Freestone Pinot Noir 2022

Occidental Estate is dedicated exclusively to producing world-class Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast. Steve Kistler , the visionary winemaker behind Occidental, began his remarkable journey into the world of wine and winemaking over 4 decades ago. His passion for coastal wineries began during his internship at Ridge Vineyards. It was there, during his first harvests in 1975, that he discovered for the first time the unique character of the coastal terroir. The Occidental Vineyard, perched on the west end near Sebastopol, captured his heart and became the catalyst in his quest to craft world-class Pinot Noir from California's coastal ridges.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir come from the Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station and Bodega Ridge vineyards. All the fruit is harvested at night and arrives fresh at the cellar the next morning where it is carefully sorted twice. Each plot is fermented separately and carefully. Fermentation takes place using native yeasts. The wine is bottled after 14 months of aging in old barrels, unfined and unfiltered with a minimum level of SO2. This wine expresses complex aromas of red cherry , currants , lavender , pomegranate , raspberry , forest fruits , minerals , dried herbs and white pepper . The palate is multi-textured, dense, saline, fresh and delicious. Certainly one of the best examples of Pinot Noir produced in California.

Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) – Rated 98: 

"The 2021 Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir is incredibly expressive and detailed! Its aromas slowly open from blueberry, rhubarb and cranberry to tones of bitter orange, amaro, moss bark and lavender , continuing to reveal new accents with each return to the glass. Light-bodied, it floods the mouth with fragrant, detailed fruit supported by chalky tannins and a concentrated, shimmering acidity that invites you for another sip. It has a finish captivating laden with spicy layers, and it's very hard to put down this delicious wine. Drink it now for its transparency and fragrance, or let it develop savory complexity in bottle over the next decade."

In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that boosted the California wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa region. At the start of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933 Prohibition destroyed the vast majority of the California wine industry so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained producing wine. It was only from 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition and California was primarily known for the production of fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous estates were created (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc...). In 1976, a significant event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris". He sees the greatest French wines opposing the new American wines. This May 24, an unexpected result shakes the world of wine, since to everyone's surprise, it is the United States which wins. However, this competition remains relatively unknown to the general public. Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. Even though California largely monopolizes the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and the state of Washington offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.