Kistler Vineyards Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvee Elizabeth Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, USA

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The 2011 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth comes across as cool and inward, reflecting the personality of this site. It is another wine that appears to have considerable potential, as there is plenty of persistence in the glass. Right now, the Cuvee Elizabeth is not as expressive as the Cuvee Catherine, but it is very pretty just the same. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. It is always a pleasure to visit with Steve Kistler and his partner Mark Bixler. The 2011s and 2010s are excellent across the board, although I currently have a preference for the 2011s. Vintage 2011 is shaping up beautifully, for both the Chardonnays and Pinots. As was the case throughout the region, the season was cool and slow to develop. The 2011s were picked at lower sugars than is the norm here, but very much in keeping with the personality of the year. Steve Kistler commented that a poor set in 2011 resulted in their lowest crop loads in years. Like a lot of his colleagues, Kistler noted that the experiences of 2010 had a huge positive impact on how he responded to similar challenges in 2011. The 2010 Chardonnays are beautiful across the board. Although solid, the 2010 Pinots aren’t quite at the level of the superb 2009s and I expect, ultimately, the 2011s. It was a tough vintage for the Pinots. Yields were mercilessly low. Sadly, there is no Cuvee Elizabeth, as the little fruit that came in went into the Kistler Vineyard bottling. Tel. (707) 823-5603

The 2009 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth comes across as a bit firmer and less expressive than the Cuvee Catherine. There is a salty, saline quality that runs through the fruit in this powerful, structured wine. Waves of fruit crescendo on the explosive finish. This is a dazzling Pinot Noir, but it will require at least another year or two in bottle to reveal its pedigree. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. I was blown away by these wines from Steve Kistler, his partner Mark Bixler and assistant winemaker Jason Kesner. Over the last few years Kistler has refined his approach, as he wasn’t totally satisfied by the way some of his earlier wines had developed in bottle. Today Kistler is picking his Chardonnays at lower Brix levels, using less French oak (with no stirring of the lees) and keeping the wines in barrel for a shorter amount of time, all in an effort to preserve as much freshness as possible. The result is wines that are totally different in style from past years. The Pinots see a maximum of 50% new oak barrels and that number will continue to trend downwards over the next few years. The 2009 harvest started around September 4 for both Chardonnay and Pinot. The 2009s were bottled in December 2010. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2010s, as they had been bottled just prior to my visit. I will taste those wines in October, 2012. A frequent source of frustration among Wine Advocate readers has been the lack of in-the-bottle reviews for Kistler wines. Beginning this year, all wines tasted from barrel will be subsequently reviewed from bottle as well. Readers who haven’t tasted the Kistler wines in some time owe it to themselves to do so. These are some of the most thrilling wines being made in California today.Tel. (707) 823-5603, www.kistlervineyards.com

The 2009 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth comes across as a bit firmer and less expressive than the Cuvee Catherine. There is a salty, saline quality that runs through the fruit in this powerful, structured wine. Waves of fruit crescendo on the explosive finish. This is a dazzling Pinot Noir, but it will require at least another year or two in bottle to reveal its pedigree. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. I was blown away by these wines from Steve Kistler, his partner Mark Bixler and assistant winemaker Jason Kesner. Over the last few years Kistler has refined his approach, as he wasn’t totally satisfied by the way some of his earlier wines had developed in bottle. Today Kistler is picking his Chardonnays at lower Brix levels, using less French oak (with no stirring of the lees) and keeping the wines in barrel for a shorter amount of time, all in an effort to preserve as much freshness as possible. The result is wines that are totally different in style from past years. The Pinots see a maximum of 50% new oak barrels and that number will continue to trend downwards over the next few years. The 2009 harvest started around September 4 for both Chardonnay and Pinot. The 2009s were bottled in December 2010. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2010s, as they had been bottled just prior to my visit. I will taste those wines in October, 2012. A frequent source of frustration among Wine Advocate readers has been the lack of in-the-bottle reviews for Kistler wines. Beginning this year, all wines tasted from barrel will be subsequently reviewed from bottle as well. Readers who haven’t tasted the Kistler wines in some time owe it to themselves to do so. These are some of the most thrilling wines being made in California today. Tel. (707) 823-5603, www.kistlervineyards.com

From the coldest parcel of four cool terroirs, the stunning 2008 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth boasts copious aromas of boysenberries, black raspberries, spring flowers, sweet earth and hints of graphite as well as spice box. Broad, savory and full-bodied with impressive purity, this 2008 Pinot should drink well for a decade or more. Not only have the 2008s lived up to or exceeded their potential from last year’s barrel tastings, the 2009s appear to be fabulous as well. Of course, 2008 was a much more challenging vintage and 2009 was a cool year, much like 2005, with slightly lower alcohols and higher yields than the short crop of 2008. All of the 2009 Chardonnays finished with around 14+% alcohol levels and had more minerality than usual. Kistler’s bottled 2008s were all concentrated. The 2008 Chardonnays have the potential to last even longer than the 2009s given the fact that they are even more concentrated than those wines. Tel. (707) 823-5603; Fax (707) 823-6709

From the coldest parcel of four cool terroirs, the stunning 2008 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth boasts copious aromas of boysenberries, black raspberries, spring flowers, sweet earth and hints of graphite as well as spice box. Broad, savory and full-bodied with impressive purity, this 2008 Pinot should drink well for a decade or more. Not only have the 2008s lived up to or exceeded their potential from last year’s barrel tastings, the 2009s appear to be fabulous as well. Of course, 2008 was a much more challenging vintage and 2009 was a cool year, much like 2005, with slightly lower alcohols and higher yields than the short crop of 2008. All of the 2009 Chardonnays finished with around 14+% alcohol levels and had more minerality than usual. Kistler’s bottled 2008s were all concentrated. The 2008 Chardonnays have the potential to last even longer than the 2009s given the fact that they are even more concentrated than those wines.Tel. (707) 823-5603; Fax (707) 823-6709