2023 Kistler - Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (750ml)

Kistler Vineyards was founded in 1978 by Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler with a shared ambition: to craft California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay capable of rivaling the great wines of Burgundy. Steve Kistler, a Stanford graduate, went on to become one of the most influential figures in California winemaking, championing single-vineyard expressions and heritage clones over broader blending. The winery owns or leases just under sixty acres across some of the coolest pockets of western Sonoma County, farmed organically at low yields, and its wines remain tightly allocated, sold almost entirely through a dedicated mailing list built over decades of customer loyalty.

This appellation-level bottling draws on two low-yield plantings in the fog-influenced far reaches of western Sonoma County, sites the winery treats as a proving ground for young vineyards that may eventually earn their own single-vineyard bottling. Only free-run juice is used, with no pressing, and the wine goes unfined and unfiltered before bottling, an approach meant to preserve texture and transparency to site. The cool, maritime climate here encourages slow ripening, building the layered acidity and structure the region is known for.

The wine shows crushed red berries, rose petals, and a whisper of forest floor on the nose, with a silky palate of wild strawberry, pomegranate, and black cherry accented by baking spice. Refined tannins and bright acidity carry through a long finish. It pairs well with roast duck, grilled quail, or a soft-ripened triple cream.