Fresh and fruity, with lively pear and pineapple flavors that finish bright and clean. Ready now.

All sorts of big aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, hazelnut and highly toasted oak. Slightly funky-yeasty quality will appeal to some tastes.

Favoring the ripe, dense style so prevalent in the '92s, this wine makes its way in the world for the sheer intensity of its ripe black cherry, dried plum, herb, vanilla and sweet spice aromas and weighty, mouthfilling flavors. A bit angular towards the end, it is a wine that is less likely to evolve into classical, layered Cabernet and seems better suited to marinated meats than to the typical roasts the Cabernet accompanies so well.

Pale straw appearance. Medium-bodied. Full acidity. Moderately extracted. Tart peach, lemon, vanilla. Faint vanilla notes with lemony aromas that follow through on the palate. A red tart with subtle oak.

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Oak spice, mild citrus fruits. Spicy oak with floral accents on the nose. Aromas are fully expressed on the palate with rather simple fruity flavors.

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Oak spice, mild citrus fruits. Spicy oak with floral accents on the nose. Aromas are fully expressed on the palate with rather simple fruity flavors.

..What classic North Coast chardonnay should be. The focus is on ripe varietal flavors, balance and careful use of excellent oak. It's medium-bodied and ready now.

Rich color, butterscotch nose and similar flavors with fruit in the background are typical of the region. This is a gracious and smooth wine with a subtle finish, and I'd think of it with veal medallions with a hint of tarragon, but you wouldn't be disappointed were your choice a classic salade nicoise.

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Figs, tart tropical fruit, grapefruit. Fully extracted flavors with firm backbone and mildly astringent long finish. This has the weight and strength of flavors to partner richer foods. Full, assertive style.

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Figs, tart tropical fruit, grapefruit. Fully extracted flavors with firm backbone and mildly astringent long finish. This has the weight and strength of flavors to partner richer foods. Full, assertive style.

"Toasty cola and black cherry notes surface despite a hollow core. Backed by somewhat rough-edged tannins." (also appeared in the June '98 issue)

A big, ripe and intense style, with flavors of rich fig, melon, apple, pear and apricot, finishing long and full, with a smoky oak accent. Delicious now. (Also appeared 5/31/97).

"Elegant and flavorful, ripe and creamy, with juicy pear, apple, melon and fig notes that fan out on the finish where a nice touch of spicy oak adds dimension." (Also appeared 5/15/97).

"Ripe, rich and complex, with tiers of spice, toast, honey and nectarine accented by hints of peach and pineapple. An up-front and openly fruity style that is appealing now." (Also appeared 2/28/97).

"Remarkable for its creamy peach and pear flavors, it picks up a nice smoke and toast nuance and then keeps the flavors lively through its long, complex finish." (Also appeared 6/15/97).

Very good. Ripe and fruity, with an elegant core of pear, honey, spice and apple flavors that linger on the finish.

Crisp, with firm tannins and just enough spicy currant and berry flavor to give it the depth and complexity you might hope for at this price.

Clean and attractive, with a core of ripe peach and citrus flavors. Fans out on the finish, picking up toasty oak and spice notes.

"Features ripe, intense, concentrated flavors of pear, spice, apple and hazelnut that are pure and refreshing, if a tad on the sweet side." (Also appeared 1/31/97).

Brilliant yellow with emerald highlights. Medium-bodied. Low acidity. Moderately extracted. Moderately oaked. Vanilla, faint tropical fruits. Oak accented aromas are fully expressed on the palate with very little varietal fruit flavors to complement.

Creamy oak sweetness and elements of brush and dried herbs crowd the narrow, cherry-like qualities of the clean aromas here, and, on the palate, the wine is largely determined by its very rich, but very strident oak. Happily, that oak is very good oak, and while the wine's underlying fruit speaks with a hushed voice, it assumes a sufficient role to keep things on the varietal course. A little dry at the finish and never more than lightly tannic, the wine calls for early consumption rather than long-term keeping and will do well with savory roasts in the coming two or three years.

Brilliant yellow with emerald highlights. Medium-bodied. Low acidity. Moderately extracted. Moderately oaked. Vanilla, faint tropical fruits. Oak accented aromas are fully expressed on the palate with very little varietal fruit flavors to complement.

A very nicely fruited, apple, pear and vaguely floral first sniff is quickly joined by enriching notes of sweet butter and creamy oak. In the mouth, the wine is round and supple on the palate with greater viscosity than has been typical of the vintage, and its mouthfilling flavors of ripe apples and pineapples fit handsomely with the creamy, quietly toasty oak. Firming a bit at the end, this wine will show better and better over the next one to three years.

Toasty cola and black cherry notes surface despite a hollow core. Backed by somewhat rough-edged tannins.

Dark color. Pretty aromas of cherry, vanilla, tea, meat, mushroom, earth and smoke mingle. Very complex and concentrated. Tiers of ripe, sweet stone fruit with spicy oak notes and a lively acidity. Delicious now.