Sorta fading. Beautiful golden color. Stunning mature nose. The taste was quite nice and mature, but a touch hollow in the midpalate. I don't see this getting any better.
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golden evolved color; maderized nose and flavors of almonds, orange oil, and a hint of butterscotch; yet another example of how these concentrated Kistlers when supported by sufficient acidity can sing in their senescence
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Another go with this one and a different story; still visually old deeply amberred with aromas of nuts and lemon peel but this bottle offered crisp acidity keeping the old flavors sharp and focused
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Deep amber; maderization amuck on this one and i dig old musty stuff like sherry,madeira,and old chards but this bottle had only oxidation with no remaining charm in the core.
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This chard was the color of apple juice with a crème brûlée nose. Initially, the mouth-feel was like typical Kistler plushness, but then it really thinned out on me as the wine aerated in the glass. A little butter with mixed ripe fruits on the palate. Citrusy finish with a touch of spice. Overall, a good wine, but I've had much better Kistlers. With food, however, this wine really was so nice - the spice and rich characteristics shined. So, definitely pair this wine with food to bring out its best.
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Light golden colour, med-full bodied viscosity. Complex nose of pear, peach, pineapple, finishing with dash of clove and nutmeg, along with a delicate caramelly butterscotch, which is matched by delicately decadent subtly spiced tropical fruit (mango) barely baked with more of same caramel. Every powerful expression for this offering synergizes with a finesse providing flavourful filling for a well structured, still lemony (acidic) upon both sides of my tongue. This wine did not work well with food (roasted capon), but ah by itself, is sublime. These flavours dance inside my mouth and tongue several minutes after tasting.
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Very big chard. Lots of stuff going on. Drinking very well now. I don't think it will improve, but can still probably last. Try last bottle in a year. I think last year's bottle showed better. It may have showed its best then.
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My first Kistler. A deep gold color as well as a very toasty profile with rich flavor and plenty of depth. I found the fruit quite lucious, but it seemed to lack acid on the back end. Should likely be drunk now as I don't know if the wine will go beyond 2010.
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Wineflock - Chardonnay Shootout (My House): Group #6, My #6 - Full golden color. Forward nose of angular yellow fruit with some spice. Opened up with a sweet note in the glass. Big sweet spicy mouthful of yellow fruit and oak. A bit over the top for me, but nice.
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6/05 honey colored - soft nose - balanced w/ stuctured oak finish which masks the fruit in a complimentary way - had to work hard to taste the fig and couldn't identify much else in the front - spice - a unique experience - great w/ dinner - finishes strong enough to eat w/ light meat dishes. 92 pts.
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Mmm, what a rich, seductive bottle of wine. Deep color. Huge notes of fig along with some butterscotch, but this has acid to back it up. Undeniably New World. Still just gorgeous, pure and far from caricatured.
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One of the best chards I've had. Great balance between big fruit and mineraliness / acidity. Very tropical on nose and pallet. Very long pallet. Drinking perfectly now, but can last.
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Could only image this in 2001 or so. Slight oak and butter, a sparkle of acidity, and a lemony grassy minelarity. Very nice, but probably past it's peak.
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Great mature chard. Color was a deep gold with nose of freshly baked bread. A big, heavy-weight wine without being overbearing. A Muhammed Ali of a wine floating and stinging but packing a big puch. An apricot cobbler without the sweetness.
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Kistler "Kistler" chardonnays; 6/1/2006-12/31/2006: A Kistler that has aged well, this one shows ripe orange fruit (melon, mango) intertwined with notes of discrete spice and darkened wood. It's LARGE and IN BALANCE, and if I had any other bottles to drink, I wouldn't hesitate to open them sooner rather than later - there's still a bit f fresh fruit left, and I'd hate to see the balance that that provides become lopsided towards "old wine"...
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Of the Kistlers I've recently had, this is one of a scant few that actually comes close to expectations. (I still don't understand all of the hype, but that's another story.) It's an oily Calichard that's not likely to be mistaken for Burgundy: it's heavily smoked with oak and feels and tastes a lot like a vanilla creamsicle. Yet there's just enough citrusy orange, apricot, and a whiff of floral perfume to keep it interesting. Also, unlike a lot of New World Chardonnays, this one isn't too hot on the finish, which is long and smooth. This is a perfect wine to serve to one's newbie friends: it's flamboyant, a little too oaky, and not particularly complex, but it's also balanced and pretty darn tasty.
