2006 Kistler Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard
International Wine Cellar | Rating: 94
($75) Bright gold. Flamboyantly perfumed bouquet of pear, blood orange, smoky minerals, saffron and yellow rose, with a suave overlay of oak spice. Completely stains the palate with deeply concentrated citrus and orchard fruit flavors, gaining an exotic licorice quality with air. Fleshy but focused, with excellent finishing clarity and mineral thrust. For a big boy, this is surprisingly lithe.Author: Josh RaynoldsIssue: May/June 2009Wine Spectator | Rating: 94
Intense, trim and delicate, with a subtle, tightly knit beam of rich fig, apricot, melon and spicy hazelnut flavors that build and gain depth on the finish.Author: James LaubeWine Advocate | Rating: 96
Light gold with a greenish hue, the 2006 Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard exhibits aromas and flavors of lemon oil, peaches, nectarines, guava, and caramelized spices with a subtle wood component. Full-bodied with crisp acidity as well as a long finish, it should offer lovely drinking for 7-8 years.Author: Robert Parker
Self | Rating: 95
Author: gjsantoroSelf | Rating: 96
Drink Dates: 2010-2012Author: againcSelf | Rating: 90
Smoky and oaky without much aroma now. Probably best to drink now as it tastes like the fruit has already seen better days. Tastes like papaya. Not unpleasant, but not very exciting.Drink Dates: 2010-2011Author: ebgreenb
See other similar producers:Flowers Vineyard and Winery,Aubert,Littorai
California is the heartland of wine production in the US, and the state that brought prestige to American wine thanks to the pioneers who built early wineries like Staglin, Beringer, Ridge, Mayacamas and Chateau Montelena in the 1800s. Its large geographic area ensures a great diversity in growing sites, varieties grown, and quality levels. Generalizations about the state's wines have numerous exceptions; however, a few key facts generally hold true—ample sunshine, dry weather during the growing season, and moderate winters prevail. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon continue to dominate the state's production—albeit in continually smaller percentages, as growers continue to diversify. More than 100 different varieties can be found throughout the state.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 616 bottles owned
- 127 collectors
- Average collector rating: 94
(Out of 127 collectors)