Kingston Family Vineyards

Articles About Kingston Family Vineyards

Reviewed Wines

2017 Kingston Family Vineyards Tobriano Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 740 cases, $26. Released September 2018. Aged 8 months in French oak barrels. · Moderately light ruby red color in the glass. My first thought in smelling and tasting this wine was oak. Aromas of espresso and toast overwhelm the cherry fruit scent. The light to mid weight core of red cherry fruit is overlain with dark espresso and tobacco flavor. The wine has some charm in the form of an elegant composure, gentle tannins, good juiciness, and a silky texture, but there is just too much oak at play. Unchanged when tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Score: 87. Reviewed November 17, 2018 ARTICLE »

2017 Kingston Family Vineyards Sabino Casablanca Valley Chile Chardonnay

13.0% alc., 250 cases, $30, screw cap. Released September 2018. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels and concrete egg vat. · Light golden yellow color in the glass. Very inviting aromas of lemon, apple, white peach and floral bouquet. The flavors of lemon, pineapple and pear are arrayed in a very satisfying style with commendable balance and polish, with hardly perceptible oak input. Score: 92. Reviewed November 17, 2018 ARTICLE »

2017 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 350 cases, $40. Aged 8 months in French oak barrels and concrete egg vat. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of espresso, black cherry, raspberry and earthy flora. Mid weight flavors of black cherry and toasty oak in a polished style with mouth filling mid palate presence, finishing long with generous cherry goodness. Less oak overlay is evident when the wine was tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Score: 89. Reviewed November 17, 2018 ARTICLE »

2016 Kingston Family Vineyards Tobiano Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 860 cases, $24. Released September 2017. Aged primarily in oak barrels but most are neutral. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. A savory nose leads off with aromas of dried herbs, floral bouquet, strawberry and tobacco. Forward drinking with bright flavors of red cherry and red berry boosted by lively acidity, displaying some persistence on the quenching finish. This is a welcome Pinot that is pleasurable without needing analysis. Score: 90. Reviewed September 24, 2017 ARTICLE »

2016 Kingston Family Vineyards Sabino Casablanca Valley Chile Chardonnay

13.0% alc., 415 cases, $30, screwcap. A combination of oak and concrete vessels are used for fermentation and aging. Native yeast, a little lees stirring, slow malolactic fermentation and little or no sulfur.Aged 10 months and released September 2017. · Light golden yellow color in the glass. comforting aromas of lemon oil, apple and lees. Round and composed on the palate with flavors of lemon, grapefruit, pear and apple that persist through the finish that offers an energetic grip of acidity. No oak in sight, just terrific purity of fruit. Tasted twice with same result. Score: 93. Reviewed September 24, 2017 ARTICLE »

2016 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 365 cases, $38. Released September 2017. Some whole cluster. Aged 8 months in oak barrels and concrete egg vat. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose becomes more expansive over time in the glass, revealing aromas of cherry, spice, sous bois and a hint of toasty oak. Wellmannered in the mouth with impressive harmony, offering mid weight flavors of earthy cherry, raspberry and spice. The tannins are nicely integrated making for easy drinking now. The somewhat earthy and savory character reminds me more of Old World than New World. In any case, an excellent wine. Score: 93. Reviewed September 24, 2017 ARTICLE »

2015 Kingston Family Vineyards Tobiano Casablanca Chile Pinot Noir

14.0% alc., 275 cases, $22. A blend of barrels that don’t make the top tier. This is not a lesser wine, but one that is lighter in body and a touch less complexity. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. A fruit-forward wine with aromas of black cherry, strawberry and oak. Silky and highly approachable, driven by cherry and red berry flavors overlaid with savory oak. The lightest and most elegant of the three 201 Kingston Pinot Noirs tasted, yet the wine delivers plenty of personality and a pleasing cherry-fueled finish. Score: 91. Reviewed October 30, 2016 ARTICLE »

2015 Kingston Family Vineyards Sabino Casablanca Chile Chardonnay

12.5% alc., 110 cases, $26, screwcap. Indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels including some large format barrels and egg-shaped concrete tanks. · Moderate golden yellow color and clear in the glass. Shy aromas of pungent herbs, moss, lemon cream and a hint of toasty oak. Crisp and bright in a mildly austere style with flavors of lemon-lime and grapefruit, a slightly viscous texture, with good balance and a refreshing finish. Tasted several hours later, the wine was unchanged. Score: 88. Reviewed October 30, 2016 ARTICLE »

2015 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Chile Pinot Noir

14.0% alc., 150 cases, $36. Released October 2016. Named after Peter Kingston’s burgundy-colored horse in the 1950s. A limited, reserve bottling. Less new French oak and some larger barrels were used in this vintage. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. A very young wine with oak expression exceeding the fruit initially. Over time, aromas of dark fruits and tobacco emerge. The gloriously sappy core envelopes the palate with an array of sweet purple and black fruit flavors with indulgent earth and oak flavors as well. Full-bodied, with balanced tannins and a fruit-filled finish. When tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle, the showy oak had receded and the wine was more appealing. Best to give this wine more time in bottle. Score: 92-93. Reviewed October 30, 2016 ARTICLE »

