2022 Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen
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Tasting notes
The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen possesses a unique sense of freshness and exoticism. Its aromas bloom slowly as it airs in the glass: flint, toast and beeswax give way to pure scents of Meyer lemon, underripe pineapple, white peach and meringue. The palate has a silky texture and explodes with layer after layer of concentrated, green tropical fruit. Its generosity is foiled by fireworks of fresh acidity that add an ethereal sensation, and it finishes with fantastic length and crisp white floral character.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This is very flinty on the nose and palate with stone and slate character. Notes of dried apples, peaches and apricots with just a hint of caramel. Medium-bodied with a very tight palate and firm and fine phenolics that give it energy and form. Racy. From Wente clones planted in 1993 in shale soils with a western exposure.
From the western-facing portion of the Kistler Vineyard, the 2022 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvee Cathleen is a riper golden color and is sunny and rounded on the nose, with notes of apricot, orange rind, cedar, and alpine herbs. It fills the palate and expands with incredible balance and persistence, and it’s resonant and long, with a spectacular finish. It will be at its best over the next 12 years. 6375 bottles produced.
The 2022 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen is ethereal, deep and complex all at the same time. It emerges from the tenderloin of a west-facing slope on the property that sees long periods of sunshine during the summer. There's gorgeous density and weight in the glass, and yet the Cuvée remains light on its feet. I imagine it will be exquisite in a year or two. In my view, it is the most distinctive and complex Chardonnay in the range. This is a superb set of new releases from Kistler. Readers will find wines that express the essence of site, which, in my view, is always the most important attribute for vineyard-designate wines. (AG)
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.