Absolutely brilliant, but very limited in production is the 2007 Highland Estates Chardonnay Piner Hills (under 100 cases). It is an outrageous effort made from a combination of Heritage California clones as well as Dijon clones. It is a complex Chardonnay, offering a good, steely minerality, notes of tangerines, nectarines, and quince, a honeyed character, and full body. 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

Made in a softly flamboyant style, with massive flavors of citrus and tropical fruits, buttered toast, cinnamon and creme brulee, firmed with stony minerals. Tons of stuffing in this opulent Chardonnay, which was aged in 50% new oak.——S.H.(8/1/2009)—— 91