2018 Kistler Chardonnay McCrea Vyd

WA97: The 2018 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard is exceptionally expressive and elegant this vintage. Opening with savory notes of prosciutto and mushroom, it fleshes out to ripe white peaches with accents of elderflower, citrus pith and hazelnut. It’s medium-bodied with a satin-like texture and expressive flavor layers, powerful but featherweight, cut through with tangy acidity and mineral notions and finishing incredibly long and ethereal. This is the best McCrea Chardonnay from Kistler I’ve ever tasted.

JD97: There’s a boatload of Chardonnay from this reference point estate, and the beauty is that they’re all distinct as well as brilliant. Starting with the 2018 Chardonnay McCrea, which comes from the eastern side of Sonoma and limestone soils, it offers a Chassagne-Montrachet-like bouquet of white flowers, lemon blossom, buttered stone fruits, and salty nuts and crushed rock-like nuances. It displays bright acidity, medium body, terrific concentration, and a rock star of a finish. Always one of my favorites in the lineup, it will benefit from a year in bottle and keep for 10-15 years in cold cellars.

AG96: The 2018 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard is gorgeous, and also one of the finest editions I can remember tasting. It is also the first year the McCrea emerges exclusively from the white, chalky soils on the property as previous vintages also included fruit from red soils of volcanic origin. Dried flowers, chamomile, sage, mint, almond and lemon oil give the 2018 striking aromatic and flavor complexity. The 2018 is unbelievably beautiful, but it is not an obvious wine. It is one of the finest editions of the McCrea I can remember tasting.