The 1994 Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir is another California Pinot that seemingly breaks new ground. It boasts a deep ruby/purple color, with a nose of earth, meat, and ripe black fruits. Full-bodied and powerful, this wine could easily be mistaken for a top grand cru from the Cote de Nuits given its richness, aromatic complexity, and flavor dimension. Kistler's impressive Pinot Noir portfolio was launched with the 1994s, which will be released in the marketplace over the next 5-6 months. Readers having a difficult time finding the Kistler wines should realize that a healthy percentage of the 18,000 case production is sold via the winery's direct mailing list, with much of the balance going to our country's top restaurants. The winery also tends to release its wines later than others because of their aging potential. Kistler Vineyards is at the pinnacle of the California qualitative pyramid. Particularly admirable is the fact that they got there the hard way - they earned it. Tel. (707) 996-5117; Fax (707) 996-7061