Raspberry, pepper, clove and brown spices sing out in this densely packed flavor package. The tannins, however, are silky and user friendly; it's spicy and briary enough to let you know it's zin but balanced enough to easily stand up to food without overpowering it. Serious stuff.

...aromas of peach, floral and musk seem almost viognier-like. Two exotic chard clones, Dijon and Rued, combine here to make the flavors bright and sunny, but also a bit spicy like muscat. It's sunshine in bottle merged with barrel fermentation and lees stirring that make this wine fascinating. Extremely distinct and very pleasant with a clean finish, the wine is like no other chard I've tasted.

...strong aromas of tropical fruit and vanilla that jump from the glass...good concentration and a nicely textured core of tropical fruit that meshes well with the oak...

Aromas of citrus and tropical fruit are interwoven with barrel spices. It's big and rich in the mouth with plenty of fruit but it has a certain leanness that's very appealing. This one's almost chewy in texture; there's that much substance along with plenty of depth. The tropical fruit, lemon drop and tangerine on the palate give way to pinpoint acidity and a long finish.

...this bottling has a nose of apple, pear and coconut, followed by a rich mouth feel of lemon, apple and pear flavors. A wine of finesse and elegance with the toasty oak well integrated, it seems representative of the barrel fermented/malolactic style but not necessarily identifiable as Sonoma Coast. Still, it's a real mouthful.

Attractive notes of apples, toast and sweet citrus fruits in the nose find parallel character in the direct, well ripened flavors of this neatly balanced, mid-sized Chardonnay. Composure, rather than unbridled richness, is the keynote here, and, if just a touch narrow at the finish, the wine will find useful service with both lighter chicken or meaty fish dishes.

While this succulent young wine may show some of the green elements that impinge on other wines of this vintage, here they add to the complexity, emphasizing the animale aspects of the fruit flavor. The smooth, chocolatey tannins balance sour cherry & new oak, all put forward with the kind of generosity that's at the core of merlot's appeal.

Complex, weaving together ripe plum, blackberry, mineral, sage and tea notes, elegantly balanced, long and flavorful on the finish.

Rich and refreshing, with pretty oak shading the fig, vanilla, citrus, mocha and tangerine flavors.

From a cold micro-climate on the Sonoma Coast, this 1998 Chardonnay emerges from a six-acre vineyard, and spent 14 months in barrel. Revealing a white Burgundy-like character, it possesses leesy, smoky, roasted hazel nut, lemon, and mineral notes. The acid profile is high (excessive for my palate), but that should ensure a healthy, long life (5-6 years). There is good weight and richness as well as a modest 12.9% alcohol content. 1998 was a cool year, and this offering certainly reflects that.

A ripe medley of fig, nectarine, vanilla and melted butter notes are highlighted by crisp acidity. The intensity lingers through the finish.

Apple, citrus and grass notes integrate nicely with toasty oak.

Medium red. Deeply pitched aromas of raspberry, chocolate, tobacco and earth. Vinous, textured and quite dry, with good texture and fairly substantial alcohol. Comes across as more tannic than the '99 which may be lower in acidity.

Bright, dark red. Lively aromas of cherry, currant, raspberry, tobacco and shoe polish. Bright, dense and layered with good ripeness and balance for the vintage. Finishes with suave, building tannins and very good persistence.

Dark red. Aromas of raspberry, cherry, bitter chocolate, smoke, tar and earth. Supple, sweet and ripe, with nicely defined red fruit flavors. Finishes with dusty but essentially sweet tannins.

Good full red. Perfumed, fruit-driven nose combines redcurrant, raspberry and black cherry; fresher and less rustic than that of Alexander Valley bottling. Dense, sweet and full in the mouth, with harmonious acidity keeping it fresh. Conveys Alexander Valley bottling. But finishes slightly more aggressive, with big, dusty, tannins.

Good full red. Aromas of redcurrant, leather, chocolate and tobacco. lush and seamless on the palate, with an attractive restrained sweetness and good acid verve. Not yet displaying its full personality, but this is already aromatic in the mouth. Finishes with dusty, mounting tannins and a very good persistence.

Red-ruby. Very ripe, slightly briary aromas of raspberry, cherry and smoky oak. Large-scaled and mouthfilling; very ripe but not at all heavy. This offers impressive sweetness and depth of flavor. Finishes long and smooth, with sweet tannins spreading out to coat the palate.

Subdued nose of pear, citrus skin and vanillin oak. Juicy and brisk, with good texture and intensity and a nicely restrained sweetness for this bottling. Firm acids frame the flavors. Finishes with decent length and a slight alcoholic harshness.

Bright, pale color. Rather exotic aromas of apricot, tropical fruits, toffee, butter and sweet oak. Chewy and rich in the mouth, with firm acidity leaving the sweet peach and apricot flavors. Finishes ripe and satisfying.

Saturated medium ruby. Brooding aromas of briary dark berries, bitter chocolate and nutty oak, all lifted by a floral element. Dense but juicy, with rich, slightly medicinal flavors of black cherry and menthol. Finishes very long, with big, chewy tannins. Offers strong potential.

Full medium ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of blackberry, cassis, and mint, plus a whiff of game. Fat, lush and supple but uncompromisingly dry, with a large underlying structure. A more elegantly styled wine than the Howell Mountain cabernet. The substantial, building tannins spread out to coat the entire palate.

Good saturated medium ruby. Briary aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate and menthol, along with a floral aspect. Lush and thick, with fruit-driven flavors of bitter cherry and menthol. Rich, dense and layered, but given shape by the firm acidity of the vintage. This should develop slowly and last well.

Exotic, slightly musky aromas of pineapple, coconut, orange zest and spicy oak, plus an intriguing minerality. Supple, silky and seamless, with deep, persistent flavors of apple and honey. Long and perfumed on the aftertaste. Sexy Chardonnay, from a crop level a good 25% lower than normal for this wine.

Bright medium ruby. Aromatic nose combines roasted plum, black raspberry and lead pencil. Lush and lively in the mouth, with bright, complex flavors of raspberry, plum and smoked meat. Finishes with ripe, oak-sweetened tannins and excellent persistence. Superb for the vintage.