A good portion of the 2008 blend is from Gamble Ranch, a vineyard that has consistently delivered such rich, ripe fruit flavors. There's a richness in this wine that is wonderfully balanced by a bright citrus note. A sweet oak note weaves together the many layers of aroma and flavor, carrying through to the finish. This wine is always a pleasure to make and equally pleasurable to drink. -Laurie Hook, Winemaker

94 WA  The 2008 Chardonnay Private Reserve continues the success Beringer has enjoyed with this program. Notes of brioche, hazelnut, marmalade, honeyed tropical fruits, buttered citrus, and a gentle touch of smoke are found in this full-bodied, concentrated wine with impressive purity, depth, and length. It should drink well for 4-5 years. -Wine Advocate, 94 Points

92 WS  Big, ripe and complex, with full-bodied apple, melon, pear and citrus notes that gain depth and turn creamy in texture, picking up a dash of anise and cedar on the finish. Drink now through 2014. 22,119 cases made. -Wine Spectator, 92 Points

IWC 92  Bright yellow. Grape and pineapple fruit aromas are enlivened by floral lift and solid minerality. Broad, dense, ripe and sweet, with a chewy, saline quality and some smoky oak notes contributing to this wine's impressively tactile mouth feel. Finishes long, ripe and sweet, with stone and citrus fruit flavors and solid underlying structure. -International Wine Cellar, 92 Points