1997 Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($10) and Sauvignon Blanc ($10).

Beringer's newly released Founders' Estate line should be a big commercial success. The four bottlings (cabernet, merlot, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc) are not in the class of Beringer's Napa Valley wines, but they're good values in their price niche. I don't see that any of them cheapen the Beringer name, though the chardonnay lagged a little. The best two were the cabernet, a medium-bodied red wine with good grip and black cherry flavor, and the sauvignon blanc, a crisp, dry, lightly herbal white with refreshing snap-pea flavor. The merlot is more than respectable. Look for these wines to be on sale frequently for around $8.

Pub Date: 06/02/99