Winemaker Notes
Early in the 1999 growing season, Beringer's vineyard manager Bob Steinhauer identifed specific blocks at Gamble Ranch Vineyard near Yountville as looking particularly promising. Each year, Gamble's rocky, alluvial soils produce grapes with incomparable richness and a high intensity of flavors. Bob was quite sure the grapes would at least achieve Private Reserve quality but he was hopeful that they might develop enough opulent, honeyed, ripe fruit characteristics to be chosen for Winemaster Ed Sbragia's Limited Release Chardonnay. As harvest approached, Ed and Bob both agreed that Gamble Ranch would produce the grapes best suited for the rich style of the Sbragia's signature wine.
The 1999 was an exceptionally long, cool growing season. Cool spring temperatures delayed bud break, flowering and fruit-set by about three weeks, and the weather remained moderate throughout the growing season. Ed and Bob waited as long as possible before harvesting, pushing the pinnacle of ripeness in the Chardonnay grapes that showed the best potential for richness and complexity, essential for the Sbragia Limited Release, to allow full development of aromas and flavors. The fruit from Gamble Ranch was handpicked so the clusters would be treated as gently as possible.
Professional Ratings
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.