Fabulous. This Kistler Vineyard is even richer than most of the Aubert Chardonnays I've had recently. Probably the best white wine I've had in the last year. Luxurious with creamy butter and ripe tropical fruits. More of a chardonnay to pair with risotto or a grilled lobster tail than a more delicate shellfish dish. No signs of decline. I would not be concerned to continue to enjoy it over the next decade.
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I hesitated to give this 90 its. Seemed very light in body and fruit. Are these wines over rated? I've stopped buying after Kistler was bought by a hedge fund.
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Light somewhat rich yellow; rich powerful nose, some citrus; rich and rounded, not creamy but a more constrained taste, wax; age shows, but in a good way
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This bottle was a little off. the fruit was nonexistent and it just was left with straw, butterscotch and vanilla. Unlike the amazing bottle I recently tasted.
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Now at 11 years old, this wine goes down as one of the best aged California chardonnays I’ve had. Shockingly big and bold bouquet of pineapple, tropical fruits and notes of limestone, the wine is still massive, with no sign of being over the hill even at 11...it has velvety, mouthcoating flavors of green apple, lemon and pineapple that evolves into a long finish of wet stones with great minerality and acidity.
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Bright yellow color. Aromas of pears and honeysuckle, white flower, grapefruit and wood spices. Ripe,rich fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Long and complex on the palate. still very fresh and delicious at 11 years of age.
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Pop and pour. Served at cellar temp (about 56). Golden yellow. Nose offers almonds and white peach. Rich and nutty, with a butterscotch note. The sweetness, however, is not candied. The butter note gives an interesting depth to the wine, almost leaning towards a sherry element.
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Golden color with a bouquet of apple, peat and honey. The wine has excellent balance between tropical fruit, acidity and a touch of caramel and oak. Delicious and long finish. Holding up amazing well for 10 year old chard.
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Golden yellow color. Honeysuckle nose. Tropical fruit and well-integrated oak with a whiff of thyme; fresh with good acidity and balance. Last of 3 bottles and clearly the best; first two were good but certainly not outstanding, while this bottle was fantastic. I don't think it was more ageing -- the others tasted more mature than this one -- but bottle variation. Drink now with a brief decant.
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Needs a little decant. All full maturity but not showing decline. Nice nose of flowers and grapefruit. The palate is full bodied and a structured white peach, pomelo, almonds and toast. The oak is pronounced but not overwhelming. Long finish with early complexity.
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This is an excellent California chardonnay. Even though my palate leans more towards the minerality of Kistler's Hudson Vineyard, the Kistler Vineyard is delicous, and more lush and opulent. The oak is very nicely balanced - present, but just giving hints of an unsalted butter on brioche character. At the moment, the wine is dominated by tropical and citrus fruits - lemon zest and grapefruit come to mind, and there is also white peaches. There are subtle grassy notes that I hope will develop more as the wine ages.
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Medium gold color. The wine opens after about twenty minutes of air. Pretty nose of peach, flowers. The palate is hedonistic and a bit exotic with flavors of pear, peach, kiwi and minerals. The body is full and long. The oak is prominent but not intrusive. Fully mature but can go for a year or two more.
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Golden colour. Fully mature, actually may have gradually begun declining. Lovely nose of peach and toast. Fleshy mid palate with minerals, lemon oil, and touch of honey suckle. Full bodied with ok balance and tad too much alcohol feel to it.
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This is terrific and still somewhat youthful. Lemon oil, pear, grapefruit. Nice lovely nose. Beautiful layered body. Only issue is this is a little heavy but it’s just a bit. Otherwise this is just terrific.
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Two bottles with consistent notes. Fully mature, but not showing any decline. Full bodied, open knit style with good balance and a long finish. Lovely fruit flavors of pears, grapefruit, minerals, flowers. My only complaint was the oak was more noticeable than I would have liked and not fully integrated into the wine otherwise I would have scored it higher.
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Unbelievable right now. Clean crisp, integrated, perfect balance. The first time I tasted a Kistler hanging at the Aubert level. I can't wait for my next bottle.
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Same note as three months ago. This is 100% ready now. Much better than Montelena 2009, more complex nose, more fruit but also more acidity and much longer finish. Perfect balance.
