Bright, crisp, citrus, pineapple and tropical fruits
I always do my tasting notes before I look at my previous notes or that of others. Other people’s experience seems all over the place! Bottle variation or different palates?
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A bit disappointing. Fine but really drinks like a $25 new world chard.
Nose not super intense, smells over-oaked with a lot of warm climate pineapple and lychees. A little bit nutty.
Nuttiness and lemon curd add complexity to the flavor, but lower acidity combined with those tropical fruits make this feel pretty flabby. Finish is only medium.
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Very interesting nose on this one. Kiwi, butterscotch, macadamia, and citrus, with an almost salty mineralogy. It was medium/full-bodied with a slight smokiness. The acidity was mild, but remained constant thru the long finish. Honeydew notes on palate, along with the expected tropical fruit notes and some warm spice. Very well structured.
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Fruit notes of pineapple and lychee. Great nose with fruit, caramel, and nuttiness. Drinking at its prime. Vanilla/oak became more subtle with time. Nice mineralty. Very long finish. One of the best Kistler Chardonnay’s I’ve ever had! Opened and drank immediately at cellar temp/unchilled. Rave reviews from my very picky wine friends. Wish I had bought more of the Durrell.
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A bit past its prime I’m afraid. Some tropical notes of pineapple but fruit has mostly left. Nice mouthfeel with tertiary aged white wine notes of caramel and candied orange peel.
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nice chard from CA, enough acidity to feel slightly burgy, but with a hint of sweetness -- which wasn't overdone... fruit felt like half way btwn citrus and tropical
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Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Only 30 feet away from Stone Flat but a very different wine. Slightly more ripe and less mineral. On palate, also a very long finish but riper, less Smarties, more fruit. Still amazing but I like Stone Flat a touch better.
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This is the 3rd in the line of the 2015 Kistler’s that I have had (including the Stone Flat and Vine Hill). Unfortunately, it is the weakest of the three primarily due to it not being nearly as complex. Baked apples with cinnamon spice, lemon, chalky texture. Good acidity. A short, and warm, finish.
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A big nose that has a mineral flintiness to it. Very nice without the overpowering oakiness many chardonnays that are trying to impress seem to have. At first is quite reserved on the palate and as promised on the nose, not an oak bomb. Lots of mineral and a reserved fruitiness. No particular fruit but an overall very smooth and pleasant presentation with some phenolic on the back of the tongue. Terrific bottle of wine that makes me glad I have more to see how it ages. Well worth the price of admission.
Really woke up after 30 minutes. Tropical fruits, peach, lemon peel, creme brûlée, and a very pleasant acidity. Superb example of a chardonnay, everything I like in a white wine.
@ Kistler Vineyards. The Durrell vineyard is located on a volcanic river bed. Notes of 'volcanic' rock, is that possible? The nose is beautiful, however the palate is less impressive but still has good acidity. I was really expecting to love this by the nose but fell short on the taste. This definitely wins the best smelling wine of the day. I could keep smelling this wine all day.
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12/9/2023 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright, crisp, citrus, pineapple and tropical fruits
I always do my tasting notes before I look at my previous notes or that of others. Other people’s experience seems all over the place! Bottle variation or different palates?
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10/23/2023 - Marc Pascal wrote: 92 Points
Dana, Maddy Marnie and john
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2/20/2023 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit disappointing. Fine but really drinks like a $25 new world chard.
Nose not super intense, smells over-oaked with a lot of warm climate pineapple and lychees. A little bit nutty.
Nuttiness and lemon curd add complexity to the flavor, but lower acidity combined with those tropical fruits make this feel pretty flabby. Finish is only medium.
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6/16/2022 - DickMull wrote: 92 Points
Very interesting nose on this one. Kiwi, butterscotch, macadamia, and citrus, with an almost salty mineralogy. It was medium/full-bodied with a slight smokiness. The acidity was mild, but remained constant thru the long finish. Honeydew notes on palate, along with the expected tropical fruit notes and some warm spice. Very well structured.
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3/20/2022 - Seezer88 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fruit notes of pineapple and lychee. Great nose with fruit, caramel, and nuttiness. Drinking at its prime. Vanilla/oak became more subtle with time. Nice mineralty. Very long finish. One of the best Kistler Chardonnay’s I’ve ever had! Opened and drank immediately at cellar temp/unchilled. Rave reviews from my very picky wine friends. Wish I had bought more of the Durrell.
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8/11/2021 - Thief Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit past its prime I’m afraid. Some tropical notes of pineapple but fruit has mostly left. Nice mouthfeel with tertiary aged white wine notes of caramel and candied orange peel.
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2/7/2021 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
nice chard from CA, enough acidity to feel slightly burgy, but with a hint of sweetness -- which wasn't overdone... fruit felt like half way btwn citrus and tropical
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3/7/2020 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tropical aromas of pineapple and lychee. Super silky on the palate.
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5/1/2019 - ccn wrote: 87 Points
I can’t get past the overwhelming oak vanillin that dominates. Feels like good minerals and acidity underneath but hard to say.
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1/12/2019 - tak4 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bay Area Wine Tour; 1/11/2019-1/15/2019 (Bay Area, CA): Only 30 feet away from Stone Flat but a very different wine. Slightly more ripe and less mineral. On palate, also a very long finish but riper, less Smarties, more fruit. Still amazing but I like Stone Flat a touch better.
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9/9/2018 - jgreco Does not like this wine: 90 Points
This is the 3rd in the line of the 2015 Kistler’s that I have had (including the Stone Flat and Vine Hill). Unfortunately, it is the weakest of the three primarily due to it not being nearly as complex. Baked apples with cinnamon spice, lemon, chalky texture. Good acidity. A short, and warm, finish.
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2/11/2018 - smurfmacaw Likes this wine: 95 Points
A big nose that has a mineral flintiness to it. Very nice without the overpowering oakiness many chardonnays that are trying to impress seem to have. At first is quite reserved on the palate and as promised on the nose, not an oak bomb. Lots of mineral and a reserved fruitiness. No particular fruit but an overall very smooth and pleasant presentation with some phenolic on the back of the tongue. Terrific bottle of wine that makes me glad I have more to see how it ages. Well worth the price of admission.
Really woke up after 30 minutes. Tropical fruits, peach, lemon peel, creme brûlée, and a very pleasant acidity. Superb example of a chardonnay, everything I like in a white wine.
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12/28/2017 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 90 Points
Apples, big acidity, tight minerality,chalky. A-
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11/28/2017 - Otaku Oenophile Likes this wine: 94 Points
The structure is the most I've ever had in a white wine. Sorta like a fuzzy sensation on the palate.
This this what they mean by phenolic?
I get notes of pear, pineapple, guava, chamomile with lingering caramel followed by some rocky minerality.
I though I would get an oak bomb but that's not what this is at all.
It's extremely well balanced and there's enough fruit I've enjoyed it better than any french white I've had so far.
Although I can admit it's very complex and goes well with food I personally enjoy more over the top styles that may be better off drinking alone.
If anyone can let me know which vineyards to chose for their January release that would be great!
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11/22/2017 - nywine68 wrote: 91 Points
A little less complexity than the Hudson
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9/1/2017 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 93 Points
@ Kistler Vineyards. The Durrell vineyard is located on a volcanic river bed. Notes of 'volcanic' rock, is that possible? The nose is beautiful, however the palate is less impressive but still has good acidity. I was really expecting to love this by the nose but fell short on the taste. This definitely wins the best smelling wine of the day. I could keep smelling this wine all day.
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