| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | California California (Sonoma County) |
| Winery: | Kistler |
| Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Les Noisetiers is a combination of specific lots from within Kistler’s vineyards of designated quality that are situated in far western Sonoma County, near the coast. They began creating Les Noisetiers upon noting that there was an inherent mineral tone which they loved in the lots from their vineyards planted in these coastal sandy Gold Ridge soils.
A classic balance of layered, juicy fruit and mineral backbone. It is delicious wine, with white flowers and stone fruit aromatics leading to a full bodied, juicy core, loaded with flavors of peach, apricots, pineapple and pear.
Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.
Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.
Review:
The 2021 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch needs a lot of swirling before it shoots from the glass with notes of lemon tart, orange blossoms, candied ginger, and fresh nectarines with hints of crushed rocks, struck flint, and nutmeg. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers amazing tension, with tight-knit citrus and spice layers and a fantastically well woven satiny texture, finishing long and layered. "We only get about 1.5 tons per acre here," said owner/winemaker Justin Harmon. "This comes from old vines on AXR rootstock."
-Wine Independent 97 Points
A pale, straw-colored wine with a green hue that is sure to transport you to the sea with its salty succulence and crushed oyster shell notes. Acacia flowers, white pepper, and pear are highlights of an intensely floral expression. Crisp flavors of lime and stone fruit ensure a delightfully light-on-it’s-feet mouthfeel with electric acidity and a long finish.
Reviews:
Creamy in texture yet vibrant in racy acidity, this medium-bodied wine is balanced to a tee and ready to enjoy now or saved for the short term. Offers tangy lemon zest, crisp green apple and delicate lactic accents along with mild oak spices.
-James Suckling 93 Points
The 2021 Chardonnay Old Stones has inviting aromas of baked apples, quince paste, dried acacia, matchstick and gravel dust. The light-bodied palate is most notable for its concentrated fruit and luxurious, mouth-coating texture. Its generosity is balanced by vibrant acidity, and it has a long, honey-nut finish.
-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 93 Points
Les Gentilhommes Pouilly Fuisse Premier Cru Clos Reyssier is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A gentilhomme is a gentleman characterized by his delicacy, thoughtfulness, and courtesy. "Les Gentilhommes" was created by brothers Richard and Stephane Martin as brand embodying the gentleman's character combined with Burgundian know-how.
From the work in the vineyard to the vinification in barrel, they are inspired to share these noble values. Quality, authenticity and long family tradition are the foundation of these wines.
Les Gentilhommes Pouilly Fuisse Premier Cru Clos Reyssier's description
Bright and glossy ruby red in color. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.
It naturally accompanies dishes that are typical of Tuscan cuisine with its bold, authentic flavors, such as pasta and risottos made with mushrooms or truffles, pork, grilled meats and medium-matured cheeses.
Review:
Notes of ripe cherries, dried flowers and walnuts with hints of anisette and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, compact and dense with creamy tannins and steady acidity. Weighty and structured. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 91 Points
Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Corazon del Rio is made from 100% Chardonnay aged 14 months in 20% new French oak.
Review:
“The 2021 Chardonnay Corazon Del Rio Vineyard is another brilliant Chardonnay (these are all made by Thomas Rivers Brown) from the Russian River Valley. Bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and subtle toasty oak notes define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar.”
-Jeb Dunnuck, 95 points
Les Noisetiers is a combination of specific lots from within Kistler’s vineyards of designated quality that are situated in far western Sonoma County, near the coast. They began creating Les Noisetiers upon noting that there was an inherent mineral tone which they loved in the lots from their vineyards planted in these coastal sandy Gold Ridge soils.
A classic balance of layered, juicy fruit and mineral backbone. It is delicious wine, with white flowers and stone fruit aromatics leading to a full bodied, juicy core, loaded with flavors of peach, apricots, pineapple and pear.
Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler believed that remarkable and charactered Chardonnays of site could in fact be grown and produced in California. It was a notion ahead of its time. For the last forty years we’ve been pursuing that notion without compromise. Bill Price, longtime owner of Durell Vineyards purchased an interest in Kistler Vineyards from Steve in 2008. Jason Kesner joined Steve in the cellar in 2008 in order to begin to lay the groundwork for the next forty years. Steve retired from Kistler Vineyards at the end of 2017.
One heritage Californian selection of Chardonnay planted across fifteen vineyards, from Carneros to Sonoma Valley, to the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. From those sites we produce eleven vineyard designate Chardonnays. We are wholly dedicated to the ideal of wines of site. It’s an unparalleled approach in the new world.
