Winemaker Notes
This Chardonnay is vibrant, luscious, and full-bodied, a delightful example of Napa Valley expression. On the nose, perfumed white floral notes of honeysuckle and citrus blossom aromas leads to a creamy mouth-enveloping palate with layered flavors of pomelo, pineapple, and mango. Balanced oak offers hints of vanilla and ginger spice, while golden delicious apple and brioche toast enhance the experience. A hint of minerality compliments the fruit-forward character, all leading to a lovely, mouthwatering, and crisp, refreshing finish with length and depth.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of lemon confit, yellow apples, baking spices and grilled pineapple. The palate is full-bodied with a creamy texture and bright acidity, giving flavors of grapefruit, lanolin, apple tart and honeysuckle. Quite a powerful wine that is carried by pure acidity and freshness.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A bigger, richer expression of the variety, the 2023 Chardonnay Private Reserve comes mostly from the Gamble vineyard in Oakville and spent nine months in 68% new French oak. It offers ripe stone fruits, orange blossom, spice, and honeyed white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it's pure, balanced, and layered, with wonderfully integrated oak. It brings ample power and richness while staying light on its feet.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
2023 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley — Medium straw in color, this beautifully layered Chardonnay offers alluring savory spice, ripe citrus, and delicate floral aromas; medium-bodied with a full, textured palate, it shows dry, balanced acidity with nuanced oak supporting flavors of dried spices and ripe citrus, all leading to a firm, extended, and refined finish. A natural match with butter-poached lobster or roasted chicken with herbs, where its richness and acidity strike perfect harmony. Produced and Bottled by Beringer, St. Helena, CA (Tasted: March 8, 2026, San Francisco, CA)
As California's longest continuously operating winery, Beringer has been defining Napa Valley winemaking since it was founded by Jacob and Frederick Beringer in 1876. By continuing that pioneering spirit, Beringer established many 'firsts' as leaders in the wine industry. They were one of the first gravity fed facilities and among the first to operate using hand dug caves and cellars. Beringer were the first to give public tours in 1934, starting a Napa Valley hospitality tradition. They are the first and only winery to have both a red and a white wine named #1 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine. Today, they proudly celebrate and remain true to their pioneering legacy.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.