals, and ripe tropical fruits is followed by a rich, well-textured Chardonnay with beautifully integrated oak...it represents a complex style of Chardonnay. All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...Nearly as superb, but less complex are the...2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. Aromas of honeyed tangerines, lemon zest, smoke and earth emerge from this full-bodied, pure, ripe, nicely-textured effort. All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The 2000 Great Estates Chardonnay Santa Barbara...An example of California Chardonnay at its finest, it boasts loads of tropical fruits, medium to full body, and a flamboyant, spicy personality...All of these Chardonnays are excellent values considering their high quality.

The beautiful 2000 Sauvignon Blanc Upper Barn is an exotic yet refreshing offering displaying copious quantities of white currants and melons presented in a fresh, medium to full-bodied style with plenty of glycerin and fruit. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years.

The 2000 Pinot Noir Russian River is primarily cherry liqueur combined with hints of root beer and spicy wood. Its light to medium ruby color belies the abundant flavor and texture found in this cuvee.

The 2000 Pinot Noir Estate Carneros is made in a Domaine Dujac style. Although the color is light, the flavors offer copious quantities of jammy cherry notes intermixed with smoked herbs, Peking duck, and Asian spices. Excellent texture, pretty, expansive flavors, and a medium-bodied, delicate finish with no hard edges...

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The bigger, more complex and structured 1999 Great Estates Merlot exhibits this varietal's tell-tale chocolate/espresso characteristics along with a medium to full-bodied, powerful, Bordeaux-like personality.

The unrefined and unfiltered 2000 Chardonnay is an excellent value. It goes through full malolactic,and approximately 50% new oak is utilized in its upbringing. Lush fruit, and a big, honeysuckle, lemon butter, smoke, and subtle tropical fruit-scented nose emerges from this cuvee. It's no shy wine at nearly 14% alcohol.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The 2000 Great Estates Pinot Noir Monterey exhibits aromas of strawberries, cherries, minerals, and smoke. made in a style reminiscent of Burgundy's Domaine Dujac Morey-St.-Denis, it is a medium ruby-colored, earthy, plum, cherry, herb, and spice-filled effort with an open-knit, expansive personality.

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...The 1998 Great Estates Merlot offers up sweet black cherry fruit aromas and flavors with notions of vanilla and mocha in the background. medium to full-bodied, with chocolatey notes on the palate, and lush tannin...

The Great Estates offerings are impressive...1999 Great Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley...Its dense purple color is accompanied by smoky black currant fruit intermixed with minerals and toasty oak. Although closed, it possesses medium to full body, good richness, and plenty of tannin.