Super dark in color spooked me but there was just a razor's edge of freshness left that kept this "drinkable".. Not flawed per se, loads of butterscotch / bread notes.. But after a few sips each person at the table was "maxxed out" hehe..
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Finally a Kistler that aged well! Golden color with a nose of smoke, pineapple and buttery caramel. The wine still has delicious fruit, good acidity and a mouth coating velvety finish that lasts for over 1 minute. Been saving this bottle for a while and glad I popped it tonight. What is most impressive is that I am finishing up the bottle after opening it 5+ hours ago and it is still delicious. No signs of oxidation or nuttiness that I have found to be very prevalent with the 2002 and 2004s.
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Christmas Dinner with the family. Nose is going through the change. Time to drink this wine up. Drinking perfect right now. Color golden yellow to light brown.
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Kistler chards truly are one of the few that age so gracefully like a fine, white burgundie. And this Kistler Vineyard bottling was so balanced and seasoned with pale notes of almonds and apricots. There was just the right amount of oak on the nose and the wine still had a great finish. A truly great Kistler that deserves high ratings..
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After two over-the-hill 1999 Cuvee Cathleens I opened recently, I crossed my fingers on this one. What a surprise! This wine was shockingly good. Exhibiting the classic greenish gold color of a great Kistler, this wine had it all. Aromas of white flowers, almonds and lemon oil. Ripe, beautifully structured fruit in the mouth with great depth and complexity. Very long, clean finish. Like a Grand Cru white Burgundy of the same age.
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Still has plenty of life to it...not as rich and oily as some younger Kistler Kistler but still has nicely extracted fruit withvery good balance, structure and length.
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Casual dinner at Ken's place (Northbrook, IL): Bright golden yellow colour. Nose is dominated by buttery and toasty flavours over butterscotch and some white fruits. Mellow and slightly soft on the palate with more toast and honeyed white fruits and a slightly oxidative note, lacking a bit in acidity and cut. Medium length finish.
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This is a nice-drinking, rich, layered example of a wine that's lasted onger than I expect most equivalents to last. The nose is reticent, but the mouth is booming, with minerals and white flowers and white citrus and orange and white pitted fruit. The length is good, but not fantastic - the wine's primary flaw - but it does little to detract from the memory of the very nice, very overt tastes.
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Now, finally -- after about six or seven tries -- I'm starting to see why people make a big deal about Kistler. This one seems more Burgundian than Californian. It's hay-colored and slightly cloudy. It has that "liquid minerality" that Parker sometimes talks about, along with lemon oil and almond. A stiff backbone of acid and a lack of overt oakiness make this a better food wine than many Calichards. Lovely balance, and a decent finish, too. Probably the best Kistler that I've had to date (though the 2000s from the other vineyards run close behind).
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Kistler "Kistler" chardonnays; 6/1/2006-12/31/2006: Impressively mouthfilling wine, with lemony, leesy, spicy tastes. Very long length that builds a bit after the sip is finished, leading to a wonderful feeling. Very nice.
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On the nose, white flowers, oranges, pear and oak. On the palate, this full bodied Chardonnay features minerals, lemon, pears, coconut, toasted marshmallows and some oak. Long finish, with hazelnut adding to the oak which acts as an accent, rather than the dominating feature.
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Nice acidity but also lots of oak. The fruit really didn't start showing up until the wine had been in the glass for awhile. I think this needed a nice 45 minute decant.
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I really wanted to be more impressed with this wine than I was but it was not to be. It had a very fine nose and middle of butterscotch and citrus oils but was very short on the finish. There was a metallic note on the finish that I did not care for. This may be my own palate issue but generally I really like most Kistler chards. Maybe it's on the downslope?
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Kistler Chardonnay Blind Tasting (Chicago IL): Single blind Kistler tasting. Good balance of fruit to start - lemon, apple, peach - but oak dominates nose today. Good lemon and lemon zest flavors in middle. give this a little more time for oak to integrate, I hope 2008 or so.
