2017 Occidental Station Cuvee Catherine Pinot Noir
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2017 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine is drinking beautifully! The nose is bursting with singular scents of sage, wild fennel and tea leaves that complement wild cherry, blackberry, bitter orange, tobacco and mushroom. The palate balances generous layers of berry fruit with shimmery, lip-smacking acidity that draws you back to the glass for another sip. It’s structured by powdery tannins and finishes with a flourish of bitters and spice.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Coming from vines around the estate, on the same ridge as the Bodega Headlands Vineyard, the 2017 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvee Catherine is a barrel selection that was first produced in 2016. Its medium ruby/purple color is followed by gorgeous notes of black and blue fruits, violets, wet stone, spring flowers, and hints of bouquet garni (thyme and bay leaf). With bright, vibrant acidity, a tight, focused texture, and beautiful length, it’s another stunning 2017 that’s going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age and keep for a decade. It’s as classy as they come. All these Pinot Noirs from Steve Kistler showed beautifully, with the slightly more focused, linear style of the vintage. These are classy, balanced, elegant wines that will benefit from bottle age.
The 2017 Pinot Noir Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine is a gorgeous wine with striking aromatic presence and tons of energy. Red berry fruit, pomegranate rose petal, mint and sage overtones all open up with a bit of time, but the 2017 requires a bit of patience. Even in the early going, though, the 2017 has a level of purity that is breathtaking.
About the producer
Steve Kistler is a man who needs little introduction. He founded, and – for almost 40 years – made the wines at, Kistler. Since leaving his eponymous estate in 2017, Kistler has been focused exclusively on Occidental, his new, family winery on the outer edges of the Sonoma Coast.