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Apricots, apples, peaches, lemon, floral notes, and a hint of minerality. Great appearance and a long finish. Nice acidity made it a great food match. long finish.
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After trying a flawed 2007 Kistler two weeks ago I hoped for better luck this time and indeed this is a tremendous wine. Almost too much of everything: fruit, acidity, wood this is a wine on steroids and do not expect elegance and subtlety. Combined with the right food this is a delight (in rather small doses). The balance is fine with is an accomplishment. Chardonny notes but the warmer types. Drink it now (to avoid the 2007 defects).
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Same as last year. Light colour, no premox. Fresh and complex nose, deep and dark, noticeable wood. Nose keeps changing the first hour in the glass. Full bodied. Lots of everything, fruit, acidity, wood. But everything is in balance. I like this, and I will drink my last two bottles now. No need to wait, on the contrary, they may grow tired.
At home, drank over two nights. PnP on first night, wine opened pretty quickly.
Medium gold, light haziness. Nose of melon, citrus, lemon and oak. Palate was citrus fruits, pineapple, oak and crushed rock. Something a little off with this bottle...my older Kistlers have not held together well
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Green-tinged gold. Nose of pineapple, pear, vanilla, and oaky spice. The oak is still quite prominent, surprising for the age, and rather distracting from what could be an elegant Chardonnay. (Bottle 12099)
Green-tinged straw. Nose of pear, pineapple, white flower, and vanilla. Tropical fruit and oaky vanillin on the palate, a tad fleshy. Showing a bit more oak than I had hoped given the age. (Bottle 12098)
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Pulled and let it breathe for about 30 minutes in a cooling sleeve. Thick straw color in the glass with a light floral nose. Classic buttery Cali taste with hints of pineapple and melon, great complexity and a smooth finish. Fantastic, classic chardonnay.
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Sipping and snacking at Harlan's Penthouse Hong Kong. The “man” himself waived corkage so we went big. Sipping perfectly now with gold yellow to the eye. Citrus, vanilla cream and perfect oak on the palate. Long, luscious finish. Really perfect right now!
Se mostró tropical en nariz al comienzo pero se transformó de verdad en un Chardo bizcochoso con algo de aire. En boca rico, enseñando algo de complejidad. Claramente mejor que Shafer. Tercera posición.
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Classic, but the oak did not appeal this bottle, not sure if it was me or the wine...
The wine looks yellow colored. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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Yellow with medium viscosity in the glass. Closed nose of melon, oak and citrus. Medium body with oak, olive oil, citrus, melon and stone fruit on the palate. On the simple side. Medium finish. High quality, but unmemorable and a terrible value.
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Late summer gathering with friends.: Lemon and sea breeze on the nose. Lemon and mineral on the plate, not overly tart, hint of oak. Medium finish. Very nice!
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One of the reviewers here mentioned a waxy initial taste to the wine, the first thing I noticed when opening the wine was the scent of a candle. After 45 minutes the wine still has some scent of wax, however on all other measures the wine is excellent. Great color, very long legs on the palate, stone, and a little citrus. The wine is a little waxy in the mouth but has a long steely finish. A very good wine but not my favorite Kistler
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weird plastic thing going on in the mouth immediately after popped and poured. was waxy not just in mouthfeel but literally tasted like candle wax on the palate. very strange. as this gained more air it improved and was most delicious on the last sip. somm said the wine was dumb and backwards, but to my taste it just wanted air, same as the hyde vineyard did the week before.
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Yellow with medium viscosity in the glass. Lemon oil, pineapple, apple, honeysuckle and chamomile on the nose. Medium body and oily with lemon, tropical fruit and minerals on the palate. Med-long finish. High quality, but currently showing some disjointment at any temperature and after opening. Minerals and acidity are in check, but the fruit/oak/MLF is not. Questioning whether it will integrate with cellar time.
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Rich golden color, nose of honeysuckle and citrus. Lots of pear and citrus on the palate, good minerality. A big wine with very good mouthfeel, with some oak present but not distractingly so. I'd drink this wine again in a couple of years to let all of its elements better come together, but very nice now
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An excellent wine that taste like a white burgundy. like the minerality you usually dont get in California Chardonnays. A treat; drink in high 40s as has excellent acidty.