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Kistler Chards 1994-2002 TN (Long) (F. Patterson - Chicago): Toasty nose with butterscotch and rich apple fruits. Soft oaky apple flavors with nice baking spice edge on the finish. Started out slow, but builds nice intensity thru mid-palate and into finish. Balanced by good acid and essence of lemon. Still, relative to other Kistler's lacking a bit of complexity and richness.
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Kistler Chard Tasting - My #8, Group #9. Full yellow. Pale aroma of white fruit and acidity. Nice bbalanced rich sour white fruit. Clean acidity on the finish. 8/04
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11/9/2020 - danstrings wrote: 85 Points
Super dark in color spooked me but there was just a razor's edge of freshness left that kept this "drinkable".. Not flawed per se, loads of butterscotch / bread notes.. But after a few sips each person at the table was "maxxed out" hehe..
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8/24/2012 - M DU VIN wrote: 91 Points
Still a nice bottle of wine. Good acidity and still has nice fruit.
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4/22/2012 - NY Wino wrote: 97 Points
Finally a Kistler that aged well! Golden color with a nose of smoke, pineapple and buttery caramel. The wine still has delicious fruit, good acidity and a mouth coating velvety finish that lasts for over 1 minute. Been saving this bottle for a while and glad I popped it tonight. What is most impressive is that I am finishing up the bottle after opening it 5+ hours ago and it is still delicious. No signs of oxidation or nuttiness that I have found to be very prevalent with the 2002 and 2004s.
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3/13/2012 - M DU VIN wrote: 90 Points
No signs of oxidation -- unlike many older Kistler chardonnays. Nice balance and acidity.
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3/13/2011 - dtjhio wrote: 82 Points
Still hanging on, but past it's prime. Butter and caramel on the nose, slight citrus notes on the palate.
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2/15/2009 - trevor wrote: 88 Points
Deep golden in color. Too old for my taste.
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12/27/2008 - G SQUARED wrote: 91 Points
Christmas Dinner with the family. Nose is going through the change. Time to drink this wine up. Drinking perfect right now. Color golden yellow to light brown.
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8/6/2008 - Herb K wrote:
Kistler that tastes like apricots and honey in the mouth with just the right amount of oak -- not too much. Ages so well.
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7/13/2008 - Herb K wrote:
Kistler chards truly are one of the few that age so gracefully like a fine, white burgundie. And this Kistler Vineyard bottling was so balanced and seasoned with pale notes of almonds and apricots. There was just the right amount of oak on the nose and the wine still had a great finish. A truly great Kistler that deserves high ratings..
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5/31/2008 - JBVino wrote:
love this cool vintage for CA chard...my last bottle...golden color, complex, great secondary flavors, good acidity...what I want from aged CA chards
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4/24/2008 - hsacks wrote: 94 Points
After two over-the-hill 1999 Cuvee Cathleens I opened recently, I crossed my fingers on this one. What a surprise! This wine was shockingly good. Exhibiting the classic greenish gold color of a great Kistler, this wine had it all. Aromas of white flowers, almonds and lemon oil. Ripe, beautifully structured fruit in the mouth with great depth and complexity. Very long, clean finish. Like a Grand Cru white Burgundy of the same age.
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4/13/2008 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
CRISP FRUIT, CITRUS AND APPLES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. NICE ACIDITY AND COMPLEXITY WITH A LONG FINISH.
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3/17/2008 - hsacks wrote: 92 Points
Still has plenty of life to it...not as rich and oily as some younger Kistler Kistler but still has nicely extracted fruit withvery good balance, structure and length.
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1/26/2008 - salil wrote: 88 Points
Casual dinner at Ken's place (Northbrook, IL): Bright golden yellow colour. Nose is dominated by buttery and toasty flavours over butterscotch and some white fruits. Mellow and slightly soft on the palate with more toast and honeyed white fruits and a slightly oxidative note, lacking a bit in acidity and cut. Medium length finish.
