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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 69 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by deadwax on 11/9/2023 & rated 90 points: Opened for regular wine group this was still alive and going but imo it is in its sun set years so to speak. Dried fruit, hint of butterscotch, oak still sticks out Will say that it was a last bottle purchase so have no idea of provenance, but similar in character to others I've had from the producer over the years. (188 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 12/23/2022: Holy moley! This was definitely the chardonnay of the table tonight but was outdone by a 7 year old Sauvignon Blanc. This wine still had quite a bit of weight and density, beautiful peach preserves, granny smith apple, sharp acidity on the front balanced with white pepper on the finish. Great salinity and mineral density. I would have said based on what I knew about this wine before it was even offered that I would have approached this with caution. Today? I would have put a straw in it! I'm not sure how much longer this bottle has, but this one was an absolute beauty today. (742 views) | | | Tasted by stoneb on 4/11/2020 & rated 91 points: Opened about 30 minutes before serving. Golden straw color. Tropical fruit, pear, vanilla and a little toasted oak. Had an oxidative note at first that diminished with air but never quite departed. Rich fruit was balanced by good acidity -- one of the things I like about Kistler's McCrea. This was still excellent wine, but time to drink up IMO. (1381 views) | | | Tasted by Tony Ling on 1/18/2020 & rated 93 points: PNP into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Flower” day): Medium golden to the eyes.
Very floral this. Highly mineral but not so much on acidity. Oak is there, solid but still good for my tastes.
Not unlike a hot vintage Burgundy.
93 points. (1425 views) | | | Tasted by jdhannah on 9/16/2019: No detailed notes but just since no recent notes, still great (1473 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 11/14/2018 & rated 94 points: Yellow with a golden tone. Vanilla and butterscotch on the nose, it carries through on the palate as well. Creamy, ripe golden delicious apple, and crisp apricot, pineapple and it finishes slightly tart. This was opened and tasted over one hour. (2078 views) | | | Tasted by rustyRudy on 10/26/2018 & rated 95 points: Straw yellow. Since my previous bottle this has pulled everything together, smooth and polished, with ripe apple, honey, stone fruits, subtle pineapple and tropical fruit. It was interesting to see how the different flavor aspects changed as the wine went from chilled to cellar temperature, but it was always good. I see that other tasters were worried about this going over the hill, but for me this was spot on now! (1783 views) | | | Tasted by AlphaMikeFoxtrot on 5/11/2018 & rated 93 points: Aromas of flowers. Flavors of ripe peaches, ripe melons, ripe pears. A little bit of wet stone/organic earth. Butter and cream notes are present but muted. A bit of spice from the oak. Tasted next to the 2008 and this was much more restrained/Burgundian in approach, which is to say, to my liking. (392 views) | | | Tasted by bigneil on 1/24/2018 & rated 93 points: Very nice, lemon,citrus. Crisp green apple in the mouth with some light butter and oak. Holding up well for an older Kistler (1597 views) | | | Tasted by brujazz on 11/1/2017 & rated 94 points: Just a beautifully balanced wine. If Burgundy and California married their best Chardonnays to each other, this is what youd get. Consume at dinner at Cafe Bouloud in Palm Beach. The meal consisted of pumpkin ravioli, tile fish and scallops. The wine was the best of a bit of Oakland butter with lots of fruit in a long, very complex finish. (1812 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 10/7/2017 & rated 94 points: At home with Valerie and Suzy H. Last bottle of my aged Kistlers, have had mixed experience with the older ones but luckily this one did well.
From prior notes: "Medium/dark gold color. Nose of orchard fruit, stones and white flower. Plate of candied pineapple, honey, lemon, peach, wet stones. Rich texture and long finish. Rich, rounded CA Chardonnay in its prime..."
