2009 Pinot Noir Cuvee Natalie
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Tasting notes
Both 2009 Pinots are striking. The Pinot Noir Silver Belt Vineyard Cuvée Natalie is lifted, savory and aromatic, while the Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth is more overt and fruit-driven in style. Both wines remain quite primary, though, so readers who prefer more tertiary nuances will want to give the 2009s a few more years in the cellar. I am down to my last few bottles, and hope to have the patience to wait for the wines to enter their sweet spot.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright ruby-red. Primary red and dark berry aromas are complicated by potpourri, sandalwood and Asian spices. Highly perfumed in the mouth, offering sweet black raspberry and cherry flavors brightened by a touch of blood orange. Juicy, penetrating and pure on the very long finish.
The 2009 Pinot Noir Silver Belt Cuvee Natalie is a deep, dense wine imbued with black cherries, spices, violets, mint and crushed rocks. It possesses stunning depth and richness, all supported by a persistent vein of minerality that gives the wine its focus and energy. The Cuvee Natalie is pure, powerful and simply a beauty to behold in the glass.
The 2009 Pinot Noir Silver Belt Cuvee Natalie is a deep, dense wine imbued with black cherries, spices, violets, mint and crushed rocks. It possesses stunning depth and richness, all supported by a persistent vein of minerality that gives the wine its focus and energy. The Cuvee Natalie is pure, powerful and simply a beauty to behold in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. I was blown away by these wines from Steve Kistler, his partner Mark Bixler and assistant winemaker Jason Kesner. Over the last few years Kistler has refined his approach, as he wasn’t totally satisfied by the way some of his earlier wines had developed in bottle. Today Kistler is picking his Chardonnays at lower Brix levels, using less French oak (with no stirring of the lees) and keeping the wines in barrel for a shorter amount of time, all in an effort to preserve as much freshness as possible. The result is wines that are totally different in style from past years. The Pinots see a maximum of 50% new oak barrels and that number will continue to trend downwards over the next few years. The 2009 harvest started around September 4 for both Chardonnay and Pinot. The 2009s were bottled in December 2010. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2010s, as they had been bottled just prior to my visit. I will taste those wines in October, 2012. A frequent source of frustration among Wine Advocate readers has been the lack of in-the-bottle reviews for Kistler wines. Beginning this year, all wines tasted from barrel will be subsequently reviewed from bottle as well. Readers who haven’t tasted the Kistler wines in some time owe it to themselves to do so. These are some of the most thrilling wines being made in California today. Tel. (707) 823-5603, www.kistlervineyards.com
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.