2021 Occidental Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard

Coming from the coldest section of the property with its exposure to the coastal winds, the 2021 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard pours a jeweled ruby red hue and is toasty and expressive on the nose, with notes of fresh black cherries, red berries, rosehip, and smoky incense. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir sports a great deal of energy and tension, with coiled, fine tannins, a chalky texture, racy acidity, and a seamless, linear finish. It promises a good deal of longevity and will be best left in cellar for another couple of years to give it time to unfurl. Drink 2025-2045. 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.

The 2021 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard is one of the most vivid, sculpted wines in this range. Crushed rocks, white pepper, lavender, blue fruits and intense saline notes lend striking vibrancy. Understated at first, the 2021 possesses mind-blowing balance and a long, sustained finish to match. As always, the SWK is the most linear and savory of the Occidental Pinots. What a wine! It emerges from the steepest, highest section of the vineyard, where the soils are the thinnest.

The 2021 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard is impressive and offers exceptional purity and complexity. Red cherry and pomegranate aromas are accented by nuances of licorice, tobacco, iron, mint and bitters. The palate is open and inviting with wave after wave of spicy red fruit. It’s structured by finely chalky tannins and linear acidity and has a very long, layered finish.