($90) Vibrant ruby. Aromatic, high-pitched nose combines black raspberry, cherry, violet pastille and smoky minerals. Juicy, spicy and sweet, with a supple texture and excellent complexity to the flavors of dark berries, minerals and candied flowers. As densely packed as this is, it's extremely fresh as well, finishing with a fine dusting of tannins and incisive, spicy length.

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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.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio