The 2009 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is a simple, accessible offering with good varietal tropical fruit, vanilla, mango, pineapple and French oak. It offers fine balance and a supple, lush personality. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. I tasted a wide range of wines from Tantara, including a whopping 12 different Pinots. I can certainly understand the appeal of vinifying small lots of fruit from a large number of top sites in the Central Coast, but it must be a huge challenge to properly supervise the growing of fruit in sites that run from Arroyo Grande to the Santa Lucia Highlands. These 2009 Pinots suggest a little more focus on fewer appellations might not be a bad thing.Tel. (805) 938-5051; Fax (805) 938-0036; tantarawinery.com

The 2008 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard has a light golden color and fleshy, honeyed pear style with hints of unbuttered popcorn, crushed rocks, and white flowers. It is probably as good as the Talley-Rincon, just slightly more reserved. Drink it over the next 2-4 years. This is a dizzying array of wines, including four Chardonnays and eleven Pinot Noirs. Perhaps it is overkill, but the quality of the wines is very high, and Tantara remains one of the bright, shining spots for these varietals on the Central Coast. Among the four Chardonnays, two are from the Santa Maria Valley, the Dierberg and the Bien Nacido, the Talley-Rincon is from Edna Valley’s Arroyo Grande appellation, and the Brosseau from the limestone soils of Chalone. The Pinot Noirs essentially cover virtually every Central Coast appellation, from the Santa Lucia Highlands in the north to the Santa Maria Valley in the south.Tel. (805) 938-5051; Fax (805) 938-0036

Superrich, ripe and flamboyant, if not particularly subtle. Dazzles for its tsunami of grilled pineapple custard, pear tart, golden mango and Key lime pie richness, accented with sweetly, caramelized oak, and brightened with brisk acidity. A racy, decadent crowd pleaser.——S.H.(8/1/2010)—— 94

Very rich, creamy and oaky, made in the ripe, California style of Chardonnay. Brims with buttered toast, vanilla cream, and caramelized wood aromas and flavors riding over underlying pineapples, pears and limes. Flamboyant, if a little top-heavy. Ready now.——S.H.(8/1/2010)—— 88

Made in an elaborately flamboyant style, this Chard is enormously ripe with pineapple-infused creme brulee, peach custard, toasted meringue and cinnamon flavors. Delicious, but could be crisper.——S.H.(10/1/2009)—— 88