Take more time to open than the Dutton Ranch of the previous night (same vintage). Initially very different - more austere and seemingly lacking the freshness and vitality. Ultimately it did share many of the same markers including the butterscotch but slightly less exuberant and profound. Possibly more refined palate more elegant although not as intense. Med acidity, shorter finish. WSET: profound nose after 45 min in glass. Butterscotch, vanilla, tropical banana, coconut. This wine is developing. Palate is dry, med to med+ acidity, med alc, med body. Med finish. Flavor intensity med+. Apricot, vanilla, butterscotch. Drink now.
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This has aged beautifully, even better than the Vine Hill and Dutton of this vintage. Probably 5 years of great drinking left. How lovely to drink CA chard with great secondary complexity. Nose offers almonds, sherry barrel, cumin, baked sweet potato, caramel, white pepper, hazelnut oil, and baked pear. Most of these carry through on the palate, but complexity begins to break down and drift toward oloroso after 40 minutes open, so invite friends for a veal roast , use a bit of the wine and rosemary to finish a fresh mushroom sauce, baked sweet potatoes, and don’t open this till food is served. Terrific juice!
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Light gold in color. Nose of minerals. Delicious palate of minerals, steel, butter and popcorn. Long finish and balanced. A big wine in a nice way. Fabulous!
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In the cellar with Valerie/Lauren/Eileen/Karen. They had this one opened before I got there. Nice pick by the group, I wasn't sure what to expect, I usually drink these sooner and may have lost track of these.
Really nice stuff, medium gold color, nose was white flowers, oak. Medium bodied, pears, honey, lemon. Ripe and complex, layers of flavor. Back palate had butterscotch notes and creme brûlée on the finish. Oak was there but not overwhelming and well integrated.
This is gorgeous wine, right in its drinking zone - glad I forgot about these for a few years. Great tribute to the quality you get from Kistler on the Vineyard designate wines. My best guess is to drink over next 3 years - it may surprise and keep adding depth...
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Kind of lost in the cellar, I don't typically age Kistler to any significant degree. This was a revelation. Little to no detectible oak. A bit of a hazelnut note layered on smooth medium bodied pear and lemon fruit flavors. Very Chassagne, very nice.
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Light gold color. Exotic aromas of banana, honey and creme brûlée. Ripe, complex fruit in the mouth with very depth and a long, lingering finish. This wine would have scored higher except for the fact that it lacked freshness and showed some early signs of oxidation. It appears the wine may have passed its prime drinking period.
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Served at cellar temp with Xmas rauclette. Nice showing tonight. Dark yellow in color with plenty of life. Ripe and exotic fruit with depth. Figs and some brown sugar. Well integrated oak. Serious stuff.
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This is a voluptuous, hedonistic, incredibly well balanced effort that with years of patience has finally hit its sweet spot. Drink up now because it will not get better and possibly fall over a cliff.
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Does what is says on the tin. Classic top notch US Chardonnay from a prime house. Light gold colour, rich nose, lovely in the mouth with length and complexity and plenty of stuffing. Needs food. If you are v lucky try it side by side with PM 1er cru from Leflaive
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Chardonnay Blind Tasting; 12/16/2011-12/17/2011: My WOTN. Immediately apparent on the nose is a caramel quality, with apparent vanilla. There is an incredible florality, with a turpentine quality. Several folks noticed asparagus. On the palate, orange rind, bright citrus fruit, with a honeyed quality, complicated by minerality and a finish that seems to never end. This wine is beautiful, layered, complex and lip-smackingly delicious. Wow.
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SWINE Whites Blind Dinner (Chez Leonard): This wine placed 1st in the SWINE White Blind Dinner. The experts noted hits of S'mores, a chemical scent, wet dog and Snausage. Once again we demonstrate our lack of wine knowledge doesn't prevent us from having a really good time.
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Popped and poured. Initially quite a stinky nose; something strange and "off". However, on the palate this has excellent depth with sneaky acidity but it is quite monochromatic. Over time it and at slightly warmer temperature it shows more complexity of butterscotch, creme brulee, and a slightly smoky/saline quality. Interesting but not that enjoyable.
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Beautiful golden color with a touch of green. Nose of tropical fruit and vanilla. Medium-full body; ripe chardonnay fruit with some apple, pineapple, butterscotch and wonderful finishing minerality. Balanced oak and acidity. This is delicious. Ready to drink now and should hold for several years at least.
