The 2004 Merlot Home Ranch is fully mature and has a little Cabernet Franc in it. Supple tannins along with sweet black cherry, forest floor and lavender notes make for a ripe, medium-bodied, sexy and seductive Merlot to drink now and over the next 4-5 years. The bigger-than-life, formidable, long-time winemaker at Beringer, Ed Sbragia, has his own operation in Sonoma and turns out some of the best wines money can buy. Sbragia has never forgotten that ultimately it is the consumer who makes the market. That consumer has to make a living as well as have discretionary income to buy fine wine and Ed always seems to have realistic, if not humble, prices. His six wines I tasted from 2004 all performed well. Sbragia’s Cabernet Sauvignons are one of his strengths, along with his Zinfandels and Chardonnays. Tel. (707) 473-2992

Simple and direct, with cherry-berry and new oak flavors that have an edge of rosemary and thyme. My chief complaint is the apparent sweetness.——S.H.(10/1/2007)—— 84