To keep things simple, I have included some of the Beringer wines from Knight’s Valley, including the delicious, value-priced 2008 Alluvium Blanc, a white Bordeaux look-alike. It offers lots of grassy, lemon oil, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit notes, crisp acidity, a steely backbone, and fresh, medium-bodied flavors. Drink it over the next several years. As I have written in the past, Beringer offers between 200-250 cases of each of their single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons that go into their Private Reserve program. Interestingly, as good as the single vineyard cuvees tend to be, and they’re all very different, the Private Reserve blend is as good or better than the finest single vineyard, demonstrating that the blending process is essential and important.Tel. (707) 963-7115; Fax (707) 963-1735

As always, Beringer’s Alluvium blend is a complex white wine, meant to pair with good food. The '08 is comprised of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay and Viognier. It’s fruity, crisp and dry. ——S.H.(2/1/2011)—— 88