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2020 Occidental SWK Pinot Noir

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

December 24, 2023 - $135

Estimate

RATINGS

98The Wine Advocate

...elegant and expressive...alluring, broody scents of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, Earl Grey tea leaves, aniseed and tremendous floral perfume. The palate is luxurious, offering a cashmere texture, seamless freshness and surprising depth of flavor for its weightless feel, and it boasts layer after layer of perfumed fruit on the long finish.

98Jeb Dunnuck

...notes of wild black raspberry, dark gravelly earth, and brushy herbs. Medium to full-bodied, on the palate the rich concentration remains focused, while a more chiseled structure emerges, with its richness being held close to the vest...fine tannins and a more mountainous feel, with notes of grenadine, cherry, toasted herbs, and incense.

95Vinous / IWC

Blue/purplish fruit, gravel, tobacco, incense, dried flowers and lavender all run through this savory Pinot Noir. Incisive tannins lend energy while extending the finish...beautifully done.

17.5+ Jancis Robinson

...earthy with dark cherry, earth and blue-damson skin. High acid that extends the finish. Fine-grained, lightly dusty tannin.

PRODUCER

Occidental

Occidental is a Pinot Noir brand established by the celebrated winemaker Steve Kistler, founder and winemaker at Kistler Vineyards. Occidental plans to make a maximum of 7,500 cases annually of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. To do that Occidental in 2013 completed a state-of-the-art production facility near Bodega next to the Bodega Headlands Vineyard. Kistler, long admired for his Kistler label Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, has earned extraordinary reviews for his Occidental wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. rated one of the 2012 cuvees at 98 pts and called it “profound….this wine reminded me of my earlier days in Burgundy tasting the Grand Cru Musigny.” The wines are available primarily by mailing list.

REGION

United States, California, Sonoma, Sonoma Coast

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.

VINTAGE

2020 Occidental SWK Pinot Noir

Produced by Steve Kistler, founder and winemaker of Kistler Vineyards.