2019 Occidental Station Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The purity of the 2019 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard evokes the resonating tone of a tuning fork and offers the same satisfaction every time I open a bottle. On the nose, a well of dark red fruit is complemented by pure, detailed accents of licorice, lavender, bergamot, tea leaves and iron. The light-bodied palate is tremendously concentrated for its slender frame—vertical acidity and powdery tannins are knit into luxurious waves of spicy, floral fruit. It finishes with an impressive flourish of iron and spice and will be very long lived in the cellar.
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Pinot Noir Occidental Station is the most overt of these wines. Explosive red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, sage and rose petal soar out of the glass. Soft and pliant for a young Occidental Pinot, the Occidental Station will drink well with just a few years in bottle. There is plenty of energy and vibrancy, but the Occidental Station is a bit showier than the other wines in the range. Silky contours lend raciness and yet there is plenty of mineral brightness lurking beneath. The 2019 is a real charmer, that much is clear.
About the producer
Steve Kistler is a man who needs little introduction. He founded, and – for almost 40 years – made the wines at, Kistler. Since leaving his eponymous estate in 2017, Kistler has been focused exclusively on Occidental, his new, family winery on the outer edges of the Sonoma Coast.