Made from a selection of the best barrels from the Private Reserve program, the similarly-styled 2007 Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release exhibits more layers as well as a bigger, bolder style. The wine is no better than the Private Reserve, just riper and slightly heavier. Both wines are top-flight Chardonnays to consume during their first 2-3 years of life. Beringer continues to turn out an impressive array of wines, proving that a gigantic global operation can be focused on quality and character. Beringer’s Pinot Noir program continues to show more and more promise. Beringer’s Cabernet Sauvignon program includes two outstanding bargains, one from Knight’s Valley and one from Napa. They are both serious Cabernet Sauvignons meant to be drunk young, but both are capable of lasting a decade or more. For their Private Club members, Beringer offers approximately 200 cases of all the single vineyards that go into their Private Reserve cuvee. I’ll keep my tasting notes brief since these wines are only available to Private Club members. However, it is always interesting that, aside from two or three of the single vineyards, the Private Reserve final blend is always the finest wine of the group. This has been proven time and time again at these tastings. Tel. (707) 963-7115; Fax (707) 963-1735

Very strongly flavored, very big and powerful in both oak and fruit. Beringer aims for the fences with this massive Chard, which erupts with tropical fruit, ripe pear, baked pastry crust, buttered toast, mineral and cinnamon spice flavors. Not for the faint-hearted, but it’s sheer decadence.——S.H.(11/1/2009)—— 94