2/8/2011 - srigisich wrote:

Terrific bottle of aged pinot. Very balanced with lots of fruit left. The low alcohol reduced the mouthfeel and probably held it back at first but it finished for 4 minutes and actually expanded on the palate. I'd like to find more.....

4/19/2010 - srigisich wrote:

Started funky but that blew off. A bit jumbled and messy at the forepalate but had a terrific harmonious finish. I would have liked a bit more acidity and less oak/butter but the mid evolved nicely as the night went on.

4/16/2010 - srigisich wrote:

This is beautiful and at peak or just a bit past. regardless, terrific acidity and very exotic mid-palate layers. The fruits are beginning to fade but are not showing aged qualities. A truly well-made wine that surprises you at 10 years old.

5/3/2009 - srigisich wrote:

I am getting accustomed to being surprised how youthful and fresh many of the Kistler Chards from the early to mid '90s are but this one is even more surprising than usual. What terrific acidity and a fresh, clean mid. I bit short on the finish holds this back from being a great wine. Regardless, I would drink this any day and with any food.

4/8/2009 - srigisich wrote:

Why can't more producers craft chards with the harmony, character and depth of this? I am not sure this should have been opened for at least a couple more years but it does not disappoint in it's present state of balanced beaut....

3/22/2009 - srigisich wrote:

Excellent example of a wine that is built to age for years. Right now, it is firmly planted in a secondary phase, amazing when you consider this is 17 years old. The color is deeper yellow than you would think for the age but that is all that shows its true age. The nose is packed full of summer flowers and stone fruits. The palate is pure harmony. Not the longest of finishes but that may be the only shortcoming of the wine.

2/8/2009 - srigisich wrote:

Another bottle lacking acidity and rather boring. Without adequate structure, the wine tends to go right by you.

2/8/2009 - srigisich wrote:

By far the best Stony Hill chard I have tasted. This was complete and had good acidity, something that has been shockingly lacking in nearly all other '80s and '90s vintage wines. Soft and smooth with good balance. One-dimensional on the mid keeps this from being a very good wine but at least it's comforting to finally taste a aged Stony Hill with some acid.

1/28/2009 - srigisich wrote:

Close to perfection. this is steeped in a secondary phase with only a light yellow hue. Packed with intensity and snappy on the palate, this is a wine of depth and character. Terrific with a cream-sauce pasta, really cyt through the butter and cream. A fine, fine California chardonnay.

11/24/2008 - srigisich wrote:

More aged than other chards, this showed flabby and broken down. I will give it another shot soon, I have two bottles left but unless this was flawed (I don't see any signs of this), this vintage is surprisingly near death.

12/22/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Still too young to pass much judgement but I like the fruit profile here, more citric than in years past. Fairly disjointed right now, that is to be expected. Love the finish when all things start to come together.

1/22/2009 - srigisich wrote:

A departure from all of the other Arcadian chards. This was leaner with more citrus fruits on the palate and lighter in color. Still holds the full-bodied mouthfeel and profound mid-palate. It's as if Joe blended a Chablis style barrel with a Montrachet barrel. In the end, this is as balanced and stylish as a Ca. chard can be, a triumph in my eyes.

1/19/2009 - srigisich wrote:

Deep golden honey color. Nose is very profound and powerful and it continues to be on the power side. Still youthful with a way to go before it begins showing clear tertiary notes. Now it is showing a bit fat in the mid with continued oak qualities. None of this is bad and when it resolves further, they should show more underlying nuance and acidity. If you like profound aged chards (I do) then this is in your wheelhouse.

8/2/2008 - srigisich wrote:

This is my favorite of the 2006 Bjornstad chards. Leaner and more mineral dominant than the others, it reminds me of something old-world. If you like your chard earthy and firm with snappy acidity, you will love this, especially with fish or a good triple cream cheese,

7/15/2008 - srigisich wrote:

A soft nose, mineral dominant. A broad palate with firm structure that just keeps going. No butter or pineapple, just solid soft layers of stone fruits, grass, mineral and summer flowers. It does not get much better than this at this price.

12/27/2008 - srigisich wrote:

After a few clunkers, this restores my faith the Ric Forman makes great chardonnay. Still fresh after all these years, this is like your favorite uncle; the story is the same and you love it all over again. Terrific acidity, a relatively hearty mid and a exciting finish that is all over the place, this wine is about harmony in the end. Simply a very well-made wine with all the right moves.

12/26/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Terrific deep yellow/honey color. This showed good acidity and fine resolve with a fairly profound mid. It was a little rough at the finish, especially as the night went on. It is what you would expect from a Kistler, a powerful wine with intensity in every component. I would guess this could have aged a few more years as well.

12/13/2008 - srigisich wrote:

The new champion of aged chardonnays and a very unexpected pleasure. This had everything and it was all perfectly integrated. Not flashy, just solid and very well made. I need to find more.....

12/12/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Deep gold in color and showing some funk at first. That quickly blows off and after 15 minutes of some air, the funk is gone. Great acidity and balance. Firmly in a secondary phase, I love the flavors with lychee, peach, mineral, toast all present. This is firm, well balanced with a long earthy finish. Overall, one of the better aged chards I have had in the past year.

12/10/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Last tasted right after I purchased the wine upon release and I could not get by the acidity. fast forward 5 years and It is really beginning to integrate nicely. The acidity is still very snappy, I doubt that will ever diminish. However, the mid is entering into a secondary phase and wrapping itself around the structure. Fiddlestix always has that dusty, red fruit flavors reminiscent of Bien Nacido and this wine shows that side prominently. I would say this has a few more years to peak but it is worth a taste now.

