2007 Chardonnay Durell Vineyards
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Tasting notes
Vivid yellow. Pungent scents of citrus pith, pear, sweet butter, toasted bread and smoky minerality. Smooth on entry, then tighter, stonier and less showy in the middle palate, with terrific spicy intensity to its citrus and floral flavors. Builds slowly and impressively, finishing with palate-staining, mineral-laced flavors of orange and bitter quinine. This intriguing wine smells like a Meursault and tastes like a Chablis. Kistler told me that its malo took forever to finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Previously recommended, no tastng note given. Following the brilliant success of Kistler’s 2007s, Steve Kistler and his sidekick, Mark Bixler, deserve kudos for what they have achieved in the more challenging 2008 vintage. This is the first vintage in which 100% of the fermentations were indigenous, and, fortunately, all their Sonoma Coast vineyards were far enough south that they were not tainted by any of the smoke from the ferocious fires that spread through Mendocino. The 2008s appear to be slightly more fruit-forward, with a touch less minerality than the 2007s. They are full-bodied, impressively endowed wines, with the Chardonnays best drunk during their first 5-7 years of life, and the Pinot Noirs during their first 10-12. 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.