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I served this in my wine course. My first experience with Kistler. Relatively light and elegant compared to lesser priced Sonoma chardonnays. The oak is still prominent and a bit distracting for me. For comparison, more similar in style to a modernist style oaked Chablis than to Cote de Beaune, but still not much like either. Oddly, less fruit than I would have expected, and not much minerality either. Pleasant and relatively elegant, but nothing in terms of the complexity or nuance that one could get for this price in Chablis. If I concentrate on just the oak, I can say that the oak itself is excellent despite being somewhat distracting to the rest of the wine.
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Excellent wine with luscious floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with tastes of apricots, honey and butter with a very nice mineraly long finish. Not my favorite Kistler but a great wine none the less.
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When first opened it had a very strong mineral after-taste, which was a bit overbearing but over the course of an hour or so receded a bit and as such was more pleasant. But not my favorite Kistler. I am going to let them lay down for another year or so and see if anything changes.
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Butter, honey, light fruit, hints of wood and smoke but subtle and balanced. All that is good about California style Chards, but not crisp or a lot of acid.
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Ap: Unclrear greenish dark yellow Ar: yellow fruits, barn, minerals and barrels Full bodied and rather smooth palate with good structure Very good length
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Boisé, c'était du solide, un vrai Américain sous tout ces moyens.... Un charme, beurre confit avec des mélanges d'agrume chauffé au soleil, on aurait dit qui rapprochait du Pinot... oups on est dans le Chardonnay... Je divague car les yeux fermait on m'avait servie un beaujolais ou un jeune Nouvel-Zélande Pinot Noir... Y'a aucun rapport entre tous les deux ? Faite le test... c'était un vin tout à fait admirable, d'une souplesse incroyable et d'une longueur infinie qui nosu remplie les papilles de souvenir de jeunesse
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First Wine Dinner with Friends (Toscana): Medium yellow. Flowers, rocks on nose. Palate tart lemon, minerals, grass. Oak with a light touch. Really nice. ( to me this was fairly citrusy and mineral driven others got a buttery note though not intrusively so)
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We drank this because we had two. That, and it was my birthday - why wait! We have one of them labeled to consume later this decade and I would agree with that approach. This one was young, but tasty, especially on the 2nd day.
To be clear, at first there was a metallic taste. As the wine opened, it gained more and more body. We didn't finish the bottle, but finished the next day and it drank very well. It wasn't quite the "liquid gold" that I have come to expect from Kistler, but it was very tasty and and a very good overall!
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Over the years I have been a big fan of Kistler chards, particularly some of the single vineyard bottlings. This wine, while not as complex as some of those, still offers tropical fruits, a nice balance between the fruit and the oak, and a streak of green apple on the finish. My only quibble is the QPR as this would seem more like a $35-40 wine.
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My first time trying Kistler. Very much in the same style as Aubert in my opinion. This was very nice but like the Aubert I thought it needed sometime to settle down in the bottle. Wasn't super heavy on the oak and it was nicely integrated.
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3/30/2022 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fabulous. This Kistler Vineyard is even richer than most of the Aubert Chardonnays I've had recently. Probably the best white wine I've had in the last year. Luxurious with creamy butter and ripe tropical fruits. More of a chardonnay to pair with risotto or a grilled lobster tail than a more delicate shellfish dish. No signs of decline. I would not be concerned to continue to enjoy it over the next decade.
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5/2/2021 - bcolbath wrote: 90 Points
I hesitated to give this 90 its. Seemed very light in body and fruit. Are these wines over rated? I've stopped buying after Kistler was bought by a hedge fund.
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9/18/2020 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light somewhat rich yellow; rich powerful nose, some citrus; rich and rounded, not creamy but a more constrained taste, wax; age shows, but in a good way
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9/5/2020 - daved wrote:
This bottle was a little off. the fruit was nonexistent and it just was left with straw, butterscotch and vanilla. Unlike the amazing bottle I recently tasted.
