Number 44 on the Wine.com 100 of 2007! A big offering, the full-bodied 2005 Chardonnay Private Reserve reveals notions of hazelnuts intermixed with honeyed pineapple, poached pears, and toasty oak. Well-made with good acidity, beautiful richness, and a vibrant, long finish, it should drink well for 4-5 years. -The Wine Advocate Deep gold hue. Heady ripe peach and apricot aromas with a deft hand in the toasted oak department. Upfront tangy peach, pineapple, cinnamon and toasted oak flavors. A well-structured, fruit-driven wine that displays incredible staying power. -Wine News Tasters Choice Smoky, toasty oak aromas show riper, richer fruit flavors on the palate, with ripe fig, melon, apricot and spice nuances. The flavors turn delicate and complex on the finish. Drink now through 2010. -Wine Spectator Highly Recommended The Beringer's northernmost Chardonnay vineyards, Gamble Ranch, Big Ranch Road and Yountville Vineyard, are located around the town of Yountville, where daytime temperatures slowly climb as the cooling morning fog recedes south to San Pablo Bay. This significant diurnal shift allows the grapes to maintain their acidity, which is essential to balancing the ripe, rich flavors they develop during warm afternoons. As harvest approached, Winemaster Ed Sbragia together with Winemaker Laurie Hook worked closely with vineyard manager Jim Frisinger to identify the blocks and rows that had reserve potential. For the 2004 vintage, Ed and I were particularly impressed with our Gamble Ranch vineyard, which makes up 73 percent of the blend in this Private Reserve. The unique flavor profiles contribute to a rich reserve wine while letting the fruit characteristics shine through, said Laurie Hook, winemaker.

Rating for United States-California: 94 (excellent)<br/><br/>Drinkability: young, aging quickly, could be good now<br/>