Refined, radiant and perfectly poised, the 2023 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay from Kistler Vineyards is a study in balance, the harmony of ripe fruit, cool-climate freshness, and understated oak. Pale straw with green-gold reflections, it opens with lifted aromas of lemon blossom, pear and white peach, unfolding into layers of hazelnut, flint and gentle brioche. The palate is both generous and taut, with juicy orchard fruit and citrus curd gliding over a fine mineral core, featuring a creamy texture and lively acidity that build to a long, graceful finish. It’s precise yet plush, polished yet pure, California sophistication with Burgundian soul.

For when: the evening feels calm, the food’s fresh, and the wine deserves to be the star.
Pairs with: roasted sea bass, crab linguine, or a classic roast chicken with herbs.
If this wine were a mood, it’d be quiet confidence,  elegant, composed, and effortlessly assured.

Kistler Vineyards, founded in 1978 by Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler, is one of California’s most admired estates, a pioneer of single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir crafted with Burgundian precision. The guiding philosophy, one clone, one method, many terroirs, remains central to the house style: native-yeast fermentations, minimal intervention, and long ageing in fine French oak to express each vineyard’s unique voice.

The Dutton Ranch Vineyard lies in the heart of the Russian River Valley, where fog-laced mornings and Goldridge sandy loam soils create perfect conditions for Chardonnay of aromatic intensity and mineral poise. The 2023 vintage was hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed, then fermented in French oak (around 30% new) and aged on lees for depth and texture. The result is quintessential Kistler, a wine of finesse and focus, combining creamy richness with linear precision, and finishing with that unmistakable coastal freshness that defines the great Chardonnays of Sonoma.