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Opens with a tasty bang - no decanting required! Intense, big and unrefined tastes of tropical fruits (mango, banana) on the attack with pronounced orange (as in very ripe Valencia orange, as opposed to acidic, navel orange) on the considerable finish. Pronounced caramel, woody notes, and acid that just balances out the fruit. I think that this wine is as good as it's going to get - it's in good balance right this minute and it would be a shame to lose that fruit.
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A very nice chardonnay with bacon wrapped scallops covered with a 'mild' Thai sauce. On the tongue came a very balanced flavor of butter, vanilla, and caramel. This heated up a bit after 10 seconds or so because of the Thai sauce but soon passed and left a wonderful buttered/vanilla taste. Recommended.
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Rich golden color, this wine is a treat to swirl around in the glass and look at before consuming. Might not be quite at peak yet, but can't imagine it getting any better. Strong citrus acidity still balanced by some mango, lemon fruit notes. Just as is true with most Kistlers, it had a super thick mouth feel for a Chardonnay.
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Good but a bit dissapointing. Wonderful vanilla and toast aroma. Deep gold color. But as another reviewer mentioned, the fruit seems to be gone, and the oak was dominant and a bit overwelming.
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A disappointment. An amazing deep gold color and a silky texture. Good minerality at the start and pleasnt notes of apricots and honey. Alas, the fruit left the wine early and there was very little left. Drank the 99 McCrea, Dutton and Vine Hill in the same week with far more enjoyment. The Vine Hill was the star of the show- brilliant minerality.
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Exceptionally pure wine. Getting better. More subtle than a year ago with a beautiful clear gold color. Nose of citrus and butterscotch. Medium body and pure joy on the palate pure clean fruit butter went so well with homemade lumpmeat crab cakes.
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Deep golden color with smokey vanilla aromas. Beautiful example of what one can do with oak and chardonnay without going crazy. Citrus, pineapple, even some mango all framed by a pleasant buttered toast and oak structure. Laser beam of acidity keeps it lively. Drinking wonderfully now, will probably improve over the next couple of years.
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Dinner at home with Mom & Dad. Deep gold in color with a spicy, toasty nose, and a hint of ripe fig. This is somewhat closed aromatically even with 60 minutes in a decanter. On the palate this is lush in texture and explosive in flavor, deeply layered, very spicy and exotic with a very minerally, intense and long finish that hangs on for close to a minute. Thank goodness for the nice, acidic backbone, otherwise this would be a wood-driven monster. It has a lot of everything: acid, wood, and tropical fruit.
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2/6/2019 - ericindc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Sorta fading. Beautiful golden color. Stunning mature nose. The taste was quite nice and mature, but a touch hollow in the midpalate. I don't see this getting any better.
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1/2/2014 - JDRFoster wrote:
Showing signs of age, now full of roasted nuts, caramelized apple, lees. Balance remains nice, and it will appeal to lovers of older Chardonnays.
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9/20/2013 - Tgood wrote: 92 Points
golden evolved color; maderized nose and flavors of almonds, orange oil, and a hint of butterscotch; yet another example of how these concentrated Kistlers when supported by sufficient acidity can sing in their senescence
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9/2/2013 - drcoop wrote: 61 Points
smelled like my 3 month old's dirty diaper
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10/18/2012 - Tgood wrote: 88 Points
Another go with this one and a different story; still visually old deeply amberred with aromas of nuts and lemon peel but this bottle offered crisp acidity keeping the old flavors sharp and focused
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5/31/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Pineapple, apricots, honeysuckle. Nice bitterness. This is really good.
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5/9/2012 - Tgood wrote: 77 Points
Deep amber; maderization amuck on this one and i dig old musty stuff like sherry,madeira,and old chards but this bottle had only oxidation with no remaining charm in the core.
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4/21/2012 - cabber wrote: flawed
MBEF Wine Auction Group Dinner 2012 (Tells): Off-color; dark golden; oxidized, spoiled; suspect exposed to heat. Bought at auction, so cause of problem is unclear.
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4/1/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Pineapple, apricot, orange, nice sweetness and although rich and buttery not heavy.
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7/25/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Light gold. Honeysuckle, pineapple, apricot. In great form.
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3/27/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
Grapefruit, nuts in the nose. Seville oranges, grapefruit, butter, almonds on the palate. The bitterness is very nicely integrated.
