California wines stressing value

We are beginning to see a trend in the market for wines from California. There has clearly been a reckoning on the part of the producers, who realize that they have a fantastic opportunity to capture the hearts of Americans, in light of the depressed value of the dollar.

Foreign wines are now out of reach for most consumers here, because sold in expensive Euros they no longer compete in the value categories.

Enter large producers such as Beringer, who seize the moment to put a delicious little chardonnay such as this California Collection on the market. It should normally sell for about $10 per bottle, which is still considered the psychological break point for value wines, but instead we are able to snap this up for just less than $4 per bottle. Consumers are the winners here.

In the glass, this well-made Beringer California Collection Chardonnay is a pale golden yellow with crisp clarity going out into a glass-clear pale rim with medium-high viscosity.

On the nose, it has immediate upfront crushed white fruits, such as pear juice and Braeburn apples; soft vanilla-infused wood; pineapple; custard; minerals; and underlying lemon rind.

In the mouth, the wine reveals a flavorful balance between pears, apples and citrus on the fruit side and liquid minerals on the acidity side, with lovely smoothness and a light to medium-bodied structure that delivers a balanced experience on the palate. This type of balance is more commonly found in chardonnays that cost many times more than $4. It follows through with a nice subtle finish that shows the commitment to quality behind the Beringer brand is to be taken seriously.

This is a lovely drinking wine for spring, and it should be enjoyed al fresco by the glass or served with a lightly grilled chicken breast and some soft buttery herbed rice. Drink it now through the rest of the year and serve chilled to 58 degrees Fahrenheit, remembering to open the bottle about a half-hour before consumption.

Wine: Beringer California Collection Chardonnay

Grape: Chardonnay

Region: Central Coast, Calif.

Vintage: 2006

Price: $3.99

Gil Lempert-Schwarz's wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89016-0749, or e-mail him at gil@winevegas.com.