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A little funky and rough on popping the cork. After 20 minutes, a beauty. Very burgundian to me. Medium yellow. Nice floral nose with lots of minerality. Shines on the palate. Leaning to the big side with lots of minerals, butterscotch, sea shells and peaches. Very balanced and very good. Stood up to a scallop cerviche. Reminded me of an aged Chablis Les Clos. Ready to drink.
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Another terrific effort from Kistler- Rich and succulent, with just a splash of toasted oak. A big hit with everyone- probably entering the beginnings of its prime drinking window.
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For sure high quality chardonnay. Very much american style. In prefeer the french chablis wine making. Anyway a nice experience. Best when drinking "cold tempersture".
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Burgundian in style, Malo-lactic, life in oak, etc. James Laube calls it the "smoke, campfire, roasted marshmellow", I add tastes of toasted almond in the front palette. Very good now, not sure how it could get better in time. I'm gonna drink it now. Fabulous offering
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4/7/2023 - El_Dougo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Take more time to open than the Dutton Ranch of the previous night (same vintage). Initially very different - more austere and seemingly lacking the freshness and vitality.
Ultimately it did share many of the same markers including the butterscotch but slightly less exuberant and profound. Possibly more refined palate more elegant although not as intense. Med acidity, shorter finish.
WSET: profound nose after 45 min in glass. Butterscotch, vanilla, tropical banana, coconut. This wine is developing. Palate is dry, med to med+ acidity, med alc, med body. Med finish. Flavor intensity med+. Apricot, vanilla, butterscotch. Drink now.
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10/3/2019 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aging gracefully. Well balanced without sig ox. Hints of butterscotch, lemon curd. Moderate long finish
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9/26/2019 - OenoEd Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has aged beautifully, even better than the Vine Hill and Dutton of this vintage. Probably 5 years of great drinking left. How lovely to drink CA chard with great secondary complexity. Nose offers almonds, sherry barrel, cumin, baked sweet potato, caramel, white pepper, hazelnut oil, and baked pear. Most of these carry through on the palate, but complexity begins to break down and drift toward oloroso after 40 minutes open, so invite friends for a veal roast , use a bit of the wine and rosemary to finish a fresh mushroom sauce, baked sweet potatoes, and don’t open this till food is served. Terrific juice!
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3/24/2016 - tgkswine wrote: 93 Points
I love age worthy chardonnay and this is one. It is drinking very well. Looking forward to enjoying future bottles to see how it continues to evolve.
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11/14/2015 - cos82 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Light gold in color. Nose of minerals. Delicious palate of minerals, steel, butter and popcorn. Long finish and balanced. A big wine in a nice way. Fabulous!
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10/16/2014 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Dark yellow color. Not much aroma or flavor. Cork was tight with hardly any "creep" up the cork. Seemed past or mildly oxidized.
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9/6/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: flawed
flawed - maderized...
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1/17/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
In the cellar with Valerie/Lauren/Eileen/Karen. They had this one opened before I got there. Nice pick by the group, I wasn't sure what to expect, I usually drink these sooner and may have lost track of these.
Really nice stuff, medium gold color, nose was white flowers, oak. Medium bodied, pears, honey, lemon. Ripe and complex, layers of flavor. Back palate had butterscotch notes and creme brûlée on the finish. Oak was there but not overwhelming and well integrated.
This is gorgeous wine, right in its drinking zone - glad I forgot about these for a few years. Great tribute to the quality you get from Kistler on the Vineyard designate wines. My best guess is to drink over next 3 years - it may surprise and keep adding depth...
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12/17/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Kind of lost in the cellar, I don't typically age Kistler to any significant degree. This was a revelation. Little to no detectible oak. A bit of a hazelnut note layered on smooth medium bodied pear and lemon fruit flavors. Very Chassagne, very nice.
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11/26/2013 - hsacks wrote: 91 Points
Interestingly, this wine was much fresher than the 7/17/13 bottle. However, I was a little put off by the oak.
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7/17/2013 - hsacks wrote: 91 Points
Light gold color. Exotic aromas of banana, honey and creme brûlée. Ripe, complex fruit in the mouth with very depth and a long, lingering finish. This wine would have scored higher except for the fact that it lacked freshness and showed some early signs of oxidation. It appears the wine may have passed its prime drinking period.
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12/27/2012 - MJTed wrote: 91 Points
Served at cellar temp with Xmas rauclette. Nice showing tonight. Dark yellow in color with plenty of life. Ripe and exotic fruit with depth. Figs and some brown sugar. Well integrated oak. Serious stuff.
