What happens when you become old enough to start drinking — and liking — the wines made by the children of the winemakers you grew up with? Well, after the initial shock wears off, you take stock of your own age as well as the age of the wines in your cellar. Then you marvel at how the wines seem to carry on some of the characteristics you adored in the first generation yet admire the nuances added by the second.

This is the experience I recently enjoyed when I had the opportunity to taste through the wine portfolio of B Cellars, a small, artisanal winery in Napa Valley, Calif. The winemaker, Kurt Venge, is the son of legendary winemaker/consultant Nils Venge of Saddleback Vineyards (and other notable projects), and knows more about vineyards and grapes than any person his age should. Kirk literally grew up in the vineyards as he tagged along with his winemaking dad on his trips around Napa to meet with his many famous clients.