Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma County Russian River Valley 2008

A warm, caramel and butter-brickle style of Chardonnay, this wine strikes a balance between the broad sweetness of its wood influences and the brighter, leaner fruit. Open it for fish or white meats grilled with a citrusy fruit salsa.

A solid Chardonnay that will satisfy fans of the variety. It's a sleekly tart, streamlined wine, with vanilla oak and buttered toast influences acting on the pineapples and green apples. Finishes a little sweet, but crisp.

Gallo's investments in Sonoma have paid off handsomely in appellation specific wines like this Chardonnay. It's complex and layered with a Russian River clarity to the flavors. Oak broadens the fruit elements of lemon and apricot, adding a brown sugar glow. But the wine remains dry, finishing with an impression of freshly turned earth. Decant a bottle for veal and porcini stew.

The 2009 Chardonnay also pushes its wood component well to the background, emphasizing white peach, honeysuckle and white citrus characteristics offered in a crisp, clean, medium-bodied style. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years.

The 2007 Chardonnay reveals some oak along with plenty of tropical fruit, and a steely background character. Reminiscent of an exuberant French Macon, it should be drunk over the next several years.

A racy white, with ripe, lively pear, citrus, honeydew melon and hints of clove and nutmeg. Well-focused on the fruit, which it keeps at the forefront. Drink now through 2008.

Made in an immediately appealing, oaky way, this Chard has appealing peach, pear, green apple and honey flavors that tastes like they were baked into a pie. Easy to find, with more than a million bottles in circulation.