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9/24/2012 - paulst wrote: 94 Points
Creamy maple syrup and apricot with nice length.
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8/17/2012 - Mr. Muga wrote: 95 Points
This is a voluptuous, hedonistic, incredibly well balanced effort that with years of patience has finally hit its sweet spot. Drink up now because it will not get better and possibly fall over a cliff.
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4/13/2012 - Sonoffalstaff wrote: 94 Points
Does what is says on the tin. Classic top notch US Chardonnay from a prime house. Light gold colour, rich nose, lovely in the mouth with length and complexity and plenty of stuffing. Needs food. If you are v lucky try it side by side with PM 1er cru from Leflaive
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1/14/2012 - stoneb wrote: 94 Points
In its prime drinking window. Same profile as noted before (8/12/10). Delicious CA chardonnay.
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12/16/2011 - drrobvino wrote: 95 Points
Chardonnay Blind Tasting; 12/16/2011-12/17/2011: My WOTN. Immediately apparent on the nose is a caramel quality, with apparent vanilla. There is an incredible florality, with a turpentine quality. Several folks noticed asparagus. On the palate, orange rind, bright citrus fruit, with a honeyed quality, complicated by minerality and a finish that seems to never end. This wine is beautiful, layered, complex and lip-smackingly delicious. Wow.
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8/26/2011 - paulst wrote: 95 Points
Smooth creamy and soft with perfect acidic balance; gathers flavors of apricot (soft), tangerine (soft), peach and lemon-banana.
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7/11/2011 - UTPK wrote:
Took 30 min to open up. Deep nose, some butter and good minerality. Medium bodied with good acidity. Not as fat and forward as last time a year ago.
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7/9/2011 - Pinot Evil wrote: 93 Points
SWINE Whites Blind Dinner (Chez Leonard): This wine placed 1st in the SWINE White Blind Dinner. The experts noted hits of S'mores, a chemical scent, wet dog and Snausage. Once again we demonstrate our lack of wine knowledge doesn't prevent us from having a really good time.
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6/15/2011 - paulst wrote: 87 Points
Pungent nose; some round fruit; flabby and somewhat broken down.
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2/17/2011 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Initially quite a stinky nose; something strange and "off". However, on the palate this has excellent depth with sneaky acidity but it is quite monochromatic. Over time it and at slightly warmer temperature it shows more complexity of butterscotch, creme brulee, and a slightly smoky/saline quality. Interesting but not that enjoyable.
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10/29/2010 - Adam T 12 wrote: 90 Points
I don't get this wine... $75... really? Good white wine, but worth $25 or so to me.
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9/19/2010 - spretzer wrote: 93 Points
didn't get any but everyone loved it!
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8/12/2010 - stoneb wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful golden color with a touch of green. Nose of tropical fruit and vanilla. Medium-full body; ripe chardonnay fruit with some apple, pineapple, butterscotch and wonderful finishing minerality. Balanced oak and acidity. This is delicious. Ready to drink now and should hold for several years at least.
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7/31/2010 - cos82 wrote: 93 Points
A little funky and rough on popping the cork. After 20 minutes, a beauty. Very burgundian to me. Medium yellow. Nice floral nose with lots of minerality. Shines on the palate. Leaning to the big side with lots of minerals, butterscotch, sea shells and peaches. Very balanced and very good. Stood up to a scallop cerviche. Reminded me of an aged Chablis Les Clos. Ready to drink.
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4/25/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
Another terrific effort from Kistler- Rich and succulent, with just a splash of toasted oak. A big hit with everyone- probably entering the beginnings of its prime drinking window.
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3/12/2010 - OT wrote: 88 Points
For sure high quality chardonnay. Very much american style. In prefeer the french chablis wine making. Anyway a nice experience. Best when drinking "cold tempersture".
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3/1/2010 - spretzer wrote: 91 Points
kathy dug it, didn't get any
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7/4/2009 - mkelson wrote: 88 Points
Not ready for prime time, this highly acidic Kistler was quite disappointing.
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6/20/2009 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Red CArpet: Soft; toast; creamy, meyer lemon fin, grew on me slowly but surely--builds on the palate after several tastes. Beautiful
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4/14/2009 - Rivers1488 wrote: 94 Points
Burgundian in style, Malo-lactic, life in oak, etc. James Laube calls it the "smoke, campfire, roasted marshmellow", I add tastes of toasted almond in the front palette. Very good now, not sure how it could get better in time. I'm gonna drink it now. Fabulous offering
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