Kistler Russian River Pinot Noir 2021

Region and Vineyards

The Russian River Valley in Sonoma County is one of California’s most distinguished AVAs for Pinot Noir, benefitting from the marine influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean. This cool-climate setting ensures a long growing season that allows grapes to ripen slowly, preserving delicate aromas and vibrant acidity. The fog-laden mornings and warm afternoons contribute to the balanced profile characteristic of the wines from this region.

Kistler’s vineyards are positioned along the Laguna Ridge and further west into the Sonoma Coast AVA, focusing on gravelly, iron-rich soils from the Sebastopol series along the Gravenstein Ridge. These redder soils enhance drainage and reflect the producer's exacting commitment to site selection. Yields are kept low—approximately 2.5 tons per acre—resulting in tiny, deeply pigmented berries with high natural acidity. Over the years, these vineyard parcels have been refined to showcase the site’s ultimate potential, often taking more than a decade to fully reveal their personality.

Winemaking

Kistler utilizes proprietary heritage Pinot Noir clones that have been developed and refined over the past 25 years. These selections are known for low yields and a natural concentration of flavor and acidity. The vineyards are meticulously farmed with canopy management and cluster thinning throughout the season to ensure optimal balance.

Harvesting is performed by hand at night, preserving freshness and aromatic integrity. Grapes are destemmed but left as whole berries and undergo cool native yeast fermentations in open-top fermenters. No pump-overs are used, and extraction is managed gently, with minimal intervention. Only the free-run juice is collected, avoiding any pressing. The wine is matured for 10 months in French oak barrels (proportions undisclosed), racked just once, and bottled without fining or filtration, capturing purity and site expression.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Vivid ruby with medium density and a clear edge.
• Aroma: Aromatically lifted with rose petal, fresh raspberry, iron filings, and subtle baking spices.
• Palate: Silken texture and soft tannins support an elegant core of red cherry, pomegranate, and crushed granite. The acidity is lively, adding finesse, while a mineral thread provides tension and complexity on the long finish.

Did you know?

Kistler’s Pinot Noir heritage clones are proprietary and trace back more than 25 years of clonal refinement. Their rigorous selection focuses on tiny-berried plant material that expresses site with precision and age-worthy depth—an approach that has helped elevate Sonoma Pinot Noir on the world stage.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Duck breast with cherry glaze – Accentuates the wine’s red fruit tones while balancing the richness of the meat.
• Miso-glazed salmon – The wine’s acidity and fine tannins complement the umami and texture of oily fish.
• Wild mushroom risotto – Earthy notes echo the wine’s minerality and subtle forest floor hints.
• Roasted quail with herbs de Provence – Delicate yet flavorful, mirroring the wine’s floral and spice notes.

History of Kistler

Founded by Steve Kistler in 1978, Kistler Vineyards quickly established itself as a benchmark producer of Chardonnay in the United States. The original vision was inspired by the great domaines of Burgundy, emphasizing low yields, meticulous viticulture, and minimal intervention winemaking. Initially producing only Chardonnay, Kistler later expanded to include Pinot Noir, following the same precise philosophy.

The estate remained a small, family-run business with limited production and a strong allocation-based distribution model, which helped build its cult reputation. In 2008, winemaker Jason Kesner joined the team, bringing with him a deep understanding of vineyard management. He became president and winemaker in 2017, continuing the estate's tradition while modernizing certain aspects, particularly in refining site expression and achieving even greater purity and balance.

Kistler today sources fruit from a range of exceptional sites across the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley, including some estate-owned and others under long-term lease and meticulous control. The producer is known for its deep commitment to single-vineyard bottlings, each expressing a distinct terroir while maintaining a common thread of elegance and restraint.

Region and Vineyards

Kistler farms vineyards exclusively in Sonoma County, primarily within the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley AVAs, regions celebrated for their cool-climate conditions ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Morning fog, cool maritime breezes, and varied soils—ranging from sandy loam to volcanic ash and red Sebastopol series soils—enable a slow, even ripening that enhances complexity and structure in the wines.

A hallmark of Kistler's viticulture is their use of heritage clone selections, particularly their own proprietary selections refined over decades. Vineyards are managed to low yields (often under 2.5 tons per acre), with intensive canopy management and hand-harvesting done exclusively at night. Sites like Laguna Ridge and Occidental express unique geological and climatic profiles, captured through Kistler’s precision farming and clonal adaptation.

Wine Range of Kistler

Kistler produces a focused range of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a strong emphasis on single-vineyard expressions. Notable bottlings include the Kistler Vineyard Chardonnay, Les Noisetiers Chardonnay, Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, Cuvée Cathleen, and Kistler Vineyard Pinot Noir, each reflecting a unique terroir. The wines are known for their balance of intensity, elegance, and minerality, with aging potential and a Burgundian sensibility rarely matched in California.

The estate also produces a Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which blend fruit from various vineyard sites to offer a broader expression of the region while maintaining Kistler’s exacting standards.

Did you know?

Kistler's house style is so distinct and consistent that its Chardonnays have often been compared to Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet in blind tastings—even by Burgundian producers themselves. The estate ferments all its Chardonnay in barrel using only native yeasts and avoids malolactic adjustment or enzyme use, capturing a vivid expression of site and vintage.