Deep golden hue. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted. Heavily oaked. Brown spice, tropical fruit, brown butter. Virtually [in]distinguishable from a Chardonnay but well made nonetheless. Pleasant attractive oak derived complexity. Rich and buttery finish $25.

K-J reds tend to be user-friendly, but this one is rather austere, especially for merlot. Its flavors are highly concentrated, in the cassis direction, and the finish is harshly tannic. A few years of cellaring should help.

Well balanced, with supple coffee, herb, currant and cedary oak flavors, it turns smooth and polished on the finish, where the flavors fan out. Drinks well now, but will be best after 1999 to 2000.

Has a nice sense of harmony and finesse, striking a fine balance between its core of cherry and raspberry flavors and its light oak shadings. Can stand cellaring into 1999 to let the tannins soften.

Lightly flavored, elegant and delicate, with earthy cherry and raspberry flavors that are clean and simple. Drinks well now.

...Smooth and supple, deeply concentrated, with a rich, detailed core of mineral, coffee, currant, cherry and sage flavors and a long, complex aftertaste where the flavors keep pumping. Drinks well now, but should be a beauty in another year or two. Best after 1999. A blend of 51 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 39 percent Merlot, 9 percent Cabernet Franc, 1 percent Petit Verdot. Highly Recommended.

So robust that it's almost over the top. Full-bodied style, a bit hot from alcohol, with plenty of smoky oak. Tart black cherry aromas, flavors.

It won gold at the Harvest Fair. A wine with great potential. It's tart, tannic, still rough around the edges, but has ripe, deep plum fruit.

New release from this winery, it doesn't show the balance and depth of previous pinots. Tart cherry flavors leave a hot alcohol impression.

...Exudes[s] a sense of being crafted from [a] unique lot of grapes. You get a sense that drinking each bottle is akin to taking an actual guided tour through the vineyards themselves, so unique, intimately preserved and well-structured are they. The 1993 has more-forward fruit, with a distinctly deeper level of plums and berries. But its structure is as well-crafted as the 1992. It is more typically a California Cab. If I had to liken these wines to a personality to embody them, they would be John F Kennedy Jr.---pedigreed, yet classy; stylish; measured, but willing to step forward and take a chance; honed and physically fit; suave, even debonair with a rakish intellect.

...Exudes a sense of being crafted from [a] unique lot of grapes. You get a sense that drinking each bottle is akin to vineyards themselves, so unique, intimately preserved and well-structured are they. The 1992 is more French in style, reserved by comparison to the typical bigger-by-comparison fruit flavors of most California Cabernet Sauvignons. Yet it reveals itself in a progression of rich layers, each bringing more supple surprises as the wine passes through the mouth and on down the throat. The finish is simply perfect---long, lingering like a sunset over the ocean. It should show more fruit over time. If I had to liken these wines to a personality to embody them, they would be John F Kennedy Jr. ---pedigreed, yet classy; stylish; measured, but willing to step forward and take a chance; honed and physically fit; suave, even debonair with a rakish intellect.

What it lacks in power it makes up for with finesse. Lean and soft, it has bright aromas and flavors of black cherry and black pepper.

A smooth and supple Meritage, deeply concentrated, with a rich, detailed core of mineral, coffee, currant, cherry and sage flavors and a long, complex aftertaste where the flavors keep pumping. Drinks well now, but should be a beauty in another year or two. Best after 1999. 51 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 39 percent Merlot, 9 percent Cabernet Franc, 1 percent Petit Verdot. 2,451 cases made.

Has a sense of elegance. It's fun to drink, with jammy cassis aromas and flavors, plus licorice, smoke. Only the price is out of proportion.

Harvest Fair gold. Has heavily extracted, earthy aromas and flavors, with hints of prune, violets. Muscular, tannic. Balance could be better.

While ripeness for ripeness' sake is no virtue by our reckoning, ripeness when accompanied by ample fruit can make for a most dramatic Zinfandel. Fairly forthright in oak as well, the wine starts with aromas of ripe plums, cocoa and berries that are replayed in its lush, highly extracted flavors. A big, broad-shouldered Zin with lots of weight and fleshy density, it is very long and unrelenting in its impressions of super-ripe berries and pushy oak, and warrants a bit of cellaring.

Grilled meats, toasty oak and black fruit on the nose. A good concentration of black fruit on the palate; well balanced. (Also appeared 9/98 issue.)

Grilled meats, toasty oak and black fruit on the nose. A good concentration of black fruit on the palate; well balanced.

"These two wines, [the reserve and the non-reserve] should, as often as it is possible, be purchased together and drunk back to back. Both are classic, cold climate Pinot Noirs that have amazingly aromatic noses, soft tannins and gobs of the blackberry, raspberry and cherry red fruit flavors that make this varietal almost the perfect accompaniment to any kind of dinner. There is a distinct nutty flavor imparted in both wines from its oak aging; 10 months for the reserve, 11 months for the non-reserve. The reserve offers a denser structure with deeper flavors;...

These two wines, [the reserve and the non-reserve] should, as often as it is possible, be purchased together and drunk back to back. Both are classic, cold climate Pinot Noirs that have amazingly aromatic noses, soft tannins and gobs of the blackberry, raspberry and cherry red fruit flavors that make this varietal almost the perfect accompaniment to any kind of dinner. There is a distinct nutty flavor imparted in both wines from its oak aging;...11 months for the non-reserve. The...non-reserve differs only in its degree of the same characteristics as its noble cousin here.

Among the current release of California Viognier, K-J's Grand Reserve bottling which contains a smidgen of Chardonnay, is one of the best. ...Perfectly priced now and gives every indication that the soon-to-be-released '96 will be worth looking for, too.

Light butterscotch character is more evident in the nose than on the palate. This is a pleasing chardonnay, best enjoyed well chilled.

This impressive and very forward wine is quite consistent with the winery's outstanding 1994 vintage Zinfandel release. The pretty aromas put its first rate oak on full display yet deep blackberry and chocolate tones push into prominence and without giving in to that oak. Supple on entry and showing handsome, if slightly plummy fruit, the wine is still youthfully ragged in midpalate but is firm and well-balanced and is fully capable of improving for the next two to five years.

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. Clearly, this is not a wine anybody should miss, especially at this price. Suggested retail is $15, but you're sure to find it around $10 on special.

Lush and elegant; lovely oak, spice and smooth fruit; complex and long.