1997 Kistler Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard

The 1997 Chardonnay Vine Hill Road Vineyard (from both Hyde and Dijon Burgundy clones) is a more restrained wine with noticeably higher acidity. It reveals suggestions of cold steel, wet stones, and that liquid minerality found in certain Chardonnays. Medium to full-bodied, with excellent depth, and more austerity and backwardness than its siblings, it will benefit from another year of cellaring, and keep for 6-7 years. Steve Kistler believes the 1997 Chardonnays are among the finest he has ever produced. The vintage's high yields do not appear to have had an impact on the wines' level of concentration and intensity. Moreover, the 1997's possess an atypical level of tangy, underlying acidity, giving the wines a wonderful vibrancy. The splendid aromatics are matched only by the 1995's. I tasted 8 Chardonnays. While they share a certain similarity, they posssess distinctive attributes that justify the winery's decision to differentiate them. All are fermented with both indigenous and commercial yeasts, given extensive stirring during prolonged contact with the lees, and bottled unfiltered after full malolactic fermentation. The percentage of new French oak varies, with higher percentages for the Camp Meeting Ridge, Hudson, and Cuvee Cathleen offerings. Release date, 3/00. Tel. (707) 823-5603; Fax (707) 823-6709.