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3/13/2010 - M DU VIN wrote: 88 Points
Slightly oxidized and clearly on the down hill.
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3/13/2010 - M DU VIN wrote: 88 Points
Slightly oxidized and clearly on the down side.
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6/9/2009 - keithgg wrote: 87 Points
Mostly oak remaining.
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10/30/2008 - KellyW wrote: 93 Points
Losing some of its vibrancy
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7/20/2008 - wineaux2 wrote: 90 Points
This chard was the color of apple juice with a crème brûlée nose. Initially, the mouth-feel was like typical Kistler plushness, but then it really thinned out on me as the wine aerated in the glass. A little butter with mixed ripe fruits on the palate. Citrusy finish with a touch of spice. Overall, a good wine, but I've had much better Kistlers. With food, however, this wine really was so nice - the spice and rich characteristics shined. So, definitely pair this wine with food to bring out its best.
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1/3/2008 - queneau wrote: 92 Points
Light golden colour, med-full bodied viscosity. Complex nose of pear, peach, pineapple, finishing with dash of clove and nutmeg, along with a delicate caramelly butterscotch, which is matched by delicately decadent subtly spiced tropical fruit (mango) barely baked with more of same caramel.
Every powerful expression for this offering synergizes with a finesse providing flavourful filling for a well structured, still lemony (acidic) upon both sides of my tongue.
This wine did not work well with food (roasted capon), but ah by itself, is sublime. These flavours dance inside my mouth and tongue several minutes after tasting.
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12/15/2007 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
Very big chard. Lots of stuff going on. Drinking very well now. I don't think it will improve, but can still probably last. Try last bottle in a year. I think last year's bottle showed better. It may have showed its best then.
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12/8/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
the last bottle of an old friend, loyal to the end.
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11/3/2007 - BradA wrote: 90 Points
My first Kistler. A deep gold color as well as a very toasty profile with rich flavor and plenty of depth. I found the fruit quite lucious, but it seemed to lack acid on the back end. Should likely be drunk now as I don't know if the wine will go beyond 2010.
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9/6/2007 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Wineflock - Chardonnay Shootout (My House): Group #6, My #6 - Full golden color. Forward nose of angular yellow fruit with some spice. Opened up with a sweet note in the glass. Big sweet spicy mouthful of yellow fruit and oak. A bit over the top for me, but nice.
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8/5/2007 - GA wrote: 92 Points
6/05 honey colored - soft nose - balanced w/ stuctured oak finish which masks the fruit in a complimentary way - had to work hard to taste the fig and couldn't identify much else in the front - spice - a unique experience - great w/ dinner - finishes strong enough to eat w/ light meat dishes. 92 pts.
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6/29/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
out of this world fabulous. evolved, integrated oak (gone!), complex, long finish...the absolute bomb.
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2/5/2007 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
Mmm, what a rich, seductive bottle of wine. Deep color. Huge notes of fig along with some butterscotch, but this has acid to back it up. Undeniably New World. Still just gorgeous, pure and far from caricatured.
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12/2/2006 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
One of the best chards I've had. Great balance between big fruit and mineraliness / acidity. Very tropical on nose and pallet. Very long pallet. Drinking perfectly now, but can last.
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11/10/2006 - VinoRico wrote: 92 Points
Could only image this in 2001 or so. Slight oak and butter, a sparkle of acidity, and a lemony grassy minelarity. Very nice, but probably past it's peak.
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10/28/2006 - babnik wrote: 93 Points
Great mature chard. Color was a deep gold with nose of freshly baked bread. A big, heavy-weight wine without being overbearing. A Muhammed Ali of a wine floating and stinging but packing a big puch. An apricot cobbler without the sweetness.
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8/26/2006 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
STRAWBERRIES, MELONS, NUTS, AND OAK IN THE NOSE WITH PEACHES AND CITRUS IN THE FLAVOR. NICE ACIDITY AND COMPLEXITY. LONG FINISH.
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7/30/2006 - Melli wrote: 89 Points
Although a nice bottle, the wine lacked structure and finish. We concluded it was a solid wine...but past prime.
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6/23/2006 - jbaron wrote: 93 Points
Kistler "Kistler" chardonnays; 6/1/2006-12/31/2006: A Kistler that has aged well, this one shows ripe orange fruit (melon, mango) intertwined with notes of discrete spice and darkened wood. It's LARGE and IN BALANCE, and if I had any other bottles to drink, I wouldn't hesitate to open them sooner rather than later - there's still a bit f fresh fruit left, and I'd hate to see the balance that that provides become lopsided towards "old wine"...
