Chris England

9.4

🎄 Advent Halfy Calendar Day 09 🎄

🎅 Santa says “Opulent, Exotic & Spicy are also words Mrs Claus uses to describe me 😊 it is that Erotic 🤔 ”

📝 I say a wine I’ve been dying to try for donkeys years & it sure delivers but it’s darn expensive Ho bloody Ho - at least it’s not over syrupy like many from here 😉

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Nyetimber Brut Rose NV

📍 Kistler Vine Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2014

🏵 94 points

🍇 Chardonnay

🍷 Golden rich yellow

👃 Soft melon & pineapple driven tropical exotic fruits, honey & vanilla w/ a touch of mineral, citrus, green apple, cut grass & a light smokey spiced oak & date backbone

👄 Med+ body of waxy opulent creamy tangy citrus & green apple through punchy tropical gooey fruits in med acidity w/ a fine mineral & honey touch

🎯 Long mouth coating citrus & tropical honeyed fruits linger w/ a touch of dry lime, green apple & minerality linger
— 5 days ago

Matt Trader, TWP

9.5

There's not a lot of Chardonnay out there in my opinion that can put this one in its place. Heintz vineyard, with botrytis rot on the grapes as it arrives (by choice), and yet it turns into this incredibly floral, complex dry chardonnay. 200 case production. — 3 days ago

Kirk Feyereisen

9.3

Enjoyed this while food prepping for the big @Michael Mathews Christmas extravaganza! Proof positive that these can age well - similar notes to @Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum and i think @Shay A too. Candied lemon peel and a richness that lures you back, over and over again. — 7 days ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

The delectable review below is spot on. A great young Carlisle Vineyard built on a firm backbone, this will be one to improve for a number of years. As always this includes a number of interplanted and cofermented varietals for added depth and color. A beautiful wine year in and year out, showing off both the best of Zinfandel and of Russian River. — 4 days ago

Shay A

9.3

Monthly WTF wine group meet up.

A bit reductive at first, alongside burnt lemon, meringue and sea salt aromatics. More banana peel and honeyed mango and truffled mushroom came through as it opened and warmed up. Great producer. Thanks @Dan Fitzgerald — 2 days ago

with Dan, Will and 1 other

Laura Purdy

9.0

I waited over a year to revisit this and I am so happy with this decision! This has a beautiful flavor - cherries and plums. I’m really happy with where this is right now. Might have to see if Don has more for sale! — 17 hours ago

Andy Demaree

9.1

I last had this in March and am struck by how different this bottle seems from that one. There’s a brighter fruit profile and more piquant acidity, with brown spice (cinnamon?) on the back-end. Not sure to what extent it’s my palate on two different days vs. bottle variation? — 10 days ago

Shay A

9.3

Monthly WTF wine group meet up.

Stemmy/green, rhubarb tart and 100% delicious! Great aromatics. Spicy plum and herbal notes. Awesome acidity and finish on this wine, showing some orange peel & fleshy red fruit skin. Love when @Dan Fitzgerald opens these. — 2 days ago

with Dan, Will and 1 other

Paul Hoffert

9.0

I have to say I did not like the nose on this bottle. We did not get to decant this one so my perception may be a little off. I got red fruit, anise and cloves ( clove is not my favorite smell ) now I have to say it did go away a bit by the next glass so could be just the initial opening. Lucky on the palate you get rich dark fruits and a silky finish, a little bit of a lingering cranberry was left on your palate. This was a pretty easy drinking wine. — 3 years ago

Jason and Jennie

9.5

Update: 4 hrs in, this is singing. Acidity has calmed down a bit and fruit is showing more blue than red now. So silky. 95 now from initial 94.

Coravin’d the 2016 against this and it was nowhere near ready. The 2016 was dense closed primary fruit (think unsweetened fruit juice). Reminded me somewhat of the 2013 vintage for limerick. It needs time where this 2015 is very lively with minimal decanting. Good acidity. Tart bright brambly berry with baking spices. Pricey at 70 dollars but it’s a wine I look forward to trying every year. It’s a fun blend that showcases the fruit and terroir more than manipulation or oak influence (all neutral oak).

95 galloni 95 wine spectator — 10 days ago