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7/15/2020 - NY Wino Likes this wine: 100 Points
Now at 11 years old, this wine goes down as one of the best aged California chardonnays I’ve had. Shockingly big and bold bouquet of pineapple, tropical fruits and notes of limestone, the wine is still massive, with no sign of being over the hill even at 11...it has velvety, mouthcoating flavors of green apple, lemon and pineapple that evolves into a long finish of wet stones with great minerality and acidity.
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7/11/2020 - Bomb Cellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exquisite. Drink now.
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6/8/2020 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Happily, this was similar to the 4/27/20 bottle.
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4/27/2020 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright yellow color. Aromas of pears and honeysuckle, white flower, grapefruit and wood spices. Ripe,rich fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. Long and complex on the palate. still very fresh and delicious at 11 years of age.
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3/14/2020 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Served at cellar temp (about 56).
Golden yellow.
Nose offers almonds and white peach.
Rich and nutty, with a butterscotch note. The sweetness, however, is not candied. The butter note gives an interesting depth to the wine, almost leaning towards a sherry element.
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11/28/2019 - plitton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was concerned that this was overcellared. It’s still drinking great—oak and butter. Drink up!
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11/9/2019 - NY Wino Likes this wine: 95 Points
Golden color with a bouquet of apple, peat and honey. The wine has excellent balance between tropical fruit, acidity and a touch of caramel and oak. Delicious and long finish. Holding up amazing well for 10 year old chard.
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10/5/2019 - stoneb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Golden yellow color. Honeysuckle nose. Tropical fruit and well-integrated oak with a whiff of thyme; fresh with good acidity and balance. Last of 3 bottles and clearly the best; first two were good but certainly not outstanding, while this bottle was fantastic. I don't think it was more ageing -- the others tasted more mature than this one -- but bottle variation. Drink now with a brief decant.
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12/28/2018 - daved Likes this wine: 96 Points
I've had a lot of bottle variation, between 91 -96. This one nailed it. 3 hour slow ox and it blew away Hobbs James chard.
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10/11/2018 - daved Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice, but not up to it's usual standards. Hope it's the bottle and not that it's starting to fade. I have 3 more to go.
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9/17/2018 - davidsm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice with strong citrus notes.
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9/17/2018 - mclanew wrote: 93 Points
Needs a little decant. All full maturity but not showing decline. Nice nose of flowers and grapefruit. The palate is full bodied and a structured white peach, pomelo, almonds and toast. The oak is pronounced but not overwhelming. Long finish with early complexity.
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8/21/2018 - Jonathan T wrote: 93 Points
This is an excellent California chardonnay. Even though my palate leans more towards the minerality of Kistler's Hudson Vineyard, the Kistler Vineyard is delicous, and more lush and opulent. The oak is very nicely balanced - present, but just giving hints of an unsalted butter on brioche character. At the moment, the wine is dominated by tropical and citrus fruits - lemon zest and grapefruit come to mind, and there is also white peaches. There are subtle grassy notes that I hope will develop more as the wine ages.
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6/17/2018 - mclanew wrote: 93 Points
Medium gold color. The wine opens after about twenty minutes of air. Pretty nose of peach, flowers. The palate is hedonistic and a bit exotic with flavors of pear, peach, kiwi and minerals. The body is full and long. The oak is prominent but not intrusive. Fully mature but can go for a year or two more.
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6/6/2018 - mclanew wrote: 92 Points
Golden colour. Fully mature, actually may have gradually begun declining. Lovely nose of peach and toast. Fleshy mid palate with minerals, lemon oil, and touch of honey suckle. Full bodied with ok balance and tad too much alcohol feel to it.
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4/26/2018 - rsquared 5 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Never take Kistler aging for granted - still drinking beautifully
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4/22/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is terrific and still somewhat youthful. Lemon oil, pear, grapefruit. Nice lovely nose. Beautiful layered body. Only issue is this is a little heavy but it’s just a bit. Otherwise this is just terrific.
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3/3/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two bottles with consistent notes. Fully mature, but not showing any decline. Full bodied, open knit style with good balance and a long finish. Lovely fruit flavors of pears, grapefruit, minerals, flowers. My only complaint was the oak was more noticeable than I would have liked and not fully integrated into the wine otherwise I would have scored it higher.
