2018 Kistler Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen opens slowly on the nose, with toast, iodine and flint to begin, segueing to aromas of apple pie, quince paste, honeycomb, hazelnuts, pastry and loads upon loads of floral nuances. Medium-bodied, it explodes in the mouth, uber silky and packing in more flavor than seems possible, which lingers and is then refreshed by tangy acidity and rocky minerality, finishing extraordinarily long with continually developing flavors. Unbelievable!
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen emerges from a tenderloin of vines on a west-facing hillside rich in broken shale. A Chardonnay of tension and crystalline purity Cuvée Cathleen presents a stunning expression of Moon Mountain. Apple, orchard fruit, white flowers and crushed rocks all grace this captivating Chardonnay from Kistler. The 2018 is just superb.
The 2018 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvee Cathleen comes from slightly younger vines (planted in the 1990s) and is on the east side of this windy vineyard and gets more afternoon sun. This cuvée is always a riper, more opulent wine compared to the straight Kistler Vineyard release, and the 2018 is no exception, yielding incredible notes of Meyer lemon, nectarines, honeysuckle, grilled bread, and liquid rock-like minerality. One of those wines that offers incredible richness yet not a hint of heaviness, it's full-bodied, has a stacked mid-palate, gorgeous acidity, and a monster of a finish. Give bottles 2-4 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. Winemaker Jason Kesner continues to put his mark on these wines, pulling back on harvest dates and focusing more on acidity, while not sacrificing concentration and texture. It’s not an easy tightrope to walk, but he’s doing an amazing job. These latest 2018s are truly brilliant, singular wines readers will love to have in their cellar.
The 2018 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen emerges from a tenderloin of vines on a west-facing hillside rich in broken shale. A Chardonnay of tension and crystalline purity Cuvée Cathleen presents a stunning expression of Moon Mountain. Apple, orchard fruit, white flowers and crushed rocks all grace this captivating Chardonnay from Kistler. The 2018 is just superb.
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.