2023 Occidental, Freestone-Occidental, Sonoma Coast

Catherine Kistler — Steve Kistler's daughter, a Harvard graduate, and seven harvests deep — is now stepping into the winemaker role at Occidental. This is a generational transition happening in real time, and the wines are only getting sharper.

The Freestone-Occidental bottling is the entry point of Occidental’s production — a blend from three estate sites: Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station, and Bodega Ridge. Although a blend of three sites, the winemaking is the same as in the single-vineyard bottlings: native-yeast fermentation, free-run juice only, nothing forced. What you get is bright, crystalline Pinot with juicy red fruit, electric acidity, and a saline mineral finish that you simply cannot force.