2012 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Perhaps the sexiest of all these Kistler Chardonnays, at least at present, is the 2012 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard from Carneros. This is terrific stuff, offering up notes of roasted hazelnuts, honeysuckle, juicy white currants, orange and apple blossoms. Deep, rich, full-bodied and coming across like a California version of a Premier Cru Meursault from Burgundy, this is a beauty to drink over the next 5-7 years as well.
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
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The 2012 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is not particularly expressive today, but that probably bodes well for the future. In this tasting, the Hudson is distinguished by its energy and overall structure. Hints of orchard fruit, brioche and spice open up over time, but the Hudson needs time in bottle to fully come together.
One of the more explosive wines in the range, the 2012 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard flows with layers of deep, resonant fruit. The Hudson is rich and oily on the palate, with voluptuous texture and fabulous overall balance. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy Chardonnays built on volume. Even with all of its size, the Hudson retains plenty of energy and salinity.
Perhaps the sexiest of all these Kistler Chardonnays, at least at present, is the 2012 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard from Carneros. This is terrific stuff, offering up notes of roasted hazelnuts, honeysuckle, juicy white currants, orange and apple blossoms. Deep, rich, full-bodied and coming across like a California version of a Premier Cru Meursault from Burgundy, this is a beauty to drink over the next 5-7 years as well.||The Kistler wines were bottled in November/December of 2013 and have had a good nine to ten months to recover from the bottling period. They all performed impressively well, showing perfect acids, great purity and freshness, medium to full-bodied mouthfeels and long finishes. It seems as though there have been a few subtle changes, with perhaps slightly less new oak being used than in the past, and possibly earlier bottling, but these are very minor adjustments in Kistler's Chardonnay style, which is Burgundian, but captures the essence of the beautiful fruit that is available in the viticultural Shangri-La of the diverse microclimates of Sonoma. eRobertParker.com.January, 2015
About the producer
Kistler’s Chardonnays are some of the world’s most sought-after. This cult Californian producer crafts small volumes of exceptional, rich and generous, yet mineral and precise wines. With almost the entire production sold directly to their mailing list, the wines are also incredibly hard to find.