2020 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard

The 2020s from Kistler are a bit chaotic. In that sense, the wines will give readers a very good idea of the challenges of the vintage across several appellations in Sonoma County. Winemaker Jason Kesner was about to start harvest at Silver Belt in mid-August but was forced to call off the crews because of lightning storms. Those storms quickly set off what became known as the LNU Lightning Complex fires that wreaked havoc throughout California. Kesner was faced with a series of brutal decisions that came down to a choice of picking earlier than planned or not making wine at all. The core of harvest, which usually takes ten days, took six in 2020. Overall, the wines are typical of the year. Some are very light and edgy; others have a bit more mid-palate depth and textural presence. It is a vintage in which site signatures are not fully expressed. These are good wines for the vintage, but the challenges of the growing season were just too great to overcome.