Occidental By Steve Kistler - Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvee Catherine 2022 (750ml)
Price: $135.00
| Producer | Occidental By Steve Kistler |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Sonoma Coast |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 11039 |
| Size | 750ml |
Vinous: 97 Points
The 2022 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine is an archetype of what is possible on the West Sonoma Coast. Bright and explosive yet also light on its feet the 2022 soars out of the glass. Red/purplish fruit blood orange rose petal spice and savory notes are all beautifully lifted. Clean mineral tones extend the finish. The Cuvée Catherine is a wine of subtlety and nuance above all else. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2025 This is a gorgeous set of wines from Steve and Catherine Kistler. Bad weather during flowering reduced the crop significantly to just over one ton per acre the lowest since 2015. That may have ultimately been a blessing in disguise as the Kistlers were able to bring everything in between August 22 and 29 in other words before the Labor Day heat spikes. The entire ranch is planted with the Riparia Gloire rootstock which is notoriously shy-bearing and known for encouraging a relatively short vegetative cycle both benefits in this challenging vintage. The 2022s spent 19-22 days on the skins a few days less than usual as the skins were fragile. All the wines were aged in François Frères barrels (25% new) made from wood selected by Occidental that is then seasoned in France for three years. The 2022s come in around 12.8% in alcohol a touch lower than normal. As a result the wines have a bit less overt density than most years but still have that textured fruit character that is such a signature here. The SWK is the star. If I could have only one of these wines the SWK would be the one. It is among the very finest Pinots of the vintage a pretty select group this year. The Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth is the most immediate of the wines today. The Occidental Station from a warmer site a few miles from the winery is always the most overt and supple of the wines. I tasted the 2022s twice once at the estate and a second time at home. It's always instructive to be able to follow wines over time as any vineyard visit no matter how much time is allotted only offers a snapshot. I also tasted the 2014s at the winery. It's an ideal vintage for drinking now.
The Wine Independent: 97 Points
Medium ruby-purple colored the 2022 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvee Catherine needs a little swirling to coax out evocative scents of fresh cranberries and red currants leading to an undercurrent of lavender wet slate chalk and wild thyme with a touch of damp soil. The light to medium-bodied palate is charged with electric red berry energy supported by very fine-grained tannins and great tension finishing long and minerally. Running Fence Vineyard and Bodega Ridge Vineyard are parts of the same 250-acre property purchased in 2008 overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Sixty-five acres were planted in 2012. The soils are similar to the fractured sandstone soils found in the Bodega Headlands Vineyard next door but are freer draining and possess more gravel. The clonal material here is the same proprietary blend of field selections from two grand cru vineyards in Vosne Romanée. Occidental?s winery completed in 2013 is located at this site. ?The humus character really comes out in this wine? said Catherine Kistler. ?This is so earthy.? Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2025-01-15
Wine Advocate: 95+ Points
The 2022 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine offers a strong sense of place with aromas reminiscent of both the forest and the ocean: mushrooms nori saline and autumn leaves complement a core of pomegranate and wild berry and it becomes more floral as it opens in the glass. The palate derives power from highly concentrated nuanced flavors a sense of delicacy from taut lacy tannins and energy from vibrant acidity. It opened dramatically over several days and will benefit from long-term cellaring. Published: Jan 16 202
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