($90) Bright yellow-gold. Deep, musky aromas of poached pear, peach pit, iodine, smoked meat and yellow rose. Fleshy, palate-coating orchard and pit fruit flavors display outstanding depth, with strong floral, herbal and mineral qualities adding complexity. The finish is a wall of deep, powerful fruit and mineral notes that refuses to let go of the palate. This is all Wente clone and the richest chardonnay of this year's line-up from Kistler.

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The 2006 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvee Cathleen, from a specific block of that site, reveals flowery white currant, peach, and tropical fruit notes interwoven with undeniable minerality and impressive acidity. A full-bodied Chardonnay with excellent density, ripeness, and length, it should drink well for a decade. Another impressive group of Chardonnays from Steve Kistler, these 2006s are unmistakably Burgundian in their aromatics, textures, and flavor profiles. Kistler has given up on the highly fashionable Dijon clones, relying on old California clones, primarily old Wente selections.

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