The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Marston Vineyard shows the classic floral notes from Spring Mountain along with blueberries and dark raspberries. As long-time readers know, Beringer’s Private Reserve is a blend of all of the single-vineyard cuvees in various percentages that differ considerably depending on the vintage. They are available through the Private Members Club at Beringer and are not put on the market, as the only one to be released is the Private Reserve, which proves the blending skills of the winemakers. And those winemakers have been at Beringer for a long time, including Ed Sbragia, and Laurie Hook. As for the single-vineyard wines, I’ll keep my notes short, since these are only available to members. Tel. (866) 708-9463

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Marston Vineyard was somewhat disappointing. It was unusually austere, and did not reveal any of this vineyard’s normal characteristics. Previously recommended: 2005 Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release (93), 2005 Chardonnay Private Reserve (93), 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (92).Tel. (707) 963-7115; Fax (707) 963-1735