Some lovely apple aromas plus all sorts of highly toasted oak. It offers lively acidity and good depth plus a long, lingering finish.

Dark, ripe and intense. A potent barrel sample showing lots of smoky, toasty oak and a dense cork of earthy currant flavors. Given its weight, it's rather elegant on the finish.

Rich and outgoing even in its youth, this well-endowed wine speaks very much to the juicy, fully ripened fruit that marks the better wines of the vintage. Its abundant cherry and cassis qualities are infused with a balanced bit of rich oak, and, while fairly firm and a little hot in the latter going, it hangs on to its fundamental fruit and never dies. Appealing now for its straight-ahead fruitiness, it will only get better with time and promises positive growth for another four to six years.

Sweet, thick and highly influenced by oak, this very ripe wine steers to dryness on the palate despite a bit of glycerin fatness on entry. Finishing with a little more toughness and a little less fruit than might be ideal, it nonetheless achieves a good measure of richness and will pair nicely with simple steaks and chops over the coming three or four years.

If not the stuff of which dreams are made, this wholly enjoyable bottling comes close. Its clean, attractively rich, frontal aromas are redolent of peaches, pears, honey and sweet cream butter, and its round, youthfully vigorous flavors echo those introductory themes. Only the need for an extra bit of depth and reach keeps this one from higher ratings. Withal, it will make an excellent partner to dishes like pastas with smoked chicken or even mild sausages in light cream or butter sauces.

Another outstanding wine is 1995 Zinfandel Zeni Vineyard. Tasters would never guess it boasts 15.2% alcohol. It exhibits a saturated plum color, and an exotic, spicy, sweet, jammy, black-cherry, strawberry and currant-scented nose with a subtle suggestion of toasty new oak. This wine possesses terrific fruit and richness, more structure and tannin than the Eaglepoint Vineyard, and plenty of spice, body, and length. Drink this well-defined, very pure, textbook Zinfandel over the next 5-7 years.

This ripe, fleshy red offers plenty of blackberry and black cherry flavors backed up by sweet, toasty oak. It's round and soft, but has enough structure for food. Drink now. Second label of Vina Calina, 5,000 cases made.

This ambitious red has an inky color, firm tannins and ripe flavors of plums, raisins and black coffee. It's concentrated, but a bit disjointed now and may be better in 1998.

Young and tight, with spicy citrus, tangerine, pear and pineapple notes that spread out on the finish, showing elegance and finesse.

Has hints of spice and pear, but it's straightforward. A good, quenching quaff.

Showing a good sense of range in its creamy, liberally oaked aromas and its deep, fairly forward flavors, this commendable Zin presents more than the typical theme of blackberries and shows a sprinkling of sweeter raspberry and wild cherry elements throughout. It is at once both mouthfilling and quite well balanced and, if just very slightly dry at the finish, is never troubled by heat or astringency. Clearly capable of age, it promises to get even better with anywhere from three to six years of cellaring. (Also appears 12/97)

Here is a pleasant if somewhat smaller wine whose light-medium intensity, green apple, quietly leesy and oak-enriched aromas are all within the pleasing norms for Chardonnay, but which, in both nose and in flavors, comes up just a tad short on overall stuffing to earn full commendation. Nonetheless, this moderately well-stuffed bottling stands out at the top of the list of wines not receiving star-ratings.

Here is a pleasant if somewhat smaller wine whose light-medium intensity, green apple, quietly leesy and oak-enriched aromas are all within the pleasing norms for Chardonnay, but which, in both nose and in flavors, comes up just a tad short on overall stuffing to earn full commendation. Nonetheless, this moderately well-stuffed bottling stands out at the top of the list of wines not receiving star-ratings.

From its clean, if faintly piney aromas, to its pert, berry-like flavors, this mid-sized offering shows a comparatively narrow bit of fruit. Balanced to firmness, it is fairly lively in style and remains vital well into its lightly tannic finish. Always wanting a little more richness (especially at the price), it is nonetheless a pleasant and very functional Zin that will do nicely in washing down tomatoey pasta dishes.

More saturated color. Knockout aromas of plum, tobacco, tar, lead pencil and game. Big, rich and fat; a seductive style of wine but does it have as much substance as flash? Not quite as sweet on the palate as on the nose, and ultimately a wine of very good rather than outstanding depth and intensity of flavor.

More saturated color. Knockout aromas of plum, tobacco, tar, lead pencil and game. Big, rich and fat; a seductive style of wine but does it have as much substance as flash? Not quite as sweet on the palate as on the nose, and ultimately a win of very good rather than outstanding depth and intensity of flavor.

A rich yet elegant zin, with a floral blackberry aroma, plus soft and succulent fruit flavors. Shows great balance, good acidity, long finish.

"Lean and spicy, with more herb and dried cherry than ripe fruit flavors. Unexpectedly modest, given the price and reserve status." (Also appeared 8/31/96).

Delivers a ripe, complex, supple core of blackberry and cherry flavors, dashes of spice and sage and adds subtle earth notes. Turns elegant and complex on the finish, where the tannins are soft and fleshy. Ready now through 2000.

Smooth, ripe and spicy, with a pretty core of plum, cherry and wild berry flavors that turn elegant and supple on the finish.

This luxuriously rich, tropical fruit-scented and flavored wine has its boundaries well-defined by high quality oak. As with many Kendall-Jackson wines, this medium-bodied, pure Chardonnay offers plenty of crowd appeal. The wine's length, richness, and ripeness make me wonder if I am not being too conservative in my judgment. Drink it over the next year.

Stonestreet's medium ruby-colored, unfined and unfiltered 1994 Pinot Noir exhibits a lusty, smoky, sweet berry-scented nose that reveals copious quantities of both ripe fruit and oak. This medium-bodied, softly-textured, delicious Pinot is not the most concentrated or profoundly complex wine, but it offers a sexy glass of Pinot Noir for drinking over the next several years.

The 1995 Chardonnay is a solidly built wine with a Burgundian-like, roasted nut, buttery, leesy nose. This lavishly oaky, medium-bodied, fleshy, uncomplicated but tasty and satisfying Chardonnay should be drunk over the next year.

Has everything you expect in a Cabernet: aromas of cocoa, cedar, berry, and oak, with good structure, silky flavors and a nice finish.

Lean and spicy, with more herb and dried cherry than ripe fruit flavors. Unexpectedly modest, given the price and reserve status. (Also appeared 8/1/96).