They say you should never judge a book by its cover, or a wine by its bottle. But let’s face it - we all form opinions based on looks. And first impressions have a way of sticking with you.

When we first unpacked a shipment of wine samples form Lasseter Family Winery, we couldn’t wait to taste them. We’d never heard of Lasseter or had any notion of whether the wine would be good – but, still, we were excited. Why? It was the labels – beautiful retro-style images designed by Sonoma artist Dennis Ziemienski.

Yes, we Swirl Girls can be wooed by a pretty face. But that’s just the beginning of Lasseter’s story. Nancy and John Lasseter are an American couple in love with all things French. They craft Bordeaux and Rhone-style blends on their 27-acre vineyard in Sonoma Valley, a family winery that has grown from their involvement with an amateur group of hobbyists. Their wines are memories of experiences, places and times – a romantic journey through the French countryside.

Here are our thoughts on Lasseter Family wines – both the labels and the juice inside.

2010 Lasseter Enjoue Rosé (shop.lasseterfamilywinery.com - $19 retail, $16 wine club price)

As described on Lasseter’s website, the French word enjoué means ‘joyful, playful, lighthearted, sunny, buoyant and cheerful.’ It’s the perfect description of this fresh and fruity rosé. A blend of syrah, mouvedre and grenache, this wine has a nose of ripe, sweet strawberry and raspberry with hints of white and red flowers. It’s a soft and pretty wine with lots of ripe fruit flavors that finishes dry. A very pleasant sipper, this wine would be great with lighter fare or just on its own.

2008 Lasseter Paysage (shop.lasseterfamilywinery.com - $40 retail, $36 wine club price)

A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and cabernet franc, this wine has a full nose of red and black cherry with hints of vanilla and spice. On the palate, the wine is lush and full-bodied with flavors of red and dark plum and cherry. The tannins are soft but the alcohol hit a bit strong. It’s a big wine that deserves big food. We tried it with a couple of strip steaks topped with melted bleu cheese.

- J. Gwen Berry (Swirl Girl Dry)

2008 Lasseter Amoureux (shop.lasseterfamilywinery.com - $40 retail, $36 wine club price)

The malbec (66 percent), cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc mix is a big one for both nose and palate. It has a big, fragrant nose of dark fruit, and the alcohol hits you with every breath. On taste, I got blackberry and more dark fruits, with a smidge of earth thrown in. It is a big, tannic wine. I used an aerator, but this would have benefited from being decanted for several hours.

- Lynn Kalber (Swirl Girl Bold)

2009 Lasseter Chemin de Fer (shop.lasseterfamilywinery.com - $40 retail, $36 wine club price)

The family winery’s website says they chose the name Chemin de Fer, a French phrase that means ‘railroad’, to honor the path that led them to this wine. The painting on the label depicts a steam train as it meanders through their Syrah vineyard.

This wine sits pretty in the glass: a light garnet color with a touch of ruby. And the nose smells pretty, too: cherry, raspberry, spice, red licorice. There are floral notes, with lavender and potpourri. There’s what I would describe as a comforting balance between fruit and earth, which carries over to the mouth, as well. It’s made of 48 percent grenache, 34 percent syrah and 18 percent mourvedre, and as I sipped on it I conjured warm, baked berries with a note of exotic spices. The medium body is gentle with a balanced acidity; like a firm but plush pillow. It made me feel like I was seeing old friends again years later and easily falling into the same, comfortable habits with them.

- Jennifer Podis (Swirl Girl Earthy)