1998 Alluvium Blanc Knights Valley

At my annual marathon tasting at Beringer with winemaker Ed Sbragia and Vice President Tor Kenward, most of the winery's '97s cabernets were still in barrel. Mountain-style wines like Tre Colline and Bancroft Ranch, says Sbragia, really need more time in barrel to smooth out their edges. (The winery is just now releasing its vineyard-designated 1995 cabernets and 1996 Private Reserve.) Still, the Private Reserve, a blend of the best blocks from each vintage, remains their top bottling in most years. Beringer does not hesitate to give its vines a big drink of water in the heat of summer to help along the maturing process. The alternative, says Kenward, is to get jammy, pruney notes of dehydration as well as greener tannins. "We focus on the fruit, not the leaves—otherwise the vines are likely to shut down in the August heat."