The 2015 Chardonnay Reserve presents warm apricot, melon and pink grapefruit notes with touches of butterscotch and toasty oak. Medium-bodied, it delivers a good core of stone fruit and oak inspired toastiness with a pleasantly oily texture and good length. It’s an old-school, commercial style that is done well.

Another winner in the white wines is the 2013 Chardonnay Reserve, which spends a surprising 16 months in French oak prior to being bottled. This has been another winner from Ferreri-Carano, and one can understand its popularity, given the tropical fruit, honeysuckle, beautiful purity of character, and medium to full-bodied flavors in the stunning delicious-factor that also comes into play with this wine. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

Moving toward a full-throttle, white Burgundy-styled wine, the 2008 Chardonnay Reserve reveals notes of brioche, wheat thins, roasted nuts, honeysuckle, white peaches, pears and a hint of smoky oak (it was aged in barrel for 16 months). Full-bodied with more concentration than the Sonoma cuvee, it requires some introspection, which is not always a good thing if you are looking for immediate gratification. This impressive, cork-finished Chardonnay should drink nicely for 3-4 years. (Not yet released) While there is a lamentable tendency to call these wines “too commercial,” the fact is the quality is high and there is good availability. I am a sucker for the pure deliciousness of Ferrari-Carano’s offerings and no one could argue that this is not an important reason for drinking wines. Tel. (707) 433-6700; Fax (707) 431-1742

Lavish and bold, almost over the top in ripeness, and all those winemaker bells and whistles. Sweet mango and pineapple, vanilla custard, buttered toast and roasted hazelnut flavors swim in an opulently creamy texture. Yet it’s fully dry and well balanced.——S.H.(6/1/2004)—— 92