Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir California Vintner's Reserve 2009

The 2002 Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir is a blend of equal parts fruit from Monterey, Santa Barbara, and the North Coast. It offers pleasant currant, plum, and dried herb characteristics in addition to a pleasant, open-knit style, good fruit, and medium body. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.

A real breakthrough is the 2008 Vintnerrsquo;s Reserve Pinot Noir. Entirely from Jackson Estate vineyards, this wine is loaded with rhubarb, wild strawberry, cherry, and berry fruit in a medium-bodied, very Pinot Noir-tasting style. Dark ruby-colored with good freshness and liveliness, there are just under 100,000 cases of this Pinot Noir. The lowest level of the Kendall-Jackson empire, the Vintnerrsquo;s Reserve series, goes from strength to strength. For consumers hoping to maximize their dollar value, these serious wines are consistent choices. Their Chardonnay has always been good, but dramatic increases in quality have taken place in the Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon programs.

The 2009 Vintnerrsquo;s Reserve Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir, all from estate vineyards, that is aged nine months in 95% French barrels (15% new). Notes of plum sauce, cranberries, earthy red cherries and loamy soil result in an authentic Pinot Noir tasting effort. Medium-bodied, soft and delicious, it should drink well for 2ndash;4 years.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Vintnerandrsquo;s Reserve is an attractive, juicy red. Sweet roses, flowers, spices and berries linger on the finish. This mid-weight, feminine wine is about as good a Pinot as readers will find for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2012andndash;2014.

Tight, with a firm beam of cola-laced dried berry and sour cherry flavors. Gains and expands, with a slightly stemmy ending. Drink now through 2019.

K-J has a good track record for a varietally true Pinot Noir with their Vintnerrsquo;s Reserve bottling, and theyrsquo;ve held the price steady for years. Itrsquo;s a fairly basic Pinot, elegantly silky and dry, with cola, cherry and vanilla flavors.

The 2002 Vintnerrsquo;s Reserve Pinot Noir is a blend of equal parts fruit from Monterey, Santa Barbara, and the North Coast. It offers pleasant currant, plum, and dried herb characteristics in addition to a pleasant, open-knit style, good fruit, and medium body. Drink it over the next 1ndash;2 years.