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Kistler

In Steve Kistler's view, "the biggest issue with 2011 was anxiety" as people waited and waited for the sun to come out and for things to warm up. "Having 70-degree afternoons in July, in California, makes you concerned, to say the least," he pointed out. That said, the vineyards that Kistler works with are on the cold side anyway, and as the wines here have moved decisively away from the opulent style of a decade ago he and co-owner Mark Bixler find that their '11s fit their model quite well. "Tension, texture and clarity" is the goal for their chardonnays, said Kistler. "If you could get your fruit ripe, which is a function of a lot of factors besides just heat, then elegant, balanced wines that have concentration were absolutely possible." Kistler, who has been making wines here since founding the winery in 1978, has embarked on a new venture called Occidental, which will produce pinot noir sourced from his vineyards on the Sonoma Coast in a new winery, near the town of Bodega. The first wines from this venture, which are being sold through the Kistler mailing list, are reviewed in this article as well, under the winery's name. He continues to oversee vineyard work and winemaking at Kistler and will be working with his daughters Catherine and Elizabeth at Occidental.

From California's North Coast (May 2014) by Stephen Tanzer

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2011 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Carneros

Release Price: $80

Color: White

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