This Chardonnay represents an evolution in style. It possesses all the power and concentration of Steve Kistler's most successful wines, but it also has a certain restraint allied with extraordinary complexity and elegance that a few years ago would have been found only in the finest Burgundy grand crus.
The 1998 Chardonnay Vine Hill Road Vineyard is profound. It is a spectacular Chardonnay. Amazingly, a meager 23 tons of fruit emerged from this 15 acre vineyard, and this wine represents the essence of Chardonnay from Vine Hill. The wine has yet to reveal all of its characteristics, but its extraordinary precision, intense mouthfeel, and glorious display of pure fruit that come across in a full-bodied, perfectly balanced fashion, make for a riveting drinking experience. It will evolve for another year or two, and then explode over the following 2-4 years. It may last for more than a decade, and evolve much like a great grand cru white Burgundy.
(release date 3/01)
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