A value pick, the 2007 Chardonnay Home Ranch exhibits crisp pear, lemon blossom, and wet stone notes in a clean, crisp, minimally oaked style. This bargain-priced Chardonnay should drink nicely for several years. Ed Sbragia, the highly renowned winemaker at Beringer, has settled into his own operation, producing just over 5,000 cases of reds and whites that focus on Sbragia’s strengths, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. He is also experimenting with small quantities of Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.Tel. (866) 222-4342

There’s something rustic and spicy and earthy about Dry Creek Chardonnays, but Ed Sbragia manages to lift this wine into opulence. It’s pretty oaky, yet the vanilla and honey flavors marry perfectly with the pineapple and pear fruit to produce a wine of great attraction. ——S.H.(10/1/2009)—— 92