The serious Cabernets start with the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Trace Ridge, which demonstrates once more the high potential that Peter Michael’s Les Pavots first exhibited for Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, especially when grown on hillsides. This classic Cabernet possesses plenty of black currant, licorice, cedar, and spice characteristics. It is best drunk over the next 10-12 years. 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

A gorgeous Cab that shows the density and concentration, but also the elegant structure, of a fine mountain vineyard. Dry and richly tannic, this 100% Cabernet has pinpoint flavors of currants, plums and cedar. Brilliant now, and should evolve through at least 2012.——S.H.(7/1/2009)—— 94