Kistler, Hyde Vineyard, Los Carneros

Needs air to strut it's stuff

2020 vintage

Hazy in the glass. Oak, flint, steel, lemon, and malo. Could have used a little more time to integrate, but delicious flavor and acidity.

2020 vintage

Finally, this wine is coming into its own; since my last review in October '23, the oak as fully integrated, the wine is well balance, with nice acidity and great intensity. It might still get better with another couple of years in the cellar, but it's definitely reaching its peak now.

2020 vintage

Premox. Bummer.

2020 vintage

A really good bottle that I feel will be better in 3-5 years. I own more and would not hesitate to drink it now, but think it could do with a bit more time in the bottle.

2020 vintage

No one thinking this suffers from over-reduction? Yeesh. Initially was okay out of fridge. But as it warmed, sulphur nose dominated. Palate too. There’s some nice white fruit hidden there but no thanks. Had the Kistler Vineyard from same vintage night before. Far better.

2020 vintage

Hints of lemons, nectarines, and exotic floral notes. It is medium to full-bodied with good acidity, and a long lingering finish. Deliciously refreshing.

2021 vintage

green tinged pale yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: green apple, pear, wax, orange rind, white pepper, crushed shells, chalk, sea salt, touch oak Pal: green apple, touch mango, orange rind, white pepper, minerals, crushed shells, chalk, touch butterscotch, minerals, sea salt, touch oak Feel: medium, savory, acidic Finish: medium, long T9

2021 vintage

I really feel like I opened this wine slightly before it was ready. Do at the right moment this wine would be better. Right now .... It starts with a pear like soft flavor making you wonder if this should be decanted. That said with everyone here yesterday this wine moved quicker than any decant. About an hour later it became much clearer with green apple emerging amidst orange rind and mild tropical fruits. The finish is rich but a …

2020 vintage

I remember tasting this vineyard when I visited Kistler many years ago, was not my favourite wine from Kistler then but has grown on me since , the vineyard is pretty sandy in terms of soil composition. Aromas of Citrus tart, gooseberry, nectarine, savoury herbs, stones and hay. The palate is medium weight, with a more delicate and sandy dust, earthy touch, white blossom, lemon balm oil along with nectarine, chalkiness a persistent mid-palate finishing slightly savoury yet with succulence.

2020 vintage

Wonderful Chard

2020 vintage

Another great Kistler Chardonnay. Not overly oaked nor steely. Mostly lemon and lime citrus flavors. More mineral driven in the mid palette and it's also a bit young still as you can just mildly taste the background notes. The wine has a lot of gusto and will improve. Lovely wine.

2020 vintage

One of my favorite vineyards

2020 vintage

This bottle felt a bit overdone with the oak; perhaps few more years in the cellar will take care of that

2020 vintage

9/29/23 with Honda/Kamiya/Enga/Yamashiro at Napa Westin Verasa. Has a nose like kakimochi

2020 vintage

Spectacular bottle. Well balanced and lengthy.

2020 vintage

Really excellent; it will be interesting to see how it develops in 3-5 years, but it's already a very, very good wine

2020 vintage

Green tinged and a bit hazy. Pretty typical for most Kistler Chardonnay. Predominant lemon-Lime and subtle floral bouquet. On the palate it is unctuous with citrus, mineral and almond layered nicely. Very balanced. Maybe not quite reaching the rarified heights of some the other Kistler 2020 offerings but really close.

2020 vintage

green tinged pale yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: pear, green apple, orange rind, wax, tarragon, oyster shells, sea salt, lime, oak Pal: pear, green apple, orange rind, wax, minerals, chalk oyster shells, vanilla, sea salt, lime leaf, touch butterscotch, oak Feel: medium, oily, astringent Finish: long T9

2020 vintage

green tinged pale yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: peach, lemon curd, orange rind, limestone, wax, butterscotch, chalk, minerals, oak Pal: peach, green apple, lemon curd, orange rind, limestone, butterscotch, green pepper, chalk, minerals, oak Feel: savory, acidic, minerally Finish: medium, long T9

2020 vintage

Past it’s prime but still very drinkable.

2006 vintage

Great stuff - slightly oxidized, full bodied, golden apple, honeysuckle, pear. Long finish with fresh and lively acidity. Nice complexity, oak hanging out in the background but not the star. Nicely aged chardonnay.

2006 vintage

Surprisingly similar to the outstanding 11/14/14 bottle. Still very fresh at almost 10 years of age!

2006 vintage

Was great in its prime, but is now over the hill. Tired and missing what it means to be a Kistler Chard.

2006 vintage

This one is gone guys. Try it but prepared for spoiled apricots...

2006 vintage

The opulent fruit tasted in the past is beginning to fade. Subtle lemon and apricot flavors mingle with light oak. A nice example of a gracefully aging Cali Chardonnay- this is probably at peak.

2006 vintage

Bright yellow/green color. Complex aromas of lychee nuts, nutmeg, hazelnuts and vanilla extract. Ripe, beautifully balanced and integrated fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and a long, lingering finish. Very suave and complex on the palate. Remarkably fresh, this wine was just at the beginning of its peak drinking period.