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2/27/2018 - daved Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow, blew away the Aubert 2010 Lauren
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12/27/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious pear, citrus, and mineral notes on the nose and palate with hints of oak culminating in a long finish
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11/20/2017 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Simply awesome. Cheers to Mark Bixler RIP
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11/13/2017 - All Is Whale Likes this wine:
Light and smooth. Very nice. Clean.
Got grapefruit towards the end but whatevers.
Who knew Keepin It Real had Whites !?!?
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9/27/2017 - daved Likes this wine: 95 Points
Unbelievable right now. Clean crisp, integrated, perfect balance. The first time I tasted a Kistler hanging at the Aubert level. I can't wait for my next bottle.
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1/1/2017 - UTPK wrote:
Same note as three months ago. This is 100% ready now. Much better than Montelena 2009, more complex nose, more fruit but also more acidity and much longer finish. Perfect balance.
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12/11/2016 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Apricots, apples, peaches, lemon, floral notes, and a hint of minerality. Great appearance and a long finish. Nice acidity made it a great food match. long finish.
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11/2/2016 - Bourgognefreak Likes this wine: 93 Points
After trying a flawed 2007 Kistler two weeks ago I hoped for better luck this time and indeed this is a tremendous wine. Almost too much of everything: fruit, acidity, wood this is a wine on steroids and do not expect elegance and subtlety. Combined with the right food this is a delight (in rather small doses). The balance is fine with is an accomplishment.
Chardonny notes but the warmer types. Drink it now (to avoid the 2007 defects).
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10/26/2016 - UTPK wrote:
Same as last year. Light colour, no premox. Fresh and complex nose, deep and dark, noticeable wood. Nose keeps changing the first hour in the glass. Full bodied. Lots of everything, fruit, acidity, wood. But everything is in balance. I like this, and I will drink my last two bottles now. No need to wait, on the contrary, they may grow tired.
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10/1/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 90 Points
At home, drank over two nights. PnP on first night, wine opened pretty quickly.
Medium gold, light haziness. Nose of melon, citrus, lemon and oak. Palate was citrus fruits, pineapple, oak and crushed rock. Something a little off with this bottle...my older Kistlers have not held together well
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7/23/2016 - rlove wrote: 88 Points
Green-tinged gold. Nose of pineapple, pear, vanilla, and oaky spice. The oak is still quite prominent, surprising for the age, and rather distracting from what could be an elegant Chardonnay. (Bottle 12099)
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6/18/2016 - VAD wrote: 93 Points
This wine is drinking excellent right now. Great fruit and flavor.
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5/7/2016 - rlove wrote: 89 Points
Green-tinged straw. Nose of pear, pineapple, white flower, and vanilla. Tropical fruit and oaky vanillin on the palate, a tad fleshy. Showing a bit more oak than I had hoped given the age. (Bottle 12098)
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4/20/2016 - Tamu1956 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pulled and let it breathe for about 30 minutes in a cooling sleeve. Thick straw color in the glass with a light floral nose. Classic buttery Cali taste with hints of pineapple and melon, great complexity and a smooth finish. Fantastic, classic chardonnay.
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2/15/2016 - Gordianbar wrote: 95 Points
Very well rounded, delicious but on the cusp.
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1/17/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 90 Points
A little flat, ok not great.
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9/26/2015 - j@$0n p€++y wrote: 94 Points
Like a top shelf lemon drop shot...in a good way!
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8/6/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
same as last note, wanting for more acidity for freshness. to be picky, a little heavy on the oak. being picky, as this is a high-priced wine.
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7/31/2015 - umaone Likes this wine:
With Jules and Audrey in Laguna, light golden color, fruit, sweetness and acid in balance, a delicious Chardonnay !
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7/11/2015 - Meneley wrote:
Very well balanced. Lovely notes of citrus and oak on finish.
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7/2/2015 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sipping and snacking at Harlan's Penthouse Hong Kong. The “man” himself waived corkage so we went big. Sipping perfectly now with gold yellow to the eye. Citrus, vanilla cream and perfect oak on the palate. Long, luscious finish. Really perfect right now!
