2023 Laguna Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir, Kistler Vineyard

Sumptuous, aromatic and utterly seamless, the 2023 Laguna Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir from Kistler Vineyards is a masterclass in California precision and elegance. Deep ruby in colour, it unfurls with captivating aromas of ripe black cherry, crushed rose petal, wild strawberry and forest spice, layered with subtle notes of graphite, tea leaf and warm oak. The palate is luxurious yet poised, with waves of red and dark fruit that glide over silk-smooth tannins and a vibrant core of acidity. Beneath its velvet texture lies real tension and depth, finishing long and savoury with hints of clove, cocoa and fine earth. This is Sonoma Pinot at its most refined: powerful, pure, and whisper-smooth.

For when: the evening slows down and everything feels beautifully in balance.
Pairs with: roast duck, seared tuna, mushroom risotto, or truffle pasta.
If this wine were: a feeling, it’d be silk and candlelight - rich, calm and impossibly elegant.

Kistler Vineyards, founded in 1978 by Steve Kistler and Mark Bixler, is a cult benchmark of the Sonoma Coast, a winery devoted to crafting Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that capture the soul of their sites. Each vineyard, from coastal ridges to inland valleys, is bottled separately, revealing unique soil and microclimate character with almost obsessive precision.

The Laguna Ridge Vineyard lies on the western edge of the Russian River Valley, where foggy mornings and Goldridge sandy loam soils produce Pinot Noir of sensual texture and aromatic intensity. The 2023 vintage was fermented with native yeasts and aged in French oak barrels (around 50% new), showcasing Kistler’s signature style of purity of fruit, layered complexity, and a silken structure that speaks more of restraint than ripeