With more of a tropical, floral air than one might expect in Chardonnay, this attractive, open and easygoing wine is filled out by hints of toasty oak. Fairly lengthy at the finish and a bit unusual here as well for the sweet nectarine notes with which it concludes, the wine wins points for pleasure even if not for varietal precision.

Deep straw. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract. Tropical fruit, butter, brown spice. A silky, buttery style with integrated flavors and judicious oak.

Brilliant deep straw. Medium-bodied. High extract, moderate oak. Bananas, melon, vanilla. Very aromatic, with a big, ripe, buttery character on the palate. Has just enough acidity to keep it balanced; right through the finish.

Deep golden hue. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Heavily oaked. Bananas, vanilla, bread dough. Big and round with pretty aromatic qualities. Generous and quite smooth in the mouth with a hint of acidity for balance. Distinguished by a very lengthy finish.

Bright yellow gold color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted. Mildly oaked. Butter, brown spice, ripe apples. Ripe toasty aromas reveal a generous buttery textured style with pleasing toasty notes through the finish.

Bright gold green color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extract and oak. Apples, citrus, browned butter. Rich buttery aromas reveal a lively wine with marked oak character but good acid balance.

Bright yellow gold color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted. Mildly oaked. Butter, brown spice, ripe apples. Ripe toasty aromas reveal a generous buttery textured style with pleasing toasty notes through the finish.

Attractive golden hue. Medium body. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Vanilla, melon, citrus. Round and lush with beautifully integrated oak and a pretty core of fruit. Long, elegant finish.

Bright gold green color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Apples, citrus, browned butter. Rich buttery aromas reveal a lively wine with marked oak character but good acid balance.

Deep straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Vanilla, pears, citrus. Pleasantly influenced by a judicious oak, this wine has a well balanced and rounded mouthfeel kept lively with good acidity.

Deep straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Vanilla, pears, citrus. Pleasantly influenced by a judicious oak, this wine has a well balanced and rounded mouthfeel kept lively with good acidity.

Deep yellow gold. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderately extracted. Butter, tropical fruit. Ample soft fruity aromas with buttery notes continue through a medium length finish. Forward and very accessible.

Pale straw with bright green highlights. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract, mild oak. Orchard fruit, brown spice. Spicy apple aromas lead into lively hints of oak spice on the crisp finish.

Deep straw color. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract and oak. Apples, minerals, vanilla. Still tightly wound with focused, lively character on the palate. Opens up a bit on the long finish.

Bright pale golden hue. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Subtle extract. Mild oak. Toast, green apples, peaches. Crisp and steely palate. Pleasant, round finish.

Light gold. Medium-bodied. Balanced acidity. Moderate extract, mild oak. Apples, pears, minerals. Clean and crisp with bright fruit. Zesty finish.

Ranked number 5 for the year 1989.

Among slightly bigger, slightly rugged Cabernets that have the stuff for years of successful cellaring, the broad, impressively extracted Stonestreet 1993 are easy to recommend.

Included in Wine Spectator's Top 10 List, 1989.

[Among] California's most exceptional producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and proprietary red wines. "This wine is an immense, monster-styled Cabernet Sauvignon that is vaguely reminiscent of the pre-1976 vintages of Mayacamas, but with more complexity and finesse. It is a mountain Cabernet with an opaque black/purple color, followed by a tight, backward, but promising nose of licorice, minerals, and black fruits. The inky color suggests a formidably-endowed wine, and that is just what this huge, super-concentrated, impressively-endowed Cabernet Sauvignon represents. The wine is not just a ponderous heavyweight, as anyone who examines its equilibrium, harmony, and potential for 20-30 years of aging should notice. Remarkably, this wine was kept in 60% new French oak barrels, but the oak has been soaked up by the wine's intense fruit level. Patience will be a virtue required by prospective purchasers of this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020.

Lastly, the 1994 Sangiovese displays a charcoal/cherry-scented nose, and compact, clipped, high acid flavors.

Who's On First (focusing on the creme de la creme of California's wine producers).

The first Charonnay to be released under the Hartford Court label is the 1995 Chardonnay Arrendell Vineyard, of which, sadly, there are only 300 cases. It is a spectacular Chardonnay, offering a complex, smoky, hazelnut, honeyed, citrus blossom-scented nose, followed by layers of creamy-textured, concentrated fruit nicely buttressed by adequate acidity. New oak barrels have provided a subtle notion of smoke and toast, but the fruit dominates the wine's personality. This full-bodied, rich, elegant Chardonnay is undoubtedly going to make heads turn. It should drink well for 2-3 years.

The 1994 Merlot looks to be even better than the 1993. It may turn out to be a worthy competitor to Matanzas Creek Merlot. The wine reveals an opaque purple color, a sweet, smoky, chocolatey nose, full body, terrific fruit, and intensity, and a spicy, rich, layered finish. The wines tannin is largely obscured by the abundant quantities of fruit, glycerin, and extract. This lusty Merlot should drink well for 10-12 years.