KISTLER VINEYARDS
SONOMA, CALIFORNIA 2022 & 2023
Why Buy: Folks, this is the first-ever Concierge release of Kistler, and we couldn't be prouder to have secured this "superb set of new releases" that "express the essence of the site,” in the glowing words of Vinous – a single-clone Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir crafted from two heritage clones. Robert Parker once declared of Kistler that if it were magically transported to Burgundy's Côte d'Or, it would "quickly gain a reputation as glorious as any producer of Burgundy grand crus" and that its Pinot Noirs are "the greatest made in the New World," and these two are gorgeous testaments to their philosophy and process, from their obsessive focus on low yields and native yeasts to their dedication to night harvesting for maximum freshness. They surely won't stick around here for long, though, so we urge you to act quickly to snap yours up TODAY.
Our Tasting Notes: If ever anyone wondered how Kistler achieved legendary status among the most discerning connoisseurs, the answers are here in these two bottles. The 2022 Pinot Noir shows remarkable elegance and finesse – exactly what the winery has been striving for in recent vintages – with a transparency that lets you trace the lineage back to those grand cru selections they've been refining for a quarter century. The Chardonnay is equally revelatory, demonstrating why their singular commitment to that heritage California selection has been so important: the wine achieves a perfect balance of concentration and lift, showing both power and restraint, with the kind of natural acidity that can only come from perfectly farmed fruit picked at precisely the right moment. In both wines, you can taste the results of their obsessive attention to detail, from the native yeast fermentations to the gentle handling throughout the process.
The Story: Since its founding, in 1978, Kistler has maintained an approach that's unparalleled in the New World: farming first, with an almost monastic devotion to site expression. Their dedication is absolute – a single heritage Chardonnay clone, refined over decades and planted across fifteen vineyards, and for Pinot Noir, just two carefully selected clones originally from grand cru Burgundy, now field-blended to achieve perfect harmony. The attention to detail borders on the fanatical – from hand-stacked French cooperage air-dried for three years to 24-hour monitoring of each Pinot Noir fermentation, as if the wine might try to slip away when no one's looking.
The Methods: Native yeasts rule in their subterranean barrel chai, where fermentations proceed with minimal intervention at cool temperatures. Night harvesting ensures maximum freshness, and the gentle whole-cluster pressing delivers pristine juice directly to barrel. The Chardonnay undergoes full malolactic fermentation before 10 months on the lees, bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Our Guarantee: As always, we source directly from the winery to ensure perfect provenance. Secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2025. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer only valid in CA, FL, NJ & TX. This offer is valid for TWO WEEKS, or until sold out, and will expire on Monday, April 7th, 2025.