The excellent 2005 Chardonnay Reserve Vin de Pays d’Oc boasts a nose of white fruits, spices, lemons, and white pepper. Medium to full-bodied, rich, and velvety-textured, it is balanced, packed with fruit, and long in the finish. This broad effort bursts at the seams with apples, pears, and peanuts. Drink it over the next 3 years.Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel (914) 251-9463.

Rich, toasty, spicy scents of pears are found in the nose of the 2002 Chardonnay Reserve Vin de Pays d'Oc. Loaded with apple and pear flavors, this fleshy, light to medium-bodied wine is fresh, balanced and delicious. Drink it over the next 12-24 months.

With its brighly colored bottle, this sure stands out on the shelf. The fruit is soft, lively with a touch of oak to give it extra complexity. Tropical flavors complete the package.——R.V.(12/1/2004)—— 85