Kistler Vineyards is one of California's most admired names for Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines come from single vineyards in Sonoma and Carneros, from Les Noisetiers to Dutton Ranch, Durell, Vine Hill and Hudson Vineyard.
Kistler Vineyards: Burgundian Chardonnay from Sonoma since 1978
Steve Kistler founded the winery in 1978 with Mark Bixler, a chemist who ran the lab and the business while Kistler made the wine and looked after the vineyards. The first vineyard was planted in the Mayacamas Mountains in 1979, and it gives the Kistler Vineyard Chardonnay, still one of the house classics. Today the winery sits near Sebastopol in western Sonoma County.
In 2008 Steve Kistler sold his majority stake to Bill Price, owner of Durell Vineyard. Jason Kesner joined as assistant winemaker that same year and, after a long and planned handover, took charge of all production when Steve Kistler retired at the end of 2017. The aim has not changed: wines that look to Burgundy rather than to the rich, buttery picture many people have of California Chardonnay.
How Kistler Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are made
Every Kistler Chardonnay comes from a single old clone of Burgundian origin, which the winery has propagated and refined itself since the mid 1980s. It gives small berries, low yields and natural acidity that keeps the wines fresh. The Pinot Noir rests in the same way on old selections from a Burgundy grand cru vineyard, propagated in the estate's own vineyards for more than 25 years.
The grapes are picked at night and pressed as whole clusters. Fermentation runs on native yeast in French oak barrels in an underground cellar, the wine spends about ten months on its lees and is bottled without fining or filtration. The result is Chardonnay with white flowers, stone fruit and a mineral core, and Pinot Noir that goes for finesse rather than weight.
Kistler single vineyards: Les Noisetiers, Vine Hill, Durell and Hyde
Kistler bottles each vineyard separately, so the differences in soil and climate show in the glass. Les Noisetiers is the house Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, blended from fruit grown at Vine Hill, Trenton Roadhouse, Dutton Ranch and Laguna Ridge among others. The name is French for hazel trees and points to the nutty aroma of grapes from the sandy Gold Ridge soils.
Among the single vineyard wines you will find Vine Hill, planted on pure sand where the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast overlap, along with Trenton Roadhouse and Dutton Ranch. Durell and its neighbour Stone Flat lie where the Sonoma Valley meets Carneros, while Hyde and Hudson Vineyard come from Carneros. McCrea 2015 and Kistler Vineyard 2016 show the wines with some years of bottle age. On the red side there is Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast.
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Kistler wine: frequently asked questions
Where is Kistler Vineyards?
In Sonoma County, Northern California, with the winery near Sebastopol. The grapes come from vineyards in the Russian River Valley, on the Sonoma Coast and in Carneros.
Is Occidental the same as Kistler?
No. Occidental is a separate Pinot Noir project that Steve Kistler started with his family in 2011, with vineyards in the Freestone-Occidental area of the western Sonoma Coast. His daughter Catherine Kistler works in the cellar. Occidental wines carry their own label and are not part of this page.
How should I serve Kistler Chardonnay?
Not too cold. Around 12 to 14 °C and a large glass give the fruit and the nutty notes room. Pinot Noir shows best at 15 to 17 °C.
Does Kistler Chardonnay age well?
Yes. The single vineyard wines have the acidity and concentration to develop over several years, and older vintages such as McCrea 2015 and Kistler Vineyard 2016 let you taste them with some maturity.