1996 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

Fans of Kistler chardonnay who are unable to track down this winery scarcer vineyard-designated bottlings should be happy to know that the more widely available Durell and Dutton Ranch chardonnays are both highly successful in '96. The chardonnays here typically get one-half to two-thirds new oak, though Steve Kistler emphasizes that the percentage of new wood varies by the wine and by the vintage. (Kistler Vineyards is one of the largest advance purchasers of Francois Freres barrels in California.) I was unable to taste the '97 chardonnays, as most of these wines were about to be bottled. Pinot noir is growing as a percentage of total Kistler production, but these wines are still extremely limited in the retail marketplace. The '96s I tasted are rare birds for California pinot noir: wines that offer mouthfilling richness and superb depth of flavor while retaining a sappy berry character and avoiding aromas and flavors of overripeness.