Occidental By Steve Kistler - Pinot Noir Occidental Station 2022 (750ml)
Price: $135.00
| Producer | Occidental By Steve Kistler |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Sonoma Coast |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 11042 |
| Size | 750ml |
The Wine Independent: 97 Points
Medium ruby-purple in color the 2022 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard charges out with gregarious scents of wild blueberries and black cherry preserves leading to wafts of underbrush cloves incense and potpourri. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers wonderful energy and brightness with a racy line and fine-grained tannins providing great structure finishing long with beautiful purity. Occidental Station Vineyard is further inland from the other Occidental sites. It was planted by Steve Kistler in 1998/9. This 18-acre site is farmed by the Kistlers on a long-term lease. Composed of iron-rich pebbly soils this vineyard is dry-farmed and the first to ripen. Occidental Station Vineyard usually produces a bold out-of-the-gate expressive darker fruits style of wine. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2025-01-15
Vinous: 96 Points
The 2022 Pinot Noir Occidental Station is the most overt of the Pinots in this lineup. Plush deep layers shape the wine?s frame. Wild cherry cedar and pipe tobacco all meld together in a supple creamy Pinot that is already absolutely delicious and ready to go. Time in the glass softens the contours nicely as the 2022 starts to blossom with air. Hints of blood orange mint and cinnamon linger. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2025 This is a gorgeous set of wines from Steve and Catherine Kistler. Bad weather during flowering reduced the crop significantly to just over one ton per acre the lowest since 2015. That may have ultimately been a blessing in disguise as the Kistlers were able to bring everything in between August 22 and 29 in other words before the Labor Day heat spikes. The entire ranch is planted with the Riparia Gloire rootstock which is notoriously shy-bearing and known for encouraging a relatively short vegetative cycle both benefits in this challenging vintage. The 2022s spent 19-22 days on the skins a few days less than usual as the skins were fragile. All the wines were aged in François Frères barrels (25% new) made from wood selected by Occidental that is then seasoned in France for three years. The 2022s come in around 12.8% in alcohol a touch lower than normal. As a result the wines have a bit less overt density than most years but still have that textured fruit character that is such a signature here. The SWK is the star. If I could have only one of these wines the SWK would be the one. It is among the very finest Pinots of the vintage a pretty select group this year. The Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth is the most immediate of the wines today. The Occidental Station from a warmer site a few miles from the winery is always the most overt and supple of the wines. I tasted the 2022s twice once at the estate and a second time at home. It's always instructive to be able to follow wines over time as any vineyard visit no matter how much time is allotted only offers a snapshot. I also tasted the 2014s at the winery. It's an ideal vintage for drinking now.
Wine Advocate: 96+ Points
The 2022 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard bursts from the glass with intense aromas of cranberry sauce black raspberry blood orange iodine and mushrooms becoming increasingly nuanced as it airs in the glass. The palate features powerful layers of crunchy fruit matched by vibrant acidity. It?s structured by finely astringent tannins reminiscent of black tea and has a very long layered finish. It will be long lived in the cellar. Published: Jan 16 2025
