Saturated ruby to the rim. Aromas of blackberry, minerals, violet, licorice and mint. Dense, thick and silky; a large-scaled wine that somehow remains light on its feet. Finishes with utterly compelling floral perfume and superb spicy length. A wine of great finesse and potential.

Full bright ruby. High-toned, pure aromas of black cherry, licorice, violet and bitter chocolate. Powerful and very intense, with enticingly sweet black cherry and mocha flavors. A rare combination of strength and finesse. This may ultimately be sweeter and suppler than the '99. The tannins are currently covered by extremely persistent fruit. Mt. Veeder and Howell Mountain fruit comprise the core of this blend.

Saturated ruby. Brooding aromas of crystalized blackberry and cassis, licorice, minerals and violet. Very intensely flavored and bright, with terrific underlying structure; already boasts impressive complexity. Finishes firmly tannic and very long. For the first time, this wine is completely from Sonoma County fruit.

Bright medium ruby. Classy aromas of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, coffee, leather and tobacco. Firm, tightly wound and backward, with flavors similar to the aromas. Faint complicating note of game. Solidly structured, elegant wine, finishing with serious but fine tannins, a peppery nuance and excellent persistence. Softened nicely with time in the recorked bottle.

Classy aromas of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, coffee, leather and tobacco. Faint complicating note of game. Solidly structured, elegant wine, finishing with serious but firm tannins, a peppery nuance and excellent persistence.

Full medium ruby. Brooding aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate, coffee, minerals, cedar and tobacco. Lush, chewy, and sweet, with impressive density. Finishes with chewy thoroughly ripe mountian tannins and excellent length. Serious juice.

Full, deep ruby. Slightly musky aromas of cassis, blackberry, black cherry, tobacco and spices. Intensely flavored and pure but very tightly wound; black fruit flavors show a medicinal austerity. A powerful, penetrating wine whose tannins are firm but not hard. This and the Howell Mountain cabernet have delivered on their early promise.

Full deep ruby. Explosive aromas of kirsch, blackcurrant, plum syrup, tobacco, leather, gunflint and roasted herbs. Big, dense, sweet and lush; really snuffed with juicy fruit and framed by bright acidity. Long on personality. Finishes chewy, ripely tannic and long. Winemaker Christopher Carpenter carries out a pre-fermentation cold maceration, which he feels allows him to get more soil tones, then leaves the wine on its skins for a good 15 to 20 days following the end of the fermentation.

Effusively aromatic with succulent smells of ripe apples overlain with lots of sweet and creamy oak, this rich, big-bodied young wine lives up to billing in the mouth with broad, almost pulpy flavors that are long on juicy fruit. Sweet, creamy and colored by a hint of blossoms, the wine shades just slightly to softness in balance and comes up a winner among near-term contenders. A thoroughly enjoyable Chardonnay, it becomes even easier to like when its altogether inviting price is considered.

Good full red. Perfumed aromas of fresh red cherry, raspberry, lead pencil, tar and herbs. Large-scaled, plump and rich, with complex red fruit, earth and herbal flavors lifted by wild spices. Nicely restrained sweetness. An impressively dense, nuanced pinot noir that finishes with very fine tannins.

Full bright ruby. Aromas of black cherry, cassis and mint. Dense but backward, with sappy flavors of black cherry, cassis, minerals and mint. Finishes very long, with building, cheek-coating tannins. But in contrast to the Howell Mountain wine, this appears to have plenty of stuffing to support its tannic structure.

Full ruby. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Bright, sharply defined flavors of dark berries, licorice and menthol. Not especially fleshy today but offers brooding mountain fruit character and plenty of personality. Showed growing sweetness as it opened in the glass. Finishes with firm tannins and sneaky length.

Bright full medium ruby. Slightly medicinal but ripe aromas of kirsch, licorice and herbs. Dense and sweet but also bright and nicely focused, with concentrated, somewhat herbal flavors. The tannins hit the palate late. Beginning with 2000, this property will be the sole source of Cabernet Sauvignon for Stonestreet.

This is the kind of muscular but gentle wine inland Mendocino is betting on. Deep flavors of plums, berries and herbs, extracted and bold, but the wine is well balanced and not too alcoholic. It's fun to taste such rich flavor without having the wine be ponderous. A fine wine, and one that captures Petite's scrappy character.

Good full ruby color. Deep, slightly high-toned aromas of cassis and black plum. Rich, dry and serious, with strong fruit and real cool-climate density. An adult-styled Merlot, finishing with strong dark fruit flavors and firm tannins.

Bright ruby-red. Aromas of cassis, minerals, bitter chocolate, graphite, and cedar; less expressive than the '99 Merlot but pure and lively. Dense and firmly structured, with nicely concentrated, well-defined black fruit flavors. Finishes with ripe, firm tannins and very good persistence.

Saturated, bright ruby-red. Aromas of currant, bitter cherry and fresh herbs, sweetened by sandalwood and roasted oak notes. Firm, backward and solidly structured; less sweet today and more tightly wound than the Reserve Selection. Dark berry flavors complicated by licorice and herbs. Finishes with very good persistence. Needs three or four years of additional cellaring.

Medium bright red. Strawberry rose petal and smoky oak on the nose. Silky and sweet but also firm and fresh, with perfumed flavors of plum, rose petal and sweet mushrooms. Shapely and lively. Finishes with firm but fine tannins.

Medium red, with amber at the rim. Cherry, raspberry, minerals, earth and baking spices on the nose. Supple and suave in the mouth with nicely delineated, rather dry fruit flavors. Finishes with fine tannins and very good persistence. Very well made pinot.

Aromas of pineapple, yellow plum and coconut. Intense flavors of pineapple and stone fruits, given structure by well-integrated acidity. Supple and fairly full, but also quite shapely.

Aromas of orange blossom, yellow plum, honey, clove, hay, spicy oak and fresh herbs. Juicy and fresh, with rather restrained, brisk flavors enlivened by minerals and lime. A slightly edgy Chardonnay that finishes with a piquant note of candied citrus peel. From high-acid grapes harvested on November 6; the vineyard is barely three miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Bright, deep ruby. Rather Medoc-like aromas of black fruits, licorice, bitter chocolate, roasted herbs and mint. Then somewhat tough, even dry, in the mouth, with less density and stuffing than the '99. Seems distinctly less ripe than the Diamond Mountain sample.

Good full red-ruby color. Black cherry, shoe polish, earth and spicy oak on the nose. Concentrated but tightly wound and almost narrow today; a distinctly masculine, tough style of pinot with a youthful hardness (despite the fact that the pH here is considerably higher than that of the Arrendell bottling). Finishes firmly tannic and rather unforthcoming. Needs patience.

Full ruby-red. Plum, black cherry,cassis, tar, bitter chocolate and a leathery note on the slightly dusty nose. Sweet and solid, with good texture and fruit concentration... Firm, dusty tannins and a solid core of acidity give this wine the structure to evolve in bottle.

Good full red-ruby. Aromas of raspberry, roasted meat and woodsmoke. Lush, smooth and sweet, with a pliant texture and good weight; could use a bit more verve. Ripe cherry and wild strawberry flavors with a complicating note of bacon. Finishes with ripe tannins and a nice interplay of red fruit and smoked meat flavors.