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93 -Vinous -

Technical Details

  • Blend 100% Pinot Noir
  • Winemaker Steve and Catherine Kistler
  • Country US
  • Region California
  • Sub Region North Coast
  • Appellation Sonoma County
  • Vineyard Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station, and Bodega Ridge vineyards
  • Farming Method Organic & Sustainable Practices
  • Oak neutral French oak barrels
  • Aging / Cooperage 12 months
  • Alcohol 12.8%

Occidental Wines Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental Sonoma Coast 2024

Pinot Noir | California

VN93

SPECIAL: Ground shipping included on 2+ bottles!

Organic & Sustainable Practices

$100.00

$74.95

750ML

25% OFF RETAIL!

Bright, saline, and impossibly precise, Occidental's 93-point 2024 Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir comes from the foggy, coastal hills Steve Kistler has been convinced were special since the early 1990s. Same winemaking and vineyard sources as his single-vineyard bottlings that run $150 and up – yours for under $75, free shipping on two or more.

Occidental is Steve Kistler's Pinot Noir project with one singular focus of making world-class Pinot from the headlands in the Freestone-Occidental area. This is the same Steve Kistler who founded Kistler Vineyards back in 1979 – basically California wine royalty – and since the early 1990s, he'd been convinced the uplifted marine terraces and ridges around the town of Bodega would be ideal for Burgundian-style Pinot. He founded Occidental as a small family brand in 2011 and built a winery just east of Bodega overlooking the Pacific, and these days his daughters Catherine and Lizzie work alongside him. 

The Freestone-Occidental is a blend pulled from the Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station, and Bodega Ridge vineyards, made using the exact same techniques as the pricey single-vineyard bottlings. The fruit is picked at night, arrives cool, gets sorted twice, and each block ferments separately with native yeast and native malolactic bacteria before spending 14 months in barrel – bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur. It's made entirely from free-run juice, meaning no press wine, no heaviness, and just the pretty stuff.

The wine displays energetic crushed red cherry, raspberry, and plum layers, framed by blood orange peel, rich spices, black tea leaves, mouthwatering acidity, and a fine, mineral-driven texture. Subtle floral notes and a hint of coastal trees add depth, while supple tannins and a luminous finish give the wine a sense of poise and longevity. For under $75 a bottle, with free ship on just two (compare at $100 retail), this is an incredible value for a Pinot of this caliber. Enjoy the rugged beauty and finesse of California’s westernmost vineyards for an enchanting price, and be sure to tuck at least one away in your cellar to see its breathtaking evolution!

FOOD PAIRINGS: Honey glazed salmon with some fresh lemon and chives give this coastal wine a perfectly coastal and succulent counterpart.

About The Producer

Occidental is the highly-lauded project of famed winemaker Steve Kistler and his family. Steve is most well-known for his eponymous label, Kistler Vineyards, which has been dedicated to making world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from California’s north coast for over 30 years. Situated just 4 miles from the Ocean in western Sonoma’s Bodega Headlands, Occidental currently has 85 acres of primarily Pinot Noir planted to a proprietary selection from Grand Cru Vosne-Romanée clones on Riparia Gloire and 101?14 rootstocks. The vineyards benefit from an ideal south-facing aspect (not shared by neighboring sites), as well as the Petaluma Gap’s cold, windy climate. In fact, the area rarely sees temperatures over 80 degrees. In short, it is a wonderland for Pinot Noir.