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5/25/2015 - briquette wrote: 93 Points
drinking nicely. Very balanced and elegant. Surprised how much I liked it
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5/22/2015 - Miceri Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light hazy yellow; creamy buttery nose; sweet attack, lots of power, almost too overwhelming; nice wine, but on the heavy side
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5/8/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 93 Points
Ditto last note
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2/4/2015 - UTPK wrote:
Same as last year. Lovely now. Fat but with good acidity and very pleasant and elegant, high quality wood notes. Did not need much decanting
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1/18/2015 - JDRFoster wrote: 95 Points
Not a rough edge in sight, this baby has terrific balance and nicely layered flavors.
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1/9/2015 - pjgruber Likes this wine: 96 Points
Crazy good
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1/6/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 92 Points
Balanced joy too oaky. Drinking beautifully.
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12/28/2014 - KenPlace wrote: 95 Points
Boy has this imprved over my frst 91 pt tasting. Everything in balance, great depth of flavor. Wood is present but not dominant. Drinking beautifully.
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12/18/2014 - Harley1199 wrote:
Judgment of Madrid, time for aficionados plus a late dinner (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Tropical on the nose at the beginning but really transformed into a biscuity Chardo with some air.
Nice, showing some complexity on the palate.
Clearly better than Shafer.
3rd place.
Se mostró tropical en nariz al comienzo pero se transformó de verdad en un Chardo bizcochoso con algo de aire.
En boca rico, enseñando algo de complejidad.
Claramente mejor que Shafer.
Tercera posición.
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8/10/2014 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
This was very good, but a little underwhelming for the price. Oak/briny lees were more prominent, would have liked a bit more cut/acid and minerality.
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6/18/2014 - jmathews Likes this wine: 90 Points
Classic, but the oak did not appeal this bottle, not sure if it was me or the wine...
The wine looks yellow colored. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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5/22/2014 - JDRFoster wrote: 95 Points
Beautifully balanced, with reasonable alcohol for California. Lovely.
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4/6/2014 - JDRFoster wrote: 95 Points
No formal notes. Just about seamless.
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1/18/2014 - christophee wrote: 89 Points
Yellow with medium viscosity in the glass. Closed nose of melon, oak and citrus. Medium body with oak, olive oil, citrus, melon and stone fruit on the palate. On the simple side. Medium finish. High quality, but unmemorable and a terrible value.
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9/14/2013 - VAD wrote: 90 Points
This was good but not great. No overly flavorful or a long finish. Maybe will get better with time, but for the cost not really worth it.
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9/7/2013 - winopops3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Late summer gathering with friends.: Lemon and sea breeze on the nose. Lemon and mineral on the plate, not overly tart, hint of oak. Medium finish. Very nice!
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7/13/2013 - UTPK wrote:
Lovely now. Fat but with good acidity and very pleasant and elegant, high quality wood notes. Did not need much decanting.
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4/23/2013 - bzell Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of the reviewers here mentioned a waxy initial taste to the wine, the first thing I noticed when opening the wine was the scent of a candle. After 45 minutes the wine still has some scent of wax, however on all other measures the wine is excellent. Great color, very long legs on the palate, stone, and a little citrus. The wine is a little waxy in the mouth but has a long steely finish. A very good wine but not my favorite Kistler
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4/14/2013 - mike l. Likes this wine: 91 Points
weird plastic thing going on in the mouth immediately after popped and poured. was waxy not just in mouthfeel but literally tasted like candle wax on the palate. very strange. as this gained more air it improved and was most delicious on the last sip. somm said the wine was dumb and backwards, but to my taste it just wanted air, same as the hyde vineyard did the week before.
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4/13/2013 - christophee wrote: 89 Points
Yellow with medium viscosity in the glass. Lemon oil, pineapple, apple, honeysuckle and chamomile on the nose. Medium body and oily with lemon, tropical fruit and minerals on the palate. Med-long finish. High quality, but currently showing some disjointment at any temperature and after opening. Minerals and acidity are in check, but the fruit/oak/MLF is not. Questioning whether it will integrate with cellar time.
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4/7/2013 - cephomer wrote: 92 Points
Rich golden color, nose of honeysuckle and citrus. Lots of pear and citrus on the palate, good minerality. A big wine with very good mouthfeel, with some oak present but not distractingly so. I'd drink this wine again in a couple of years to let all of its elements better come together, but very nice now
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3/31/2013 - Carl Thoma Likes this wine: 94 Points
An excellent wine that taste like a white burgundy. like the minerality you usually dont get in California Chardonnays. A treat; drink in high 40s as has excellent acidty.
