A firm, tight core of currant, cedar and tobacco notes that pick up a minty tone and chewy tannins.

Another remarkable Chardonnay from Stonestreet. This is a rich, toasty, complex wine with tiers of pear, spice, toast and smoky oak flavors, followed by a long finish. A real mouthful.

Soft and fragrant, offering pear, spice and herb character in a gentle package.

Earthy pear and apple notes.

One of the best chardonnay values on the market today, with its appley-toasty flavors and cool-breeze finish.

Lots of sweet and blossomy fruit is teamed with a bit of butter and a fair degree of creamy oak in the rich, moderately intense aromas, and the showy flavors deliver fully on the promise of the nose. Bright and bouncy, yet never the least bit stiff or brittle, the wine is very well balanced and hangs on to its fruit oak flavors in a long, snappy finish. Uncommon for its mix of richness and freshness, it should keep for a few years but makes delightful drinking now.

Medium-bodied with a silky mouth-feel and dusty tannins and moderate acidity. Nicely intertwined vegetal and blackberry notes carry a minty theme throughout.

This rich, ripe oak-infused wine suggests such varied elements as tropical fruit, sweet cream, butterscotch and almond paste but never gives in to candied simplicity. Downright fat on the palate, it coats the mouth with lots of glycerine, and its finish is punctuated by a note of heat that serves as no subtle reminder of the wine's extra ripeness.

Balance, accurate if light varietal personality and a long velvety finish are the draws here. This wine doesn't shout its presence, but its grace makes it an ideal dinner companion.

Number 2 of 10 Top American Chardonnays.

Moderate but notable oak harmonizes nicely with straight-forward Chardonnay flavors. The present brightness of the fruit suggests near-term consumption.

Dark chocolate and creamy oak tones are lifted by a bright, curranty fruit note. Supple, well-balanced and tasty, the wine edges toward the kind of easy mouthfeel and round fruitiness that Merlot normally brings to the table, rather than the more distinctive and harder-edge characteristics of Cabernet.

By blending wines from Carneros, Santa Maria Valley, and the Sonoma Coast, Kendall-Jackson has produced a stunning result. Here is the lightly earthy fruit character which is always present in fine Burgundy and which reminds some of walking through forest leaves after a rain. The texture couldn't be silkier. Near-term consumption would be best for appreciation of the wine's exceptional and youthful Pinot personality. The price may seem high, but so is the quality. If you were assembling a hypothetical 'desert island' selection of wines, this could well be one of them.

Medium bodied with fine tannins and moderate acidity. Subtle black cherry and richly fruity flavors are played out on a framework of sweet oak.

Light tropical-fruit aroma with toasty oak notes; well-integrated flavors, fruit notes, balancing acidity; nice length. Try with rosemary chicken, grilled fennel.

Complex spicy-vanilla-floral nose, toasted oak accents; nice body and texture, good fruit on the palate, balanced finish. Try with prawns with lemon grass, baked snapper.

Big raspberry, cherry, cinnamon scents and tastes.

Ripe, fruity aroma, apricot-vanilla notes; spicy flavors, full fruit on palate, rich texture, balanced sweetness and acidity. Perfect with fruit, chicken curry, hard cheeses.

Best value.

Firm and spicy. Herb and black cherry flavors.

Dark, rich, intense and concentrated, packed with complex wild berry and cherry flavors.

Pleasantly fruity, offering herb and black cherry flavors. Firm tannins and a cola edge on the finish.