Occidental Vineyards - "Freestone-Occidental" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2024

Occidental Vineyards is the Kistler family’s singular Pinot Noir project, established by Steve Kistler — founder of Kistler Vineyards — in 2011 after decades of searching for the cool, maritime sites he believed could produce California’s most distinctive Pinot Noir. The family farms 85 acres of vineyards in the Freestone-Occidental area, including the Bodega Headlands, Bodega Ridge and Occidental Station, on uplifted marine terraces and ridges at the extreme western edge of Sonoma County. Steve’s daughter Catherine Kistler joined the estate full-time in 2017 and today serves as winemaker and CEO alongside her sister Elizabeth, carrying the project into its second generation. Here, persistent Pacific fog, wind and cool temperatures extend the growing season, while the vineyards’ coastal exposure encourages slow ripening and naturally vibrant acidity. The wines are made with a deliberately gentle touch, including native-yeast fermentation, native malolactic fermentation and an emphasis on preserving freshness, precision and the vivid red-fruited character of these remarkable coastal sites.

Occidental’s Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir opens with an airy, distinctly coastal bouquet of fresh red berries and red flowers, followed by raspberry, cranberry and juicy pomegranate on the palate, with subtle blood-orange citrus and a gently savory, saline character adding dimension. Silky and finely textured, it combines bright natural acidity with beautifully precise fruit, delicate tannins and a persistent mineral finish that leaves the wine feeling both energetic and remarkably graceful. Its freshness and moderate alcohol make it exceptionally versatile at the table, pairing beautifully with seared salmon, roast chicken with herbs, duck breast with cherry sauce, grilled pork tenderloin or mushroom and thyme risotto.