2006 vintage

Typical Kistler. Hazelnut, tropical fruits, wet stone, limestone.

2006 vintage

Subtle nose, but palate sings with rich chard fruit and bright acidity. I've always loved this producer, the only white I still occasionally drink, but my wife was put off by what she felt was overpowering oak. That oak has mellowed deliciously and now we both love it. Drink now!

2006 vintage

This was incredibly youthful and gorgeous. White peach, lemon rind, minerals. Beautifully integrated and nice complexity on the finish.

2006 vintage

Deep golden color; reticent nose. Mature chardonnay fruit, great acidity, balanced oak. Still good but starting to fade. Drink up.

2006 vintage

Bright yellow color with a touch of cloudiness. I noted an obnoxious level of sulfur on the nose, but others didn't detect it at all, so suspect a nasal anomaly throwing me off the path here. Eventually, I was able to coax out lemon, toasted marshmallow, and vanilla notes on the nose. The palate had a lemon, marshmallow, toasted nut, and vanilla core with a medium finish. A strange showing for me, but others said "that is a consistent Kistler". …

2006 vintage

Nice golden hue. A mature wine, not much on the nose, well balanced on the palate, but certainly not a fruit bomb. Lots of limestone. More like a Burgundy than a NoCal wine.

2006 vintage

Starting to show early signs of oxidation, but still delicious. I don't know of other bottles, but this one shouldn't have waited longer (or quite as long).

2006 vintage

Medium gold color. Fairly dull aromatically with lemon, toasted nuts, and vanilla. Palate is lacking compared to last bottle with toasted nut, vanilla, and a hint of lemon with plenty of acid and heat on a medium-short finish. A meh showing. Drink.

2006 vintage

Very mineral and citric, could pass for a good Puligny. Will last much longer than the average Californian fruit bomb. Very elegant and interesting.

2006 vintage

Green-gold color. Aromas of lemon, candied lemon zest, toasted nuts, and a hint of popcorn. Palate is initially lemon and mineral in character and with air toasted nut and heavy vanilla barrel influence come into play. The finish here is medium-long and this is not shy by any means. The freshness of youth I normally prize in Hyde is gone but this is drinking well and delivers the Kistler experience. Drink or hold.

2006 vintage

Opened for a pre-Christmas dinner with some family and friends. Per prior tasting notes, great wine. This bottle was reticent when first opened, started to show better after 30 minutes, and really opened up when I tasted again after dinner. Wonderful wine, in its zone. Two pieces of advice to other tasters to get the most from it - be sure its chilled - not cold. And, give it about 30 minutes to show. Once it gets there you get …

2006 vintage

Lincoln's BBQ dinner (Wine Vault) : vibrant and zesty. a little too much oak for my liking.

2006 vintage

We were in the middle of hurricane Sandy making landfall, Valerie was cooking and loves Kistler so this guy got opened. Had it with a chicken Provençal dish and some sautéed spinach - perfectly paired. Chilled prior, I think Kistler (and some of the other high end Calif Chards) are best had chilled slightly below room temp. As it warmed up and opened up, it began to show. Classic Kistler. Golden color, no fading. Nose is floral with caramel, toffee, …

2006 vintage

Deep golden color, fading to an almost colorless rim, listed at 14.1% abv (I'd say that's a generous underestimation). The nose is intensely perfumed, showing toffee and butter notes up front, followed by tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, with a bit of white pepper evident at the tail end. In the mouth, opulent and intense, with pine resin, slate, and quite a tart tropical fruit profile, leading seamlessly into a tense and lively, long finish from the perfectly balanced …

2006 vintage

We drank this after an extended visit to France, which included time in Burgundy drinking some of the world's best (depending on your opinion) Chardonnay? It was interesting to drink this fantastic new world wine when we got back. It is a classicly California Chardonnay: oak, vanilla and big fruit on the nose. Primary flavors of apricot, creamy oak, tropical fruits. Kistler never disappoints, always a matter of how good. The comparison to Burgundy on the finish - length, quality …

2006 vintage

Restrained nose with pronounced butter, stone fruit and tropical scents. Full-bodied and creamy, yet balanced with moderate acidity and high extract. Long aftertaste. A fantastic pairing with a veal fillet with cream sauce and spices. That said, I strongly prefer the nutty complexity of the Stone Flat Vineyard Parmelee Hill chardonnay from the same vintage I reviewed three months ago.

2006 vintage

Beautiful buttery and honeyed Chardonnay with weight in the palate medium acidity but balanced feel overall. Nice long finish.

2006 vintage

Purchased off the wine list at Le Bec-Fin. Notes of apple, apricot, vanilla, and pain grillé. Medium to full bodied, with an overtly buttery texture and flavor profile, but nicely balanced by the impressive acidity. A long and focused finish, that improved with airing. A powerful Chardonnay, and one that I enjoyed immensely.

2006 vintage

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Kistler, Hyde Vineyard, Los Carneros

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