Not surprisingly, 1998 Chardonnay Talley Vineyard Reserve is a fine wine. Exhibiting density, concentration, impact, and complexity, it offers notes of subtle wood smoke intermixed with tropical fruits, honeysuckle, and citrus. A full-bodied, beautifully layered wine, with impressive purity, it will drink well for 3-4 years.Tel. (805) 649-1674; Fax (805) 649-4651

I tasted three 1997 Chardonnays on my visit to the winery in September.The 1997 Chardonnay Talley Vineyard Reserve was made exactly as the other Chardonnay offerings, except for the fact it was fermented with indigenous rather than commercial yeasts. Three-hundred cases of this rich, complex Chardonnay have been produced. The nose offers aromas of smoky oak, ripe fruit, and minerals. The wine possesses a layered texture and leesy, complex, concentrated finish (which are not found in its two siblings). The style of this brilliant wine is more French-like, with the purity and ripe fruit so easily obtainable in California. It should drink well for 2-4 years.All the wines made at Ojai are naturally made products - no fining or filtration, barrel-fermentation, malolactic in barrel, aggressive lees stirring, virtually no racking until assembling for bottling, and no acid additions.Tel. (805) 649-1674; Fax (805) 649-4651

This wine is a big, dense, long, and concentrated. It cuts a full, heavy mouth-feel. I do not see it having greater aging potential than the regular bottling, but it is undoubtedly a big, rich wine.Over the last several years, there has been considerable evidence that Adam Tolmach's Ojai Vineyard is among the leading candidates for Santa Barbara's top winery. The brilliance of these wines over the last several vintages has been uncontestable. Ojai's new releases include many stunning wines, particularly the Pinot Noir and Syrah offerings. This is not to say the whites are uninteresting.Tel. (805) 649-1674