Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard 2023 Kistler

Tasting Note Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard 2023

Initially, aromas of lemon oil and white peach emerge, followed by flinty notes reminiscent of the white ash soil beneath. The wine feels full-bodied upon entry, but the acidity quickly comes through, firmly tying all the elements together. The oak notes sit behind the fruit rather than overpowering it, adding texture and subtle toasted aromas. It leaves a long, saline finish. While it's enjoyable now, its full potential is not yet fully realized; it will improve significantly with two to three more years of bottle aging.

Grape Varieties

Chardonnay, and nothing else. Kistler uses a single proprietary selection of Wente clones taken from a Larry Hyde block in the early 1980s, which was subsequently refined through massale selection. It has a low yield and small berries, and its natural acidity persists even during ripening. On Sonoma Mountain, citrus aromas stand out more than tropical fruit notes.

Cellaring Potential

Best enjoyed by 2034. The 2023 vintage will take 2-3 years to fully reveal its flavors; the acidity derived from the cool climate and low alcohol content allow for long-term aging. Serve at 10-13°C. Do not chill it further. Decanting is not necessary, but it is best served in a large glass.

About Kistler

Kistler Vineyards has worked with only two grapes since 1978: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler started the Sonoma County estate with an unfashionable idea at the time, that California could produce Chardonnay reflecting a specific plot rather than a house style. Today Kistler farms seventeen vineyards across five appellations, from Carneros to the Sonoma Coast, with soils ranging from deep red volcanic to alluvial. Twelve of those plots become single-vineyard Chardonnay, two become single-vineyard Pinot Noir. Grapes are picked at night. Chardonnay ferments underground on indigenous yeasts, in barrels made from staves air-dried three years in Saint-Romain, Burgundy. Nothing is fined or filtered. Jason Kesner has run the cellar as president and winemaker since Steve Kistler retired at the end of 2017.

Terroir & Climate

Sonoma Mountain is a volcanic area characterized by deep red soil and old vines grown without irrigation. However, the McCrea Vineyard plot, behind this bottling, sits on white ash, a light-colored volcanic deposit that drains well. It is precisely this drainage that creates the flinty edge you can sense in the wine. The altitude and Pacific air take care of the rest. Cool nighttime temperatures slow down ripening, allowing Chardonnay to retain its acidity.

Winemaking

Everything hinges on minimal intervention. The grapes are harvested at night, when the fruit is at its coolest and the acidity is most stable, and are then fermented in underground cellars using only indigenous yeasts, with no added exogenous yeasts. The oak barrels are made from staves that have been naturally air-dried for three years in Saint-Romain, Burgundy prior to assembly, imparting oak aromas that accentuate texture rather than flavor. The wine undergoes no fining or filtration. All single-vineyard Chardonnay wines are intentionally made in the same manner.

Food Pairing

Enjoy it with Dungeness crab and melted butter. The wine's acidity cuts through the richness of the butter, while its body pairs beautifully with the sweet crab meat. Other great pairings:

• Roast chicken, crisp-skinned and served with a lemon and thyme gravy
• Grilled halibut
• Risotto with wild mushrooms, a dish where oak notes and earthy aromas harmonize
• Aged Comté