2014 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

Kistler's 2015s are fabulous. Yields were down 25-30% across the board, which gives the wines notable textural richness and intensity. At the same time, acidities stayed high. The interplay of deep fruit and salivating acidity is the key attribute of these wines, and of the vintage more broadly. Two thousand fifteen is the first year in which some of the Pinot lots were done with whole clusters (on the Cuvée Natalie). In 2016, Kistler doubled the number of lots fermented with stems. The bottled 2014s are consistent with how they showed from tank prior to bottling. Readers will not want to miss the 2014 Pinots, as they are fabulous. The 2014 Chardonnays are attractive, but they are also a bit diffuse and not quite as focused as in the very best years. Yields were lower for Pinot Noir than Chardonnay, which may explain why the Pinots have an extra dimension of clarity.

Kistler's 2015s are fabulous. Yields were down 25-30% across the board, which gives the wines notable textural richness and intensity. At the same time, acidities stayed high. The interplay of deep fruit and salivating acidity is the key attribute of these wines, and of the vintage more broadly. Two thousand fifteen is the first year in which some of the Pinot lots were done with whole clusters (on the Cuvée Natalie). In 2016, Kistler doubled the number of lots fermented with stems. The bottled 2014s are consistent with how they showed from tank prior to bottling. Readers will not want to miss the 2014 Pinots, as they are fabulous. The 2014 Chardonnays are attractive, but they are also a bit diffuse and not quite as focused as in the very best years. Yields were lower for Pinot Noir than Chardonnay, which may explain why the Pinots have an extra dimension of clarity.

I tasted a wide range of wines during two recent visits with Steve Kistler, his business partner Mark Bixler, and winemaker Jason Kesner. In 2013, the Chardonnays are more consistent across the board than the Pinots. Yields were naturally high in 2013, largely the result of large berries, which seems to have affected the Pinots more than the Chardonnays. In 2014, it is the exact opposite. Lower yields and small berries helped create ideal conditions for making superb Pinot Noir. The 2014 Chardonnays are more variable than the Pinots today, but better wines suggest there is plenty of latent potential in some of these wines that is not obvious today.

I tasted a wide range of wines during two recent visits with Steve Kistler, his business partner Mark Bixler, and winemaker Jason Kesner. In 2013, the Chardonnays are more consistent across the board than the Pinots. Yields were naturally high in 2013, largely the result of large berries, which seems to have affected the Pinots more than the Chardonnays. In 2014, it is the exact opposite. Lower yields and small berries helped create ideal conditions for making superb Pinot Noir. The 2014 Chardonnays are more variable than the Pinots today, but better wines suggest there is plenty of latent potential in some of these wines that is not obvious today.