Occidental By Steve Kistler - Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvee Elizabeth 2021 (750ml)
Price: $135.00
#3 Jeb Dunnuck Top 100 Wines of 2024
| Producer | Occidental By Steve Kistler |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Sonoma Coast |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 7987 |
| Size | 750ml |
Jeb Dunnuck: 98 Points
“A jeweled magenta ruby color the 2021 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Vineyard is from a coastally exposed site planted with vine cuttings from two Grand Crus in Vosne-Romanée and sheltered to the north by redwoods. In the glass the wine is highly expressive on opening boasting a rich and refined perfume of violets raspberry liqueur pine and pristine dark spices. Medium-bodied and elegant it’s one of the richer wines in the range from this noble vintage and offers a ripe feel through the palate with polished tannins and a hint of underlying mineral richness through its long finish. It’s a fabulous wine that will benefit from being stored properly for another year or more. Drink 2025-2040. The estate of Steve Kistler and his family in the Bodega Headlands Occidental is exclusively devoted to producing coastally influenced Pinot Noir and they are members of the West Sonoma Coast Vintners Association. Kistler was initially drawn to the area after tasting a bottling of Summa Vineyard that expressed a vivid and more cool climate style. Although Occidental was officially founded in 2011 Steve has been planting vineyards and purchasing property in the area since the 1990s and has retained his original cellar team for the past 30 years. His daughter Catherine Kistler has been the assistant winemaker since 2017. Each of the wines tasted for this report are their vineyard-designated selections which are held back an initial year prior to release. I was highly anticipating this tasting as the quality of the 2021 Freestone-Occidental tasted last year far exceeded my expectations and this year’s visit did not disappoint. I would be thrilled to have any of these wines in my cellar.�
Wine Spectator: 96 Points
Waves of succulent black cherry and mulberry fruit drape over a subtly piercing mineral aspect while a backdrop of red and black tea dried anise and blood orange zest adds alluring range. Racy finely beaded acidity provides a nearly invisible corset of structure letting it all play out with confidence through the lengthy finish. Best from 2025 through 2035. 1050 cases made.
Wine Advocate: 96+ Points
The 2021 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvée Elizabeth from vines planted in 2000 is particularly alluring for its aromatic complexity. Generous cranberry sauce and pomegranate aromas are complemented by detailed accents of charcuterie blood orange peel mushrooms aniseed and an array of spices reminiscent of Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate is like a finely balanced scale its expansive detailed flavors supported by silky tannins and a spine of focused acidity and it has a long spicy finish. After the bottle is opened it unfurls dramatically over several days and its dynamic character and chiseled structure point to a long life in bottle. Steve Kistler and his daughter Catherine are hard at work developing their new property on the Sonoma Coast located just 10 minutes from their Occidental winery but more heavily impacted by the marginal effects of the Pacific Ocean. Blocks have been plotted out and staked and the first vines will be planted in the spring of 2024. The Kistlers are proponents of massal selection propagating from their own vines rather than using purchased clones. ?You are trying to find the selection that will produce the best wine but in most years you give something up to get there? Steve explains. ?The massal selections are not virus free. But it?s like everything else it?s a matter of degree. It?s not debilitating the vine but it helps keep the vine from overproducing. You get less but better crop.? Catherine proudly notes that her father has been developing vineyards and producing wine on the western Sonoma Coast for over two decades?"about as long as anyone who has farmed serious acreage out here" she says. "I?m 32 now and my dad was 32 when he founded Kistler. Working on this new ranch gives me an appreciation of the risk.? Published: Dec 14 2023
Vinous: 96 Points
The 2021 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth is bright aromatic and effusive right out of the gate. Rose petal lavender red/purplish fruit and spice are beautifully articulated. Medium bodied and gracious the 2021 is all precision?all class. Bright saline notes resonate on the vibrant persistent finish. I especially admire its understated personality. This site planted in 2001 with suitcase clones on 101-14 rootstock and picked early for vibrancy yields a tense aromatic red-toned Pinot endowed with tons of class. (Drink between 2026-2036)
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