The 2004 Chardonnay Private Reserve is a surprisingly tightly knit Chardonnay by Beringer’s standards, with notes of lemon oil, orange blossom, apple pie, and brioche in a full-bodied style with some tropical fruit but good underlying acidity and fleshy texture. It seems that Sbragia has cut back on the oak, and the wine shows more of a steely minerality than in the past. It is still a big, relatively extroverted Chardonnay to consume over the next 2-3 years. Tel. (707) 963-7115; Fax (707) 963-1735

Drinks tighter and steelier than PR Chards of the past, and there’s a lot of acidity, and even a dusting of tannins in this big, young wine. Bone dry, the minerality is enriched with white peach, honeydew and oak flavors. Few California Chardonnays benefit from aging, but this one will. Best from 2007 through 2009. ——S.H.(8/1/2006)—— 90