2002 Chardonnay Vine Hill Road Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Bright, pale medium yellow. Captivating nose combines grapefruit, underripe pineapple, crushed stone and musky baking spices. Then rich and lush yet sharply delineated on the palate, with very dry flavors of pineapple, spices and stone. A very rich chardonnay that's still a bit youthfully subdued. Finishes long, ripe and dry, with a flavor of dusty stone.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A spectacular offering, the 2002 Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard (adjacent to the Kistler winery) tastes like a California version of a great Batard-Montrachet. This dense, rich, layered, multidimensional Chardonnay builds incrementally in the mouth to reveal leesy notes intermixed with liquid minerals, lemon rind, citrus oils, and orange marmalade. Like its siblings, it reveals subtle oak notes along with great purity, tremendous palate presence, full body, and a majestic style. However, patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2012. (Not yet released) 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.