The generic 2007 Chardonnay Edna Valley is light gold-colored, with an attractive nose of caramelized tropical fruits, nectarine, hazelnut, and subtle spice and oak. This medium-bodied wine displays good fruit, freshness, and a certain delicacy and finesse. Drink it over the next several years. The production of each of the three single-vineyard Chardonnays is approximately 600 to 700 cases. The one superstar for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Edna Valley is Talley Vineyards. Interestingly, they make most of their money growing vegetables rather than grapes. Yet Brian Talley and his team continue to turn out extremely elegant, European styled wines from this micro-climate at the southern end of the Edna Valley, not far from Arroyo Seco. The production of the single-vineyard Pinot Noirs is slightly lower than the Chardonnays, with about 500 cases of the Rincon and Rosemary’s, and only 225 of the Stone Corral. Kudos to Brian Talley. He has always made wonderful wine, but these are among the very best I have ever tasted from him.Tel. (805) 489-0446

Crisply dry but very rich, even exotic, in fruit, this Chardonnay is a good value for the money. It’s flamboyant in tropical pineapple jam, pears, vanilla custard and buttered toast, with a stony minerality.——S.H.(9/1/2009)—— 92