Occidental 2024 "Freestone-Occidental" Pinot Noir

95 points                                                                               
New Occidental Pinot Noir release from Kistler. Limited. New vintage of Wine Spectator's #2 wine of 2023!

95 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2024 vintage was a Goldilocks vintage here, with cool to normal temperatures and no major heat spikes through July and August. The Occidental 2024 Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental is the multi-vineyard bottling from the two ranches out here and pours a bright ruby hue. It has a fantastic nose of ripe red pomegranate, blood orange citrus, salty fresh earth, and iron, and it delivers bright energetic lift on the palate, with fine tannins, clean, sanguine tones, terrific vibrancy, and tension. Drink 2026-2040."

93 Points James Suckling: "The 2024 Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental is fabulous. Brisk and energetic, the 2024 is so expressive in the early going. Crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, spice and pomegranate are some of the tones that run through this beautifully translucent Pinot. Pretty floral top notes and brisk saline accents extend the clean, bracing finish. The stars clearly aligned for this wine in a vintage that was both high in quality and bountiful."

Occidental is Steve Kistler's new Pinot Noir project, which is starting essentially as a spin-out from Kistler Vineyards. Steve Kistler remains CEO of Kistler Vineyards and very much in charge of day to day operations. At the same time, Kistler understandably wanted to manage a small project of his own with an eye towards his two younger daughters who will one day run Occidental.