2015 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

My most recent visit to Kistler was quite poignant, as it was really emblematic of a new chapter in the history of this illustrious winery. To be sure, many of the recent changes have been in the works for some time. Steve Kistler has now moved on from the winery he founded in 1978 and set up shop at Occidental. Jason Kesner, Kistler's colleague for nearly a decade, has taken over the reins as part of a long-term succession plan that has been in place for many years. Kesner has been in every tasting I have done at Kistler since 2011. His relationship with Steve Kistler goes back quite further, to the days when Kesner was running Hudson Vineyards. Much less expected was the sudden passing of Mark Bixler, Steve Kistler's long-term business partner. Bixler had also been in all of my previous tastings at the winery. The last time I heard from Bixler was in October, right after the wildfires had burned his home. He seemed in good spirits. Then, a few weeks later, he was gone. Life can be so fleeting. As for the wines, 2015 looks more like a Pinot Noir year than a Chardonnay year at Kistler. The 2015 Pinots are off the charts great. Overall, the Chardonnays have good freshness, but the unnaturally compacted, hot growing season and early harvest appear to have attenuated some of the site-specific differences that are typically present in the wines. This seems especially true of the Hyde and Hudson Chardonnays. Readers will note that there is a name change on what was formerly the Kistler Vineyard Pinot Noir. In the past, there was some confusion in naming, because the Kistler Vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noir actually were made from different sites, the former from the Kistler Vineyard on Moon Mountain and the latter from the Kistler Vineyard in the Russian River. Going forward, there is no change for the Chardonnays, both of which are still made from the Kistler Vineyard on Moon Mountain. The Russian River Kistler Vineyard has been renamed Laguna Ridge, and is the source of a new Chardonnay as well as the Pinot that was previously named Kistler Vineyard. Ordinarily, I would have also reported on the 2016s prior to botting, but the October fires made that impossible.

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.