Notes:
Green-tinged pale yellow to yellow. Precise and piercing vineyard block specific aromas of just unfolded lime blossom, sunned golden orchard fruits, nut oils and crushed shale. Dense with extract and cut by natural acidity as it strikes mid-palate before branching out. Finishes with lovely lasting definition and a pronounced mineral framing. Annually one of the most multifaceted yet singular wines we produce. Classic. Complex. Complete.
100 Pts Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen features quiet, soft-spoken scents of fresh yellow apples and apricots to begin, soon unfurling to offer up notes of almond croissant, beeswax, and fresh ginger plus a waft of brine. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively, with a quiet intensity of savory layers and a satiny texture, finishing long and chalky.
97 Pts Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvée Cathleen is ethereal, deep and complex all at the same time. It emerges from the tenderloin of a west-facing slope on the property that sees long periods of sunshine during the summer. There's gorgeous density and weight in the glass, and yet the Cuvée remains light on its feet. I imagine it will be exquisite in a year or two. In my view, it is the most distinctive and complex Chardonnay in the range.
97 Pts James Suckling
This is very flinty on the nose and palate with stone and slate character. Notes of dried apples, peaches and apricots with just a hint of caramel. Medium-bodied with a very tight palate and firm and fine phenolics that give it energy and form. Racy. From Wente clones planted in 1993 in shale soils with a western exposure. Drink after 2027 to let it open and come together.
98 Pts Jeb Dunnuck
From the western-facing portion of the Kistler Vineyard, the 2022 Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard Cuvee Cathleen is a riper golden color and is sunny and rounded on the nose, with notes of apricot, orange rind, cedar, and alpine herbs. It fills the palate and expands with incredible balance and persistence, and it’s resonant and long, with a spectacular finish. It will be at its best over the next 12 years. 6375 bottles produced.
96 Pts Wine Advocate
The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen possesses a unique sense of freshness and exoticism. Its aromas bloom slowly as it airs in the glass: flint, toast and beeswax give way to pure scents of Meyer lemon, underripe pineapple, white peach and meringue. The palate has a silky texture and explodes with layer after layer of concentrated, green tropical fruit. Its generosity is foiled by fireworks of fresh acidity that add an ethereal sensation, and it finishes with fantastic length and crisp white floral character.
