Kendall-Jackson, Sonoma County (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

 I often wonder whether the wines in KJ’s “Grand Reserve” line fall into a sort of no man’s land because they fall between the famous “Vintners Reserve” line and Jackson Family Wines’ more exalted brands such as Stature, Cardinale or Stonestreet.  Be that as it may, there’s no doubt that the Grand Reserve wines offer excellent quality and value, as this Cab manifestly demonstrates.  Full-bodied but not over-ripe or over-blown in any respect, it displays terrific balance and integration, with fruit recalling dark cherries and black currents along with tasteful edging from wood and polished tannins that frame the fruit without drying it.