10/25/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Hmmm, once again a SH lacks acidity, which you would think is the last component these wines would lack. The mid-palate has some good flavors and is relatively layered but the wine comes off almost flat.

10/16/2008 - srigisich wrote:

A bit of a disappointment. Where is the vaunted SH acidity I hear so much about? If anything, this is flabby and insipid with no real fore-palate. The only thing that saves it from a disaster is a fresh and decent mid-palate. Overall, high expectations and low performance.

12/10/2008 - srigisich wrote:

A real surprise. It took a while to awake, it was funky and clumsy at first. Firmly in a secondary phase, this is showing great ageing ability for a wine I did not expect would have the endurance. I would guess this had some serious oak when young but that is gone and I would say it has done the wine a great service. In all, a firm wine with intense components across the board. Great flavor layers and an extremely long finish. A total seafood wine and a real joy to drink (it was even better on night two).

10/8/2008 - srigisich wrote:

This chard nailed it. Still youthful, the color suggests it is but a couple years old. Nose is floral and fruity. Finally a SH that has the vaunted acidity you expect but this is more about harmony than individual characteristics. It may be subtle in every aspect but those subtleties meld into a very fine wine. This has many years left, it has barely left its primary stage. Cork was in prefect shape, maybe damp only a quarter of the way.

10/8/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Still fresh light pale yellow. Very light bodied. almost sauvignon blanc-like. Low acidity and a bit short, flavors cannot express themselves. The wine feels like it is being held back. It improves over a few hours but never really struts. In the need, nothing bad but you would like to state its case with a bit more authority.

10/8/2008 - srigisich wrote:

much like the 1994 with firm acidity and great structure. More citric flavors with honey and nutmeg. Terrific integrated flavors. Good finish as well although i could use a bit softer tannins.

7/8/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Light yellow color, just entereing secondary color characters. Snappy acidity, great framework. Fruits are tropical and citric and very fresh. Very good finish but it is a bit clipped. Overall, one of teh best Ca. aged chards I have tasted and it has a few years to go.

10/8/2008 - srigisich wrote:

This had terrific structure but was simply too old. The core was a overwhelming flavor of apple juice but if you could get by it, you see that it was probably a very good wine in 2005.

6/3/2008 - srigisich wrote:

An amzing chard with an effusive nose of mineral, flora and pear. Immpeccably balanced and full on the palate. The finish? I'll tell you when it passes, I am going to bed.

6/3/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Less interesting than teh 93 Forman, and that was a bust. There is no there, there. A flat blah wine that has qualities closer to water.

6/3/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Nothing wrong, just uninspiring. No acidity, a cloying mid and absolutely no finish.

6/1/2008 - srigisich wrote:

Very nice nose, layered mid and firm finish. Dark golden color and big bodied, this must have been a monster in its youth. I doubt it ages much longer.

12/7/2007 - srigisich wrote:

Best wine of a vertical from 1988 to 1993 that I have tasted over the past few days. Good balance, more structure than teh other aged vinatges and a smart nose of flora and dried flowers. This wine had a finish, which is more than can be said of the others.

12/8/2007 - srigisich wrote:

Nice flora on the nose, young light golden color. Some acidity up front with nice summer flowers and pit fruits on the palate. Short finish. One of teh best of a series of SH'd I have consumed over the past few weeks but still nothing to get excited about.

12/7/2007 - srigisich wrote:

There isn't much there, there. Muted nose, no structure, a shell of a wine.

12/3/2007 - srigisich wrote:

Doesn't have much depth and no front end. Goes by the palate with a whimper and where is teh nose?

12/1/2007 - srigisich wrote:

Disappointing. Flat, lacking acidity, too viscous. Not much to like here.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Cherry, some cherry and more cherry. Pure Rochioli but was a bit surprised it was Allen(usually get more spice). Regardless, this is awesome. Pure, long and intensely styled.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Typical Roch nose of red cherry, earth, smoke and toast. A spicey number with good integration and balance. THis can drink until 2008.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Intense nose wth lots of dark fruits. A bit of a stink, maybe brett. This is a beauty. Very broad, consistent and well-integrated. A must with pork.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

A bit diluted on the palate. Quiet and sedcutive, too bad it lacks punch.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Very smooth wine that shows a bit flabby. A bit hot on the finish and a bit sweet in teh mid-palate. Overall, shows like a wine made from overripe fruits.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Not old but off. Petrol nose, bitter and astringent palate. Cannot improve with time.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Big fruits, mostly dark. A very lush, soft wine that lacks some structure but the mid-palate is overwhelingly good. A real seducer.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

A funy nose with spice and sassafrass. The palate is pure RRV with spice, strawberry and very intense. It's really intense in every respect.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Nose of spice, red fruits and cedar. All goes well with sprite acidity and an exciting mid-palate but the finish is messy.

2/3/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Intense fruits on the nose albeit a bit too heavy. It's still young and a bit jumbled. THe finish is nice and suggests it improves in a few years.

2/22/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Exciting nose of hay, earth and sour red fruits. Austere, and short with a little brett but oh, what a mid-palate.

2/22/2006 - srigisich wrote:

Nose is a bit tired; smokey, pruney and candied. Elegant style with great acidity. Finish is a bit astringent and long.

1/21/2006 - srigisich wrote:

A very good wine that demonstrates the best of Sonoma. Polished fruits, fine balance and excellent integration. What a darkhorse.