Two heritage selections of Pinot Noir inform all of our Pinot Noirs. Originally hailing from a Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy, we’ve been propagating these two selections for the last twenty-five years. They, like our Chardonnay clone are very low yielding, resulting in wines with a natural density and concentration of flavor, balanced by elegant natural acids and elevated aromatics.
All of our Chardonnays are fermented in our subterranean barrel chais, where the native yeast and various biological patinas rule the ecology. Hand stacked french cooperage that we purchase as wood and have air dry aged in St. Romain where it is crafted into barrels three years later, houses all of the wines.
There’s no leeway for even a single barrel being a quarter inch out of line in our fermentation rooms. They have to be perfectly in line, every one, to set the tone and expectation for every move we make in the cellar.
We guide our fermentations with as little intervention as possible. Our entire process is designed to enhance the characters of the individual sites, relative to one another, to peel back further layers as opposed to leaving our mark on the wine. Our fermentations are conducted solely with native yeasts, at moderately cool temperatures and with little to no machination of the fruit.
A gentle touch defines our approach to Pinot Noir. We watch, and take notes, and guide more than we overtly act, or intervene. We've worked all year in the vineyard for this fruit. At the winery we simply usher it through its fermentations and into barrel as delicately as we can.
We farm the majority of our acreage ourselves. But we wouldn’t be where we are without our growers and the nature of our relationships with them goes back to our beginnings in the late 70’s.
We don’t buy fruit in the traditional sense, instead we plant in partnership with our growers, selecting the best soils, and working very closely together on the establishment and raising of those vines with our heritage clones. The youngest relationship amongst our growers dates to 1994 when we began bottling both our Hudson and Hyde bottlings from the Carneros region.
They may have vines already in the ground, but it takes generations of working with a site to truly understand its best and highest potential. If there is one thing you have to take from the old world it’s most certainly that. In our winemaker Jason’s words: “We’ll be tasting at the winery and I’ll ponder aloud how great some of these sites will be in a hundred years. Some of our people will look at me like I’m crazy but isn’t that what we’re doing now, learning things that will be built upon for the making of the wines then?”.
Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Farmed with a unique precision to match the unparalleled terroir of this historic Oakville site, this vintage is ethereal, delicate, and nuanced. An attractive deep garnet in appearance, this wine expresses soft red cherry, strawberry, floral, and graphite. The palate is full and lively with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, sandalwood, and dried herbs, supported by a lovely grip of tannins and well-tensioned texture that leads to a long, refined finish.
Review:
More expressive and open-knit, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard sports a similar ruby/purple to go with an incredible array of black raspberry, cassis, flowery incense, orange blossom, smoked tobacco, and exotic spice. As are all To Kolans, it's incredibly perfumed and complex aromatically, and it's one of those wines that changes every time you come back to the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers beautiful richness and depth, a light, graceful mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a heavenly finish. It's another magical wine from this talented winemaker that readers will absolutely love.
-Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Long Shadows Feather Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Washington State Cabernet.
Acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn has a reputation for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. He brings more than four decades of winemaking experience to the Columbia Valley to produce Feather, his only wine made outside of California.
Tasting Notes: Deep crimson colored with pure and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon character. Generous aromas and flavors of dark fruits, violets, coffee and toasted herbs combine with a textured mid-palate to deliver a big, yet focused, wine with polished tannins and persistent finish.
Winemaking: Grapes were hand-harvested at the peak of ripeness, then lightly crushed and fermented in small stainless steel tanks. Once fermentation was underway, the cap was pumped over aggressively to extract color and structure. As fermentation neared completion, pump overs were handled more gently to further extract color and flavors without imparting harsh tannins. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 90% new Vicard French oak barrels (Randy's cooper of choice at Dunn Vineyards as well).
-Review:
A stunning wine from 2022, the Long Shadows ‘Feather’ comes from Sonnet Vineyard as well as Bacchus and Dionysus Vineyards. This cool vintage beauty really needs several hours in the decanter to be fully evolved right now. On the nose this takes on bay leaf and red bell pepper alongside cassis and shades of black licorice. The palate is lush and dense with a terrific mouthfeel and smooth texture. Considering the coolness of the vintage, this has a beautiful combination of finesse, viscosity and flavor density. Drink 2025-2040-
Owen Bargreen 95 Points