1992 Howell Mountain Merlot Bancroft Ranch

Beringer's 1992 Bancroft Ranch Merlot ranks with the finest Matanzas Creek and Newton Merlots. It is a large-scaled, rich, ostentatiously-styled, chocolatey-flavored, full-bodied Merlot with deep color saturation, plenty of gutsy, chewy fruit, full body, and excellent purity and balance. Once again Beringer has shown that international corporate ownership can be synonymous with reference point wines. While it can be drunk now, this Merlot promises to be even better with 2-4 years of cellaring; it should last for 10-15 years. Tel. (707) 963-4812

This tightly-knit, restrained Chardonnay begins slowly, offering up subtle hints of lemons, oranges, and apples, as well as stony scents. It hits the palate with medium to full body, and then grows in the mouth, finishing with considerable flavor authority, intensity, and well-integrated acidity. This youthfully elegant offering is an intriguing, mineral-dominated Chardonnay that should improve over the next year and last for 4-5. Tel. (415) 433-1800.