Had these babies last night at a friend of a friend's house. You should have seen the cellar. Eyes popping out the head don't even begin to describe the look on my face as I gazed over row after row of cults from California and Australia with a few Froggies mixed in. Whew!!!!!!
Robert Parker visits this gentleman's home as have Heidi and Bo Barrett, the Saintsbury crew and he had pictures of himself tasting with Sarah and Sparky Marquis in their kitchen Down Under.
Anyway . . .
Kistler: Hard to believe more than 11,000 bottles of this was made and I don't have any. Talk about a WOW!!!!!!! wine. Heavily extracted, dark garnet, velvety, smoky, spicy, racy, embraceable. Kept changing its profile as we kept sipping and sipping. Couldn't get enough. Unbelievable. I'd love to get some of the single vineyard stuff if this is any indication of the wines Kistler produces.
Araujo: All three of us agree that something was wrong with this bottle. It delivered intermittenly, but was off. It was not corked, nor cooked. Woke up this morning thinking about this one and what was wrong. Smelled hot and then the heat waned. Delivered fruit and some sxtraction and heavy mouthfeel then that waned. Just wish I could figure it out, but my palate isn't good enough. A real puzzle and my first brush with Araujo.
Turley: Very, very nice wine that had approximately the same weight as the pinot. The blueberry nuances shone through for me and it matched so well with some fine blue cheese.

KoH, thanks for the notes. I'm curious - what is a "Froggie?"

"Froggie" is usually a term that refers to French people or things---in this case, I would surmise wine---due in no small part to the French preference for frog legs.

Nice to hear good things about the '00 Sonoma Pinot from Kistler. Mine should be here shortly. Recently had the '97 Kistler Vineyard Pinot and it was excellent.

jb

JB,
So how many are you getting? Want to sell or barter?
Just curious. I really loved that stuff.

KOH, I can bring you one next week to Napa. We can do a swap.

Thanks MM, how do you say no to the King? I only have 4 on the way and I want to keep them. I'd be glad to pop one open on your next visit to NJ/NY, though.

jb

MM,
Thanks. Still working on Friday's itinerary. Waiting on e-mails from David Arthur and Viader. And I think White Cottage and a visit with Dennis Johns could be in the offing.
Bring that sucker and we'll talk and haggle and barter.
JB,
You got it. Just don't know when I'll be there.

KOH,
Thank you for the notes. Kistler pinot is one of only two US pinots I have ever tried. And I agree with your notes, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

King,
Some other Pinots that I consider in the same league as Kister would include Talley and Rochioli. I will soon try pinots from Loring Wine Company which should be superb.

Blue

King,

The 2000 Kistler Russian River Valley Cuvee Catherine P/N was far and away the best pinot noir at the Grand Tasting in Las Vegas. It was incredible. Your notes from the Sonoma Coast are very similar to my impressions of the Cuvee Catherine. It was also highly extracted and loaded with sticky fruit, and a finish that never seemed to end.

Cheers,

Otis

BO,
Have had most of the Rochiolis at one time or another and while I loved them, none that I have had had this kid of motor-oil like extraction. And this viscosity was a good thing as Andy Granatelli (sp.) might say.

I agree with KOH. I have never had a Rochioli (and especially a Talley) that comes close to Kistler. Rochioli makes very fine Pinot but it isn't Kistler.

The Last Kistler I had was from the 1997 vintage (not single vineyard). Perhaps more recent vintages are more extracted. While I found it enjoyable, I didn't feel it was the best of the New World . . .

Blue Oval

I agree with you. Kistler isn't the best in the new world.

[ 11-08-2002, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: WineGeek ]