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12/21/2007 - jbaron wrote: 94 Points
This is a nice-drinking, rich, layered example of a wine that's lasted onger than I expect most equivalents to last. The nose is reticent, but the mouth is booming, with minerals and white flowers and white citrus and orange and white pitted fruit. The length is good, but not fantastic - the wine's primary flaw - but it does little to detract from the memory of the very nice, very overt tastes.
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11/24/2007 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Still tight & focused. Could have used more time, but drank well over 3 hrs.
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9/29/2006 - Stephan O wrote: 93 Points
Now, finally -- after about six or seven tries -- I'm starting to see why people make a big deal about Kistler. This one seems more Burgundian than Californian. It's hay-colored and slightly cloudy. It has that "liquid minerality" that Parker sometimes talks about, along with lemon oil and almond. A stiff backbone of acid and a lack of overt oakiness make this a better food wine than many Calichards. Lovely balance, and a decent finish, too. Probably the best Kistler that I've had to date (though the 2000s from the other vineyards run close behind).
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9/6/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 92 Points
Ventura, Labor Day, 2006
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9/6/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 92 Points
Ventura, Labor Day, 2006
Great for the beach
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7/8/2006 - jbaron wrote: 94 Points
Kistler "Kistler" chardonnays; 6/1/2006-12/31/2006: Impressively mouthfilling wine, with lemony, leesy, spicy tastes. Very long length that builds a bit after the sip is finished, leading to a wonderful feeling. Very nice.
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6/17/2006 - shine wrote: 93 Points
Citrus initially, m inerality and a hint of roasted peppers. Very well integrated with nice acidity. Improved from last bottle.
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4/30/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 93 Points
sooth, round mouth. very subtle oak and butter. fantastic chard. tastes like it is just entering its best phase.
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4/19/2006 - SacredCow wrote: 93 Points
On the nose, white flowers, oranges, pear and oak. On the palate, this full bodied Chardonnay features minerals, lemon, pears, coconut, toasted marshmallows and some oak. Long finish, with hazelnut adding to the oak which acts as an accent, rather than the dominating feature.
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4/1/2006 - shine wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied with lots of lemon, and sweetness with a backround of oak.
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3/2/2006 - skwid wrote:
Nice acidity but also lots of oak. The fruit really didn't start showing up until the wine had been in the glass for awhile. I think this needed a nice 45 minute decant.
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9/2/2005 - Winetex wrote: 89 Points
I really wanted to be more impressed with this wine than I was but it was not to be. It had a very fine nose and middle of butterscotch and citrus oils but was very short on the finish. There was a metallic note on the finish that I did not care for. This may be my own palate issue but generally I really like most Kistler chards. Maybe it's on the downslope?
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8/4/2005 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Kistler Chardonnay Blind Tasting (Chicago IL): Single blind Kistler tasting. Good balance of fruit to start - lemon, apple, peach - but oak dominates nose today. Good lemon and lemon zest flavors in middle. give this a little more time for oak to integrate, I hope 2008 or so.
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8/4/2005 - KenK wrote: 88 Points
Kistler Chards 1994-2002 TN (Long) (F. Patterson - Chicago): Toasty nose with butterscotch and rich apple fruits.
Soft oaky apple flavors with nice baking spice edge on the finish. Started out slow, but builds nice intensity thru mid-palate and into finish. Balanced by good acid and essence of lemon. Still, relative to other Kistler's lacking a bit of complexity and richness.
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7/19/2005 - brianofthevine wrote: 91 Points
Green apple, lemon, citrus, and mineral notes.
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3/5/2005 - rosey wrote:
wonderful - as always
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8/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Kistler Chard Tasting - My #8, Group #9. Full yellow. Pale aroma of white fruit and acidity. Nice bbalanced rich sour white fruit. Clean acidity on the finish. 8/04
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10/1/2003 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Floral, mineral nose; rich, lemon, oaky mid-palate, good concentration; minerals on the long finish
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