A wine that should rekindle consumer interest in Merlot is the 2006 Grand Reserve Merlot. Plenty of seductive, chocolaty, black cherry, and berry fruit emerge from this deep ruby/purple-hued, medium to full-bodied, 100% Merlot. With good depth, a silky texture, and a heady finish, it should drink well for a decade or more. As I wrote last year, despite a production of two million bottles of the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, 110,000 bottles of the Vintner’s Reserve Merlot, and 170,000 bottles of the Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, these are all good as well as value-priced wines. The third level in the Kendall-Jackson hierarchy is the Highland Estates cuvees, all essentially single vineyard wines from some of Jess Jackson’s finest sites. The brilliance of the Chardonnays in this portfolio needs to be addressed. Kendall-Jackson’s Highland Estates is also showcasing some very fine Pinot Noirs, generally made from the newer Dijon clones planted in cool vineyard sites. The Bordeaux varietal blends are all well-made wines, but except for the 2006 Merlot Taylor Peak (1,500 cases), production ranges from a low of 340 cases for the 2006 Trace Ridge Proprietary Red, to 870 cases of the 2006 Trace Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon.Available through Vin Lux Fine Wines, tel.(866) 462-4641; Fax (866) 853-1707; www.vinluxfinewines.com

This is a tremendously rich Merlot, made from top Sonoma vineyards. Dry and tannic, it has potent flavors of cherries, blackberries, currants and cedar. Could develop in the bottle through 2012 with careful cellaring.——S.H.(7/1/2009)—— 90