2020 Kistler Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen

Kistler Vineyards is a small family winery in the Russian River Valley. They have specialized in producing Burgundy type chardonnay and pinot noir wines. The winery was founded in 1978 by the Kistler family. They own some of the very best vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, including Dutton Ranch (Russian River Valley) in Western Sonoma County.

Kistler's chardonnay wines are produced according to the French example. The wines are fully fermented in barriques, using both indigenous and cultured yeasts. After malolactic fermentation, the wines remain on their 'lees' (fine sediment) and are aged in French oak barriques (50% new). After 12-18 months of ageing, the wines are bottled without filtration or clarification.

The Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen has been bottled since 1998. Made exclusively from fruit from one specific block in the Kistler Vineyard, the only part of the vineyard with red volcanic schist soil that faces the midday sun rather than the morning. Since its planting in 1989, the block stood out and clearly asked for a separate bottling. The Cuvée Cathleen annually produces one of the most classic, complex and complete chardonnays.

The Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen 2020 offers exceptionally defined, layered aromas: apricot and peach are complemented by notes of dried lilacs and spices, honeycomb, almonds, mandarin orange, tart spice The medium-bodied palate is satiny and seamless, with concentrated, peachy fruit, spicy acidity and a hugely long finish powered by an attractive touch of phenolic texture. It is a rare combination of fruit density on an elegant, harmonious structure.

This powerful wine with ripe aromas calls for similar dishes: dover sole fried in butter with almonds, Bresse chicken with truffle and foie gras, rosé baked veal kidneys with 'moutarde à l'ancienne' cream sauce, turbot or brill with a creamy butter/white wine sauce, monkfish ham with beurre blanc, lobster with vanilla butter.