Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2022

Kistler Estate , founded in 1978 by Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler, is a prestigious winery on California’s Sonoma Coast, renowned for its great Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The estate combines traditional viticultural techniques with modern practices to produce the best of the local terroir. With carefully cultivated vineyards and low-intervention winemaking methods, Kistler is known for its intense, complex and elegant wines: a style unique in California viticulture.

This cuvée comes from the Sonoma Coast which benefits from a cool, maritime climate influenced by the proximity of the Pacific Ocean. Ocean breezes and coastal fog create ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir, allowing the grapes to mature slowly and preserve their aromas and acidity. The vineyards are planted on a variety of soils, ranging from clay and limestone to alluvial and volcanic soils. These well-drained soils contribute to the complexity and finesse of the wines produced in this region. The grapes are harvested by hand , often in small crates, to avoid premature crushing and ensure the optimum quality of the clusters. After careful selection, the grapes are destemmed and fermented in small open vats. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts to preserve the expression of the terroir. Manual punch-downs are carried out to ensure gentle extraction of tannins and aromas. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels, some of which are new, for a period of 12 to 18 months . The wine is then bottled without filtration to preserve all its aromatic richness and texture. It reveals intense aromas of fresh red fruits such as cherry , raspberry and wild strawberry , complemented by floral notes of rose and violet , as well as subtle touches of undergrowth , black tea , sweet spices and graphite . The tannins are fine and integrated and the finish is long and refined, leaving an impression of purity and elegance.

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.