2015 Kingston Family Vineyards CJ’s Barrel Casablanca Chile Pinot Noir

14.0% alc., 75 cases, $44. A very limited production wine that was aged in 100% neutral oak. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, spice and tobacco lead to a mid weight plus styled wine with a copious charge of dark purple and black fruits. Refined and uplifting with good tannic bones and admirable balance. The oak is surprisingly expressive considering that neutral oak barrels were used. This wine should benefit from more time in bottle. Score: 90-91. Reviewed October 30, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Kingston Family Vineyards Sabrino Casablanca Valley Chile Chardonnay

13.5% alc., 270 cases, $26. Released fall 2015. Part of wine is aged in concrete which keeps the wine fresh and smooths out the rough edges, and some is aged in used French oak barrels (just a touch of new oak). · Light golden yellow color and clear in the glass. Inviting aromas of lemon-lime, cut apple, sliced Asian pear and celery stalk. Light and smooth in the mouth, even sheik, with a clean and refreshing core of citrus fruits and just the right touch of vanilla and toast. A very solid, even exceptional, everyday drinker at the right price. Score: 90. Reviewed January 17, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Kingston Family Vineyards “CJ’s” Barrel Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 75 cases, $38. One of only a handful of Chilean vineyards leveraging artisan winemaking and sustainable viticultural techniques to uncover the potential of cool climate Pinot Noir. This bottling is named after CJ Kingston, a family patriarch and pioneer who came to Casablanca in the early 1900s looking for gold. This is an extremely limited special bottling, allocated to Old Corral club members and available only direct from the winery. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with bright aromas of fresh dark cherries, sous-bois and mocha. Very soft in the mouth and quite charming, with a succulent core of dark cherry, fig and nutty oak flavors dressed in suave tannins. Light on its feet and a pleasure to drink. Score: 90. Reviewed November 22, 2015 ARTICLE »

2013 Kingston Family Vineyards Tobiano Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 550 cases, $20. Released October 2014. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. The nose, even two days after opening, offers only a hint of purple fruits and displays primarily scents of briar, stem and oak. Much better on the palate, with mid weight flavors of black cherry, pomegranate and plum with an overlay of toasty oak. Very soft and suave in the mouth with a welcome finish of some length. Score: 88. Reviewed July 12, 2015 ARTICLE »

2013 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 115 cases, $32. The flagship Pinot Noir named after Peter Kingston’s horse in the 1950s. A limited, reserve bottling. Aged 10 months in 100% French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Clearly the most classy wine in the lineup with a highly appealing nose of penetrating fragrances including dark red stone and berry fruits and spice. Impeccably balanced and velvety in the mouth with well-managed oak seasoning and a memorable, lip smacking finish. This wine was still pumping out the goodness two days later from a previously opening and re-corked bottle. Score: 92. Reviewed July 12, 2015 ARTICLE »

2013 Kingston Family Vineyards “CJ’s” Barrel Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 45 cases, $38 (wine club and direct from winery). Named after CJ Kingston who came to Casablanca in the early 1900s. Aged 10 months in 100% French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Darker fruits are featured on the nose, with plenty of savory stem and oak embellishment. Very polished and soft on the palate with a juicy core of black raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruits that really pop. An herbal oak thread runs through the background. The finish is noticeable intense and long-lasting. Score: 89. Reviewed July 12, 2015 ARTICLE »

2007 Kingston Family Vineyards Casablanca Valley Concha y Toro Clone Pinot Noir

(barrel sample) · Spicy, mineral nose, silky mouth entry, rich and grippy with notable spices and dirt and trace of blue cheese flavor. Fine balance. Definitely not a fruit bomb in comparison to this lineup. Reviewed March 23, 2008 ARTICLE »

2007 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Valley Chile Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., $30. Carl John Kingston came to Chile in the early 1900s looking for gold and five generations later, his decedents still farm family vineyards in the Casablanca Valley. The name, Alazan, is inspired by a favorite family horse from years past. The consulting winemaker is Byron Kosuge. · Deeply colored in the glass. The nose is somewhat strange offering no fruit but plenty of smoke, cigar, and oiled wood aromas. The palate is a different story all together. Luscious core of blue and black berry fruit with smoke and grilled meat in the background. Nicely proportioned tannins and acidity with a satiny texture and a pleasing riff of citrus on the clean finish. Love the taste of this wine and worth a look for its uniqueness. Very good. Reviewed April 23, 2010 ARTICLE »

2006 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir

Note: I tasted both the 2002 and 2005 Alazan Pinot Noirs in the walkaround tasting. I felt the wines were a bit rustic, veering toward “Burgundian” austerity. The 2002 wine, however, had taken on secondary flavors of earth, tobacco and game and was quite enjoyable. Because of their prominent acidity, they do not easily catch a taster’s fancy in a walk-around tasting stocked with many fruit-forward wines, but they would do just fine on the dinner table. The wines are exported to the United States · Lovely nose, silky mouth entry, balanced fruit, sound acid structure, tasty. Aromatic finish and good length. A lovely wine that needs a little time. Reviewed March 23, 2008 ARTICLE »

2006 Kingston Family Vineyards Alazan Chile Pinot Noir

CJ Kingston headed to Chile around 1900 looking for gold. Five generations later, his descendents are taking Chilean winemaking in new directions. Located in coastal Casablanca Valley, Kingston Family is making Pinot Noir under the guidance of American Byron Kosuge (formerly Saintsbury, currently Miura, B. Kosuge Wines, pictured below). Some Kingston Family Vineyards Pinot Noir is exported to the United States and it is worth seeking out. Website: www.kingstonvineyards.com. · A real surprise with abundant Pinotosity. Reviewed August 6, 2007 ARTICLE »