“Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler told me that 2005 was a normal-sized crop for the Kistler wines as they did an aggressive crop-thinning.  The result are Chardonnays that they believe are among the finest they have ever produced. They think highly of their Pinot Noirs as well, but the Sonoma Coast crop was largely wiped out by bad weather in the spring, so there is little of it. As with many 2005 California Chardonnays, I found these cuvées to be extremely young and vibrant with intense flavors as well as terrific natural acidities and amazing length. I think 2005 will turn out to be a ‘bell ringer’ sort of vintage for cool climate varietals, especially Chardonnay.”

2005 Cuvée Cathleen Chardonnay – 96-100

“The 2005 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen is a selection of the finest lots from all the vineyards, but more of it comes from the Kistler Vineyard.  Full bodied, firm, and backward, it is behaving more like a red wine than a Chardonnay.  It boasts fabulous concentration, superb ripeness, plenty of honeysuckle, orange rind, and tropical fruit characteristics, copious minerality and enormous length as well as richness.  This beauty is as good as any Chardonnay made in either the New or Old World.”

2005 Kistler Vineyard Chardonnay – 95-98

“The 2005 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard possesses honeysuckle, tangerine, and orange blossom characteristics along with great acidity, plenty of minerality, a greenish hue to its light gold color, and fabulous texture, length, and richness.  I suspect there is more honeysuckle in this offering than in some of its peers, but it is flirting with perfection … it’s that compelling.”

2005 Stone Flat Vineyard Chardonnay – 95-97

“A new offering from Steve Kistler is the 2005 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard, a Sonoma Coast site located close to the Durell Vineyard.  This classic 2005 displays a solid core of intense, concentrated fruit, medium to full body, and high acid, which provides superb freshness and buttresses the wine’s super intensity and richness.  It possesses abundant mineral, white citrus, and orange blossom characteristics as well as beautiful purity.”

2005 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay – 94-96

“From a Sonoma Coast vineyard, the 2005 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard reveals extremely uplifted aromatics displaying hints of wet stones, white currants, flowers, peaches, and subtle tropical fruits.  Full bodied, intense, and tightly-knit, it should drink well for 7-8 years.”

2005 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay – 94-96

“[W]eight and power along with notes of roasted hazelnuts, peach, and smoky, almost clarified butter smells emerge from the 2005 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch…  [E]xtroverted and exuberant…it is an unusually elegant effort (because the acids are crisp and refreshing) that should drink beautifully for 7-8 years.”

2005 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay – 94-96

“Consistently one of my favorite Chardonnays from this estate, the exotic 2005 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard offers hints of litchi nuts, tropical fruits, orange marmalade, and mangoes.  Full-bodied, with tremendous length, terrific intensity, and an explosive bouquet, all underlaid with super, sappy acidity, this is a gorgeous white to drink over the next decade.”

2005 Vine Hill Vineyard Chardonnay – 94-96

“Another crisp, elegant yet powerful, mineral-dominated effort, the 2005 Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard is reticent at present, exhibiting scents of lemon oil, white currants, peaches, and orange rind.  With striking intensity, great elegance, richness, precision, and delineation, this beautiful Chardonnay brought to mind a top-notch French Corton-Charlemagne.”

2005 McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay – 93-95

“[T]he 2005 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard exhibits a light green/gold color as well as beautiful aromas of lemon oil, tangerine rind, and subtle wood spices, zesty acidity, full body, superb concentration, and stunning length.  It should evolve for 7-10 years.”

2005 Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay – 92-94

“The 2005 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard displays a green tinge to its light gold/straw color.  On the nose, it exhibits more developed, evolved scents of orange blossoms, buttery apples, tropical fruits, and hints of hazelnuts and honeysuckle.  With terrific ripeness as well as acidity, this plump, fleshy Chardonnay is on a faster evolutionary track than some of the other cuvées.”

“Steve Kistler admits to moving away from over-extracting Pinot Noirs, doing less punching down, and being more careful about the usage of stems.  Consequently, his Pinots were often impressively concentracted, but aged unevenly in the bottle because of the high tannins.  That said, a 1997 Cuvee Catherine drunk on Thanksgiving was spectacular.”

2005 Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir – 99

“Nearly perfect, the extraordinary 2005 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvée Elizabeth is sourced from a windy, rocky site with a southeast exposure, and is a compelling effort made from the Calera clone. It exhibits DRC-like forest floor, violet, raspberry, and sweet black cherry notes intermixed with underbrush and spice. It possesses admirable purity, fabulous richness, a full-bodied, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel, and a finish that lasts nearly 50 seconds. This unreal Pinot should drink beautifully for 10-12 years.”

2005 Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir – 96

“The 2005 Pinot Noir Cuvée Catherine Occidental Station boasts a dark ruby/purple-tinged color as well as gorgeous aromas reminiscent of a DRC Grands Echezéaux. Spring flower, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, and forest floor aromas soar from the glass of this medium to full-bodied Pinot. With superb finesse, elegance, and the grace of a ballerina, this beauty can be enjoyed over the next 10-12 years.”

2005 Kistler Vineyard Pinot Noir – 93-95

“The deep ruby/purple-hued 2005 Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard possesses sweet blueberry, raspberry, and forest floor notes, zesty acidity, elegance, and finesse, and a medium-bodied finish.”