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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.9 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 44 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by loj on 10/21/2023 & rated 95 points: Amazing floral nose, smooth palette throughout with an ending spice/clove on the finish.
Surprisingly dark and brooding. One of the finest California Pinots I have touched. (857 views) | | | Tasted by Justinwine on 10/24/2022 & rated 93 points: Classic Occidental. Brilliant red fruit. (1843 views) | | | Tasted by BernieMSY on 1/7/2022 & rated 95 points: Beautiful dark garnet color. Delicious, rich and nuanced. Great depth of flavor loaded with red fruit notes. This one is in a good place right now. (2328 views) | | | Tasted by LWI on 8/25/2021 & rated 92 points: Surprisingly developed (2762 views) | | | Tasted by levinml on 3/13/2021 & rated 95 points: My first taste of Occidental (any cuvee) and this is totally worthy of the Kistler name/legacy. Great fruit but supported by acid and alcohol to keep in balance. Long finish, just great in the mouth. Get more of this stuff. (2895 views) | | | Tasted by smurfmacaw on 1/12/2021 & rated 98 points: wow, what a difference a couple of years make. This wine is amazing, fully mature tasting with red and black fruits. Totally awesome. Wish I had another case. (2703 views) | | | Tasted by DaninClearwater on 11/3/2020 & rated 91 points: bad pqr (2308 views) | | | Tasted by kjlund on 8/3/2020 & rated 93 points: Very dark red/purple for a Pinot, which was an indication of what was to come. Well structured with hints of dark cherry, red berries, pepper. Drinking well now. (2000 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 5/12/2020 & rated 93 points: This ripe and layered wine still needs a few year to integrate, since right now it's good - but nowhere near great. Cherry red in color; medium in body; nose of pomegranate, and fresh mushroom stems. Tastes of sour cherry, rhubarb, and dried herbs, with an integrated finish that (at least for me) started off with a spritzy element that faded after a few hours of air. 14.1% alcohol. I wanted to like this wine more than I did, but maybe it just needs time. 92-93 for now. (3594 views) | | | Tasted by DrZett on 5/10/2020 & rated 94 points: Wow - what an amazing Pinot Noir. Beautiful dark and red berry notes with some mushroomy notes in the background. Beautifully balanced tannins and a fresh acidity. Great depth and complexity. Long savory finish. Let it breathe for 1-2 hours. (1652 views) | | | Tasted by Steven DiFiore on 4/26/2020 & rated 94 points: Excellent Steven Kistler produced Pinot. (1504 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 4/1/2020 & rated 95 points: This was outstanding. A touch of cranberry, tart cherry compote and complex spices blend together seamlessly (1467 views) | | | Tasted by winelover1808 on 9/27/2019 & rated 94 points: excellent. had this with my sister's 50th birthday dinner. very new world, but great red cranberry and some asian spices with really crisp acidity and length and medium body that make this work well. (1588 views) | | | Tasted by Whisky&Wine on 9/7/2019 & rated 92 points: Let me start by saying I think this will evolve into a better glass of vino with time.
Lots of plum and blueberry and a little jaboticaba. Excellent concentration of fruit. Plenty of structure behind it. It needed air. I was not expecting it to need 3 hours to open up but it did. I thought this was clearly American in style (I like both burgs and us pinots), but it doesnt have the same depth of minerality that some of the best pinots do. That said, this is a very good bottle.
I will wait to open more of these until 2021. (1927 views) | | | Tasted by DickMull on 8/15/2019 & rated 95 points: Very attractive and somewhat assertive nose, with scents of violets, plums, compost, and blueberry. It was medium-bodied, with nicely balanced but somewhat muted acidity. Noticeable minerality on the palate, which I think bodes well for further aging, along with boysenberry, black cherry, and a touch of Kirsch and dark earth. Very long and satisfying finish. I have one more bottle, and look forward to seeing how well it develops. Delicious stuff! (1745 views) | | | Tasted by gammilr on 8/7/2019 & rated 97 points: Wow, is this a great wine. Galloni's recommendation to give it time seems appropriate. It's ready now and fabulous! (1708 views) | | | Tasted by mikemboutiquewines on 6/28/2019 & rated 96 points: The best Occidental I've had to date. Love it! (1828 views) | | | Tasted by bqvino on 6/15/2019 & rated 96 points: Brilliant Kistler Pinot! (1657 views) | | | Tasted by jdlee1232 on 4/25/2019 & rated 96 points: Singing (1588 views) | | | Tasted by tshelton12 on 8/29/2018 & rated 96 points: Amazing. (2259 views) | | | Tasted by BBencz on 12/4/2017 & rated 95 points: Brilliant deep garnet color. Herby nose with dark red fruit. Classic Cali pinot flavor profile. Still quite tangy; has a decade plus to go. Great stuff. (3334 views) | | | Tasted by wino_tim on 7/28/2017 & rated 94 points: Deep, penetrating ruby. Offers deeply layered and complex aromas of ripe black raspberry, just ripe red cherry, cherry skin, intense, just picked purple roses, and gravelly earth. Nearly full bodied, mouthfilling and penetrating with a certain sharpness of texture offsetting lush, fruit-driven flavors that finish with a touch of alcoholic heat. Frankly, I'm not sure this style of Pinot Noir gets much better. (3150 views) | | | Tasted by smurfmacaw on 5/22/2017 & rated 96 points: Absolutely magnificent.....one of the best Pinot Noir I've ever tasted. Fruit lasts forever but isn't an in your face fruit bomb. Fruit rolls across the entire palate and doesn't die in the middle like lesser wines.
Nose is slightly phenolic (in a good way) with notes of tobacco and dark fruit.
On the palate it tastes immediately of ripe cherry and red berries. The fruit rolls completely across the tongue without dying in the middle and then lasts for an amazingly long time.
I really like this wine now, it's drinking superbly and I can't wait to see how it ages. (3160 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Sonoma’s Sensational 2015s Parts 1 & 2 (Mar 2017) (3/1/2017)
(Occidental Pinot Noir Swk Vineyard Sonoma) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (2/16/2017)
(Occidental Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast SWK Vineyard, Red, United States) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (12/29/2016)
(Occidental, SWK Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2014 Sonoma and Points North: New Releases (Feb 2016) (2/1/2016)
(Occidental Pinot Noir Swk Vineyard Sonoma) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JamesSuckling.com and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Occidental Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast AVA (Wikipedia)
* Sonoma Coast AVA (Wine Institue) |
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