An elegant style. Ripe and spicy, with pretty plum, wild berry, tea, herb, and cherry flavors and a ling, fruity aftertaste with mild, polished tannins.

Smooth, ripe and creamy, with rich apple, pear, citrus and spice notes, even a touch of greenness around the edges. Flavors linger on the aftertaste. (Also appeared in the 7/98 issue.)

Offers a nice balance between its ripe blackberry, cola and spicy flavors and ripe bit firm tannins. Picks up traces of tea, spice and earthiness on the finish.

"Serves up a moderate range of ripe pear and apple-laced Chardonnay flavors and picks up dashes of spice and mineral on the finish. Shows only a small oak influence; drinks well now." also appeared in the 7/98 issue

"Ripe, bright and lively, with grapey cherry, snappy raspberry and wild berry flavors. Finishes with lots of fruit, firm tannins and good length. Best now through 1998." (also appears in the June '98 issue)

Smooth and elegant, with subtle herb, cherry, tea, earth and spice notes. Firms up on the finish, where the tannins show some strength. Try now and into 1998.

Fairly dense, fairly ripe and fairly oaky, this solid, well-filled young wine is also fairly herbal in the style of its district. Velvety smooth and consistent in its forthright fruit, it carries a complex touch of dried brush from start to finish.

Brushy tones, dried leaves scents, and earthiness in the nose and coarseness at entry undermine the initial appeal of this wine. Yet, it has weight and roundness on the palate and enough stuffing to overcome its off-putting start. Hearty, rustic dishes are recommended as the accompaniment for this wine.

While its clean, fruity, mid-sized aromas seem simple and straightforward, this wine shows a reasonable measure of cherryish fruit on entry. It hints at succulence but is too soon directed by very evident acids. The flavors suggest some depth, but never expand much, and the wine is fairly hard at the finish. This one will definitely benefit from three or four years cellaring.

Bright reddish purple. Medium-bodied. Highly extracted. Moderately tannic. Tobacco, vanilla, cedar, black fruits. Plush elegant aromas are strikingly attractive, leading a rounded velvety palate with textured tannins and a lingerin cedary finish. A charmer, drinking nicely now.

.Randy Ullom has produced a knockout Pinot Noir, for the first time includes a larger blend of North Coast fruit, mainly Sonoma Coast and Mendocino County. Any Pinot Noir fan will quickly find that this wine, just now coming into supermarkets nationwide, is classically silky, with deep plum flavors and a soft vanilla taste.

The nose has appealing hints of richness while sweet oak tones provide the seasoning to what emerges as fairly deep varietal fruit aromas. Round and well-balanced but never succulent or particularly supple, this is a firm, tough wine that has noticeable tannins and needs three to five years of cellaring to come into its own.

Opaque deep reddish purple. Medium-bodied. Highly extracted. Mildly tannic. Plums, tobacco, vanilla. Oak-accented aromas show full fruity notes. Rounded full plummy flavors expanded on th palate with ample soft tannins on the finish. Lovely texture.

Deep reddish purple. Medium-bodied. Highly extracted. Mildly tannic. Mint, vanilla, black fruits. Attractive mint-nuanced aromas. Solid chewy Cabernet fruit on the palate gives way to dry, powdery tannins through the finish. Good acids give this a tart edge.

Full brick red color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Mildly tannic. Black fruits, earth, brown spice. Dusty black fruit aromas reveal a well-balanced palate with generous ripe flavors and a spicy accent the finish.

Soft, and generous with its spicy pear and pepper flavors, harmonious and frankly sweet on the finish.

"Simple, straightforward, soft and pleasant for its spice and melon flavors." also appeared in 7/98 issue

Spicy and tart with lively plum and raspberry fruit and a firm acidity.

Plush and plummy with soft mouth feel and dense finish.

A lighter-style wine than the others in this category, the Stonestreet Pinot was lean, smoky and peppery where its companions were lush and fruity, though tasting young, it's a well-structured wine that should gain depth and complexity with age. "So good you want to drink it by itself," was one taster's comment.

This medium-bodied, fruity wine was an appealing blend of different flavors--herbs, tobacco, licorice--all culminating in a complex and lingering finish. It would be good with roasted chicken or veal dishes with light sauces, even grilled tuna or salmon.

The aromas carry ripe fruit scents flavoring peach and tropical tones as well as a fair measure of toast and lees, each of which stays nicely in balance without becoming excessive or dominant. A viscous entry furthers the rich impression offered by the nose, and the wine shows excellent balance at mid-palate with a polished quality that makes it appealing to drink. This well-crafted wine is lengthy at the finish and carries toasty oak as well as hints of lemons in its aftertaste.

A slight nuttiness, oak and a bare touch of dried herbs push forward from very slender fruit in the aromas. More appealing in the mouth than in its nose, the wine is somewhat fat and buttery and is infused with enough appealing varietal fruit to give it some life and vitality. Although a bit ragged at the finish, it will show better when partnered with rich foods. A year or two of cellaring will make a worthwhile difference in its palatal impressions.

A nose of leather, tar, black pepper and bitter almond. Firm, tannic, rich, spicy black fruit flavors. Big and sinewy, immature and mostly closed, yet very promising. Wait five to 10 years for this one.