Really gorgeous at this point, fully mature, expressive and nuanced. Would drink over next 2 years for best experience (1945 views) | | | Tasted by jeffreylubowski on 9/23/2017 & rated 94 points: A remarkable wine. It's golden and sweet and veers closely towards going OTT, but somehow the acid and backbone and classic flavors pull it back. Minerals and stone with pineapples and white flowers. Really reminds me of a meursault 1er. It's a tad hot, and it won't last for that many more years, but darn this is special juice. (2025 views) | | | Tasted by IvanKrazy on 9/4/2017 & rated 92 points: Aging beautifully. Golden colored. Intense oaky nose when just opened but it disappears after a bit to reveal a nose of ripe tropical fruit that carries through the palate. Silky bodied and a strong finish that lingers for minutes. (1568 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 6/16/2017 & rated 94 points: With Jim and Subha in the cellar, a farewell party...first wine of the evening, wanted to start with a Chard that Valerie would like. Some concern with this bottle as my older Kistlers had not held up...Slightly chilled/PnP, 4 of us drank over an hour.
Prior notes: "Medium/dark gold color. Nose of orchard fruit, stones and white flower. Plate of candied pineapple, honey, lemon, peach, wet stones. Rich texture and long finish. Rich, rounded CA Chardonnay in its prime..."
Luckily this repeated, really gorgeous and expressive. The candied citrus and pineapple was present and not overdone. This wine is fully mature at this point and drinking well...would not wait.
Still great on Day 2... (1493 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 6/16/2017 & rated 92 points: In the bouquet ripe fruits and rich. On the palate very full bodied, rich and ripe. A beautiful wine. Ready now and the next few years. (1714 views) | | | Tasted by Winedad53 on 5/14/2017 & rated 93 points: Notes of toast, ripe yellow apple, Meyer lemon and vanilla, this Kistler drinks beautifully at age 7. Side by side with 2005 McCrea this was the brighter, more balanced wine that literally danced out of the glass. Drink up and enjoy over next 2-3 years. (1348 views) | | | Tasted by MemorialWineFan on 3/24/2017 & rated 92 points: Big and buttery with hints of butterscotch and pear. Very good if you like this chard style. (1457 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 12/24/2016 & rated 94 points: Christmas Eve with some cheeses and appetizers. PnP, drank over 90 minutes. Wine opened up nicely as it had air and warmed a bit in the glass, this had been in the fridge for a bit.
Rich medium/dark gold color. Nose of orchard fruit, stones and white flower. Plate of candied pineapple, honey, lemon, peach, wet stones. Rich texture and long finish. Rich, rounded CA Chardonnay in its prime.
This has improved (from memory) since last bottle, putting on weight and developing secondary characteristics. In its prime right now (IMO), would drink over next 1-2 years. My older Kistlers (06-09 vintages) did not hold up well with age. This bottle in a very different spot than some of the prior vintages, aged nicely and really drinking well. (1617 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 11/15/2016 & rated 94 points: This has taken on weight since sampled in 2013 - the lemon and tropical notes have mellowed, giving more balance to the wet stone and spice qualities. (1189 views) | | | Tasted by bzell on 11/1/2016 & rated 91 points: Really nice chardonnay but not quite what i anticipate in a kistler chardonnay. (1260 views) | | | Tasted by Wuthee on 8/26/2016: Decent out of the gate--had with pasta (homemade sauce--it's tomato season--but plain Jane, no cheese to wreck the palate--opens up very nicely (1446 views) | | | Tasted by Wuthee on 7/29/2016 & rated 94 points: Very long dry runway on the taste (1490 views) | | | Tasted by Wuthee on 7/17/2016 & rated 92 points: Decent--was expecting a little more lightning on the tongue (1340 views) | | | Tasted by VAD on 7/3/2016 & rated 95 points: Just excellent right now. 2010 and drinking fabulous right now. (1346 views) | | | Tasted by VAD on 6/10/2016 & rated 92 points: Great color. Nice balance and fruit. (1225 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2013, IWC Issue #168
(Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard Sonoma Mountain) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Kistler Producer websiteChardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeMcCrea Vineyard On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino County |
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