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1/26/2013 - juffer Likes this wine: 88 Points
I served this in my wine course. My first experience with Kistler. Relatively light and elegant compared to lesser priced Sonoma chardonnays. The oak is still prominent and a bit distracting for me. For comparison, more similar in style to a modernist style oaked Chablis than to Cote de Beaune, but still not much like either. Oddly, less fruit than I would have expected, and not much minerality either. Pleasant and relatively elegant, but nothing in terms of the complexity or nuance that one could get for this price in Chablis. If I concentrate on just the oak, I can say that the oak itself is excellent despite being somewhat distracting to the rest of the wine.
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1/23/2013 - bzell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine with luscious floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with tastes of apricots, honey and butter with a very nice mineraly long finish. Not my favorite Kistler but a great wine none the less.
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11/11/2012 - Blackiron wrote: 89 Points
When first opened it had a very strong mineral after-taste, which was a bit overbearing but over the course of an hour or so receded a bit and as such was more pleasant. But not my favorite Kistler. I am going to let them lay down for another year or so and see if anything changes.
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10/21/2012 - mkotlarz wrote: 90 Points
Butter, honey, light fruit, hints of wood and smoke but subtle and balanced. All that is good about California style Chards, but not crisp or a lot of acid.
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10/4/2012 - Invinoverytas wrote: 95 Points
I love this wine. Balanced, manageable oak, crisp, wet stone
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9/17/2012 - oeno1820 wrote: 90 Points
Tart and tightly wound, even after time open and in the glass. Mineral flavor overwhelms the fruit, leaving a slightly metallic after taste.
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9/8/2012 - Didman wrote: 95 Points
Full bodied, rich and buttery. Just what you expect from a top Kistler.
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6/23/2012 - admid wrote: 90 Points
Blind tasted
Ap: Unclrear greenish dark yellow
Ar: yellow fruits, barn, minerals and barrels
Full bodied and rather smooth palate with good structure
Very good length
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5/24/2012 - Le_Gaspesien wrote: 94 Points
Boisé, c'était du solide, un vrai Américain sous tout ces moyens.... Un charme, beurre confit avec des mélanges d'agrume chauffé au soleil, on aurait dit qui rapprochait du Pinot... oups on est dans le Chardonnay... Je divague car les yeux fermait on m'avait servie un beaujolais ou un jeune Nouvel-Zélande Pinot Noir... Y'a aucun rapport entre tous les deux ? Faite le test... c'était un vin tout à fait admirable, d'une souplesse incroyable et d'une longueur infinie qui nosu remplie les papilles de souvenir de jeunesse
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5/5/2012 - winopops3 wrote: 91 Points
First Wine Dinner with Friends (Toscana): Medium yellow. Flowers, rocks on nose. Palate tart lemon, minerals, grass. Oak with a light touch. Really nice. ( to me this was fairly citrusy and mineral driven others got a buttery note though not intrusively so)
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4/30/2012 - cdwinell wrote: 92 Points
We drank this because we had two. That, and it was my birthday - why wait! We have one of them labeled to consume later this decade and I would agree with that approach. This one was young, but tasty, especially on the 2nd day.
To be clear, at first there was a metallic taste. As the wine opened, it gained more and more body. We didn't finish the bottle, but finished the next day and it drank very well. It wasn't quite the "liquid gold" that I have come to expect from Kistler, but it was very tasty and and a very good overall!
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1/14/2012 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Over the years I have been a big fan of Kistler chards, particularly some of the single vineyard bottlings. This wine, while not as complex as some of those, still offers tropical fruits, a nice balance between the fruit and the oak, and a streak of green apple on the finish. My only quibble is the QPR as this would seem more like a $35-40 wine.
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11/18/2011 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 90 Points
My first time trying Kistler. Very much in the same style as Aubert in my opinion. This was very nice but like the Aubert I thought it needed sometime to settle down in the bottle. Wasn't super heavy on the oak and it was nicely integrated.
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