Occidental
About Occidental
Occidental is Steve Kistler’s passion project in the Freestone-Occidental area of California. Established in 2013 for one singular purpose only, the man of unbridled ambition seeks to produce incredible Pinot Noir from the region.
With the help of his daughters, Kistler's new winery was completed just in time to harvest that most coveted and often fickle grape - Pinot Noir in 2013. Truly minuscule production means that many buyers may not have known about the roaring success of Occidental on its very first vintage. Critical scores are also hard to find due to lack of samples, but there were always whispers of an outstandingly beautiful Pinot Noir from the coolest regions of the Freestone-Occidental area.
About Steve Kistler
Steve Kistler is a man of unbridled ambition. Many buyers will be very familiar with Kistler Vineyard - famed for its powerfully expressive yet elegant Chardonnay. The leading cult Californian winery was founded in 1978. The family-run estate's vineyards stretch from Western Sonoma to just North of San Francisco Bay and have produced notoriously rare and sought-after wines for close to four decades.
Occidental Wines
The Occidental wines are produced from vineyards on a southwest-facing ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean, just outside the town of Bodega. This ridge and the surrounding headlands mark the western edge of the Freestone-Occidental area and are among the coldest and latest ripening sites where pinot noir is grown in western Sonoma. The estate produces five wines, including the house blend, Freestone-Occidental, and four single-vineyard Pinots, namely, Bodega Headlands Cuvée Elizabeth, Running Fence Cuvée Catherine, SWK Vineyard, Occidental Station Vineyard.
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Wine Advocate (94)
The 2023 Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental is bursting with vibrant scents of red cherry, cranberry, black tea, conifer, pipe tobacco, saline and generous spicy nuances. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with layers of succulent fruit, and its expressive, earthy undertones are reminiscent of a coastal forest. It has a lacy frame of tannins, bright acidity and a long, tobacco-laced finish. It’s a touch more open than the rest of the 2023s and will be approachable sooner.Inc. TAX€472.32 -
(6x75cl) 2022Decanter (100)
I've tasted very few wines that feel as complete as the 2022 Occidental Cuvée Elizabeth. Like the 2021 vintage, it’s the most floral and ethereal in the lineup, but this new release reaches new heights. It comes from the estate Bodega Headlands vineyard, where the vines already tend to give tiny berries and low yields. With 2022 being such a warm vintage, the crop was even smaller than usual, making the flavours and aromas way more vivid. With a highly expressive nose, you get a beautiful bouquet of violets and wet lavender mixed with the scent of cool, damp soil. A dusting of baking spice and a clean, salty breeze root this wine unmistakably in the West Sonoma Coast. On the palate, cranberries, pomegranate juice, and wild berries blend into a juicy and lively core. Satin-fine tannins bring just enough structure without getting in the way of the wine’s elegant frame. Bright acidity lifts everything into a long, satisfying finish. It’s a wow-moment wine. Truly beautiful. Tasted from bottle E2021.Inc. TAX€711.12 -
(6x75cl) 2020Jeb Dunnuck (98)
A deep ruby, the 2020 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard is packed with aromas of wild herbs, wild strawberry, and cigar box. Full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it exhibits a round feel with good structure and depth in its layers of bergamot, cardamom, and orange oil. This is a gorgeous wine out of the gate, and it will continue to improve and provide excellent drinking over the coming two decades.Inc. TAX€879.34 -
(6x75cl) 2022Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The 2022 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvee Catherine is a deep ruby red hue and comes from a site behind the ranch at the top of the property. So pretty on the nose with notes of black raspberries and kirsch, it’s briny and savory with the sanguine brightness of orange oils and dark windswept herbs. Salty but entirely different, it’s marked by a pronounced signature of what this winery does, with power, compact brightness, and energy, as well as the umami richness and depth this wine delivers.Inc. TAX€711.12
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Wine Advocate (94)
The 2023 Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental is bursting with vibrant scents of red cherry, cranberry, black tea, conifer, pipe tobacco, saline and generous spicy nuances. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with layers of succulent fruit, and its expressive, earthy undertones are reminiscent of a coastal forest. It has a lacy frame of tannins, bright acidity and a long, tobacco-laced finish. It’s a touch more open than the rest of the 2023s and will be approachable sooner.In Bond€373.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022
Decanter (100)
I've tasted very few wines that feel as complete as the 2022 Occidental Cuvée Elizabeth. Like the 2021 vintage, it’s the most floral and ethereal in the lineup, but this new release reaches new heights. It comes from the estate Bodega Headlands vineyard, where the vines already tend to give tiny berries and low yields. With 2022 being such a warm vintage, the crop was even smaller than usual, making the flavours and aromas way more vivid. With a highly expressive nose, you get a beautiful bouquet of violets and wet lavender mixed with the scent of cool, damp soil. A dusting of baking spice and a clean, salty breeze root this wine unmistakably in the West Sonoma Coast. On the palate, cranberries, pomegranate juice, and wild berries blend into a juicy and lively core. Satin-fine tannins bring just enough structure without getting in the way of the wine’s elegant frame. Bright acidity lifts everything into a long, satisfying finish. It’s a wow-moment wine. Truly beautiful. Tasted from bottle E2021.In Bond€572.00 -
(6x75cl) 2020
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
A deep ruby, the 2020 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard is packed with aromas of wild herbs, wild strawberry, and cigar box. Full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it exhibits a round feel with good structure and depth in its layers of bergamot, cardamom, and orange oil. This is a gorgeous wine out of the gate, and it will continue to improve and provide excellent drinking over the coming two decades.In Bond€709.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The 2022 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvee Catherine is a deep ruby red hue and comes from a site behind the ranch at the top of the property. So pretty on the nose with notes of black raspberries and kirsch, it’s briny and savory with the sanguine brightness of orange oils and dark windswept herbs. Salty but entirely different, it’s marked by a pronounced signature of what this winery does, with power, compact brightness, and energy, as well as the umami richness and depth this wine delivers.In Bond€572.00
