2002 Kistler - Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen Chardonnay - USA - California - Sonoma - White

($75; this wine has come from the Kistler Vineyard for the past five years but notes this on the 2002 label for the first time) Full yellow. Very ripe aromas of orange zest, pineapple, cotton candy, nutmeg and dusty stone. Superrich, concentrated and sweet, with an almost candied suggestion of orange peel. More about sheer fruit than most of the foregoing chardonnays. But this offers terrific sappiness, impressive size and breadth, and outstanding palate-staining length. The last three vintages of this bottling have been especially impressive.

The 2002 Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen appeared more subdued than the Vine Hill and Kistler. I doubt that is actually the case, but that is the way it tasted. Nevertheless, you can serve me this wine any time, any day ... it's that good. Powerful and rich, with a striking minerality, it comes across like a Coche Dury Corton-Charlemagne that's been ratcheted up a few levels. Extremely well-delineated, but still playing it close to the vest, it is a spectacular Chardonnay that should hit its peak in 2 years, and last for a decade.