1997 Kistler Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay - 750ml

1997 Kistler Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay A leesy, smoky, Burgundian-styled, exotic offering is the 1997 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard, whose fruit comes from the same E Block that Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer made famous with their Marcassin Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay. Kistler's effort possesses a Meursault-like, buttery character with gobs of tropical fruit and glycerin, yet firm buttressing acidity. My instincts suggest it will be the most forward of these Chardonnays, as well as the shortest-lived (4-5 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. RP

Varietal	Chardonnay
Vintage	1997
Rating	ST95/RP94/
Bottle Size	750 ml
Bottle Quantity	1
Country	USA
Region	California
Location	North Coast
Producer	Kistler
Color	White
Wine Type	Table

Rating

RP94 - 1997 Kistler Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay A leesy, smoky, Burgundian-styled, exotic offering is the 1997 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard, whose fruit comes from the same E Block that Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer made famous with their Marcassin Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay. Kistler's effort possesses a Meursault-like, buttery character with gobs of tropical fruit and glycerin, yet firm buttressing acidity. My instincts suggest it will be the most forward of these Chardonnays, as well as the shortest-lived (4-5 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. RP

Wine Spectator

Burghound

Varietal	Chardonnay
Vintage	1997
Rating	ST95/RP94/
Bottle Size	750 ml
Bottle Quantity	1
Country	USA
Region	California
Location	North Coast
Producer	Kistler
Color	White
Wine Type	Table