2008 Chardonnay Durell Vineyards
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Tasting notes
Bright gold. A hugely aromatic bouquet evokes fresh melon, orange and pit fruits, with complicating notes of intense iodine and spices. Deeply pitched orchard fruit flavors show a strong smoky character, with juicy acidity providing shape. The iodine note repeats on the long, sappy, chewy finish, which leaves notes of pear skin and orange zest behind. I really like the interplay of richness and vibrancy here. This was made from all Wente clones.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Subtle smoke, orange marmalade, quince, white peach and brioche aromas emerge from the light gold-hued 2008 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard. This cuvee is made in a medium to full-bodied, slightly restrained, tighter style than the Dutton Ranch or the McCrea Vineyard, but it reveals considerable potential. 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.