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3/16/2006 - Stephan O wrote: 92 Points
Of the Kistlers I've recently had, this is one of a scant few that actually comes close to expectations. (I still don't understand all of the hype, but that's another story.) It's an oily Calichard that's not likely to be mistaken for Burgundy: it's heavily smoked with oak and feels and tastes a lot like a vanilla creamsicle. Yet there's just enough citrusy orange, apricot, and a whiff of floral perfume to keep it interesting. Also, unlike a lot of New World Chardonnays, this one isn't too hot on the finish, which is long and smooth. This is a perfect wine to serve to one's newbie friends: it's flamboyant, a little too oaky, and not particularly complex, but it's also balanced and pretty darn tasty.
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2/12/2006 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
Big wine. Lots of fruit, butterscotch, mineraliness. Drinking great now, but can last. Consistent notes over 2 days.
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2/4/2006 - jbaron wrote: 93 Points
Opens with a tasty bang - no decanting required! Intense, big and unrefined tastes of tropical fruits (mango, banana) on the attack with pronounced orange (as in very ripe Valencia orange, as opposed to acidic, navel orange) on the considerable finish. Pronounced caramel, woody notes, and acid that just balances out the fruit. I think that this wine is as good as it's going to get - it's in good balance right this minute and it would be a shame to lose that fruit.
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12/11/2005 - Russ wrote: 90 Points
A very nice chardonnay with bacon wrapped scallops covered with a 'mild' Thai sauce. On the tongue came a very balanced flavor of butter, vanilla, and caramel. This heated up a bit after 10 seconds or so because of the Thai sauce but soon passed and left a wonderful buttered/vanilla taste. Recommended.
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11/25/2005 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Lemon, green apple, mineral notes, slight butterscotch.
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9/15/2005 - etirer wrote: 92 Points
Rich golden color, this wine is a treat to swirl around in the glass and look at before consuming. Might not be quite at peak yet, but can't imagine it getting any better. Strong citrus acidity still balanced by some mango, lemon fruit notes. Just as is true with most Kistlers, it had a super thick mouth feel for a Chardonnay.
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9/9/2005 - jpelote wrote: 86 Points
Good but a bit dissapointing. Wonderful vanilla and toast aroma. Deep gold color. But as another reviewer mentioned, the fruit seems to be gone, and the oak was dominant and a bit overwelming.
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5/24/2005 - keithgg wrote: 88 Points
A disappointment. An amazing deep gold color and a silky texture. Good minerality at the start and pleasnt notes of apricots and honey. Alas, the fruit left the wine early and there was very little left. Drank the 99 McCrea, Dutton and Vine Hill in the same week with far more enjoyment. The Vine Hill was the star of the show- brilliant minerality.
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4/16/2005 - Mike V wrote: 93 Points
This is consitantly a beautiful bottle. I can't keep my hands off. Thick deep golden color. Lovely restrained nose. Thick beautiful mouthfeel
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2/27/2005 - Mike V wrote: 93 Points
Exceptionally pure wine. Getting better. More subtle than a year ago with a beautiful clear gold color. Nose of citrus and butterscotch. Medium body and pure joy on the palate pure clean fruit butter went so well with homemade lumpmeat crab cakes.
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11/10/2003 - babnik wrote: 92 Points
Deep golden color with smokey vanilla aromas. Beautiful example of what one can do with oak and chardonnay without going crazy. Citrus, pineapple, even some mango all framed by a pleasant buttered toast and oak structure. Laser beam of acidity keeps it lively. Drinking wonderfully now, will probably improve over the next couple of years.
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11/9/2003 - Eric wrote: 91 Points
Dinner at home with Mom & Dad. Deep gold in color with a spicy, toasty nose, and a hint of ripe fig. This is somewhat closed aromatically even with 60 minutes in a decanter. On the palate this is lush in texture and explosive in flavor, deeply layered, very spicy and exotic with a very minerally, intense and long finish that hangs on for close to a minute. Thank goodness for the nice, acidic backbone, otherwise this would be a wood-driven monster. It has a lot of everything: acid, wood, and tropical fruit.
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2/14/2003 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Great mineral notes, smooth and crisp
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