2012 Kistler "Kistler Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

The 2012 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard exhibits great richness, a fabulous bouquet of white flowers, quince, mango, honeyed peaches, caramelized citrus and delicate, spicy oakiness that is very restrained but present. Broad, full-bodied, multi-dimensional and intense, this is a stunner made from a combination of the Mount Eden and Old Wente clones of Chardonnay. (RP) 95+

Beguiling and compelling from the outset, the 2012 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard presents a totally different aromatic, flavor and structural profile from most of the other wines in the range. Elements of petrol, graphite, smoke, slate and white flowers take shape in a Chardonnay built on precision and tension. The flavors are beautifully articluated and very much on the brighter end of the spectrum. This dry-farmed parcel planted on old St. George rootstock is one of the most distinctive in the Kistler range. (AG)