2018 SWK Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard is every bit as captivating as it always has been. Aromatic, light on its feet and wonderfully expressive, the 2018 is a super-classic wine from the West Sonoma Coast. Rose petal, black tea, dried leaves and brisk saline overtones confer a good deal of freshness. There is more subtlety than power here. Time brings out the 2018's dimension and textural breadth. This is such a mesmerizing wine. The long, understated finish is haunting in its beauty. This was the first vintage in which Steve Kistler was able to focus full-time on Occidental, and Catherine Kistler's second vintage at the family estate.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard has tightened since I first tasted it in 2021 and will benefit from long-term cellaring. It has alluring aromas of red plum, pomegranate liqueur, licorice and spice. The medium-bodied palate is silky and mouthwatering with generous layers of red fruit and a flourish of spice across the long finish. Lay it down in the cellar—it has more to reveal with sufficient time in bottle.
Lots of mulberry and bright cherry fruits as well as toasted spice and sappy herb notes emerge from the 2018 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard, and this medium to full-bodied beauty has a great mid-palate, some smoky oak, ripe, grippy tannins, and a rock star of a finish. Reminding me of a great Clos de Bèze from a riper year, it continues to offer more and more dark fruits and violets with time in the glass as well as more obvious structure. Do your best to hide bottles for at least 3-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following decade or more.
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.