Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard, Kistler Vineyards 2007

Previously recommended, no tastng note given.

Following the brilliant success of Kistler’s 2007s, Steve Kistler and his sidekick, Mark Bixler, deserve kudos for what they have achieved in the more challenging 2008 vintage. This is the first vintage in which 100% of the fermentations were indigenous, and, fortunately, all their Sonoma Coast vineyards were far enough south that they were not tainted by any of the smoke from the ferocious fires that spread through Mendocino. The 2008s appear to be slightly more fruit-forward, with a touch less minerality than the 2007s. They are full-bodied, impressively endowed wines, with the Chardonnays best drunk during their first 5-7 years of life, and the Pinot Noirs during their first 10-12.

The 2007 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard reminds me of a Corton-Charlemagne with its notes of white peach, unbuttered popcorn, honeysuckle, and that liqueur of crushed rocks. This dry-farmed vineyard planted with old Wente and Mt. Eden clones (the preferred choice of Steve Kistler and his sidekick Mark Bixler) has produced a full-bodied, powerful, mineral-dominated wine with great acidity and a long finish. With almost a tannic structure superimposed on the enormous fruit, this wine should drink well for at least a decade.