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.

Ripe and rich; intense and complex with plum and berry fruit; long and luscious with amazing layered flavors.

Plummy and rich with deep, complex fruit flavors and a long, ripe finish; intense and dark.

Smooth and elegant with lovely fruit and varietal depth; smoky, lush and very long.

Dense and luscious with intensity and richness; long and smooth on the finish with lovely complexity.

Sense with lovely spice and rounded fruit; ripe and long.

Smoky and spicy; velvety texture and a long finish; elegant and pretty.

Plum and spicy, smoky and a bit overripe; dense and intense.

Young and firm. Has pretty core of currant, chocolate, berry and spice flavors, picking up a slight leather note on the aftertaste and finishing with firm tannins and good length. Best to cellar into 1998 to '99. (Also appeared 6/30/97).

"Pleasant enough, with ripe sherry, smoky oak and cedar notes, but it tastes tightly wound and finishes with crisp, firm tannins." (Also appeared 6/30/97).

"Pleasant enough, with hints of cherry, herb, cedar and spice. Drinks well now." (Also appeared 2/28/97).

Inviting tropical-fruit aroma, honey and citrus notes; textured flavors; good acidity, lemon and vanilla accents; long finish. Good with lobster chow mein.

Blessed with a wealth of fruit, a surprising level of glycerin and a perfectly proportioned, layered finish. A beautifully made medium-to full bodied Zinfandel that manages to hide its lofty alcohol content.

Stonestreet is a star winery in Jess Jackson's Artisans and Estates stable and one taste of this wonderful Chardonnay will help you understand why. This is a delicious, powerful, fruit-forward Chardonnay made in the textbook Sonoma style that California Chardonnay drinkers have come to expect and love. It's dense, structured and shows great aging potential. Blended from fruit grown in various sub-appellations of Sonoma County, including Carneros, Russian River Valley and Jackson's own Alexander Mountain Estate in the Alexander Valley, this wine has everything going for it. It's lush as can be, but 100 percent malolactic fermentation thankfully did not strip this wine of its zing. With ample acidity, it recently matched up superbly with grilled, spicy shrimp and a hunk of aged Pecorino cheese. The goal of Stonestreet winemaker Mike Westrick is to create heavyweight and middleweight wines at the same time. A strange goal, you may say. But the wine achieves what it sets out to do. About 30,000 cases were released nationally in May. Suggested price is about $25.