2008 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Vivid ruby-red. Deeply pitched dark berry and cherry aromas are complicated by notes of licorice, woodsmoke and dark chocolate. Lush and weighty on entry, then fresher and more lithe in the mid-palate, offering intense black raspberry and candied violet flavors with a touch of black tea. The spicy finish offers very good clarity and cling. (ST)
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard bursts from the glass with an exotic array of sweet red fruit, flowers, licorice and spices. It is a dazzling, totally beguiling wine that impresses for its sheer grace and classiness. A subtle yet precise saline-infused finish leaves a lasting impression. This is the most approachable and complete of the 2009 Kistler Pinots. (AG)
Vivid red. Drop-dead gorgeous perfume of raspberry preserves, Asian spices and fresh rose, with a deeper suggestion of violet. Sappy, penetrating and pure, with strikingly intense red fruit flavors underpinned by tangy minerality. Finishes with resonating spiciness and a lingering floral note. This wine's clarity is striking. (ST)
The 2008 Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard exhibits lots of wild berry fruit intermixed with graphite, herb and spring flower notes in its medium-bodied, luscious style. The 2008 is more open-knit and richer than the 2009 from this site. Not only have the 2008s lived up to or exceeded their potential from last year’s barrel tastings, the 2009s appear to be fabulous as well. Of course, 2008 was a much more challenging vintage and 2009 was a cool year, much like 2005, with slightly lower alcohols and higher yields than the short crop of 2008. All of the 2009 Chardonnays finished with around 14+% alcohol levels and had more minerality than usual. Kistler’s bottled 2008s were all concentrated. The 2008 Chardonnays have the potential to last even longer than the 2009s given the fact that they are even more concentrated than those wines. Tel. (707) 823-5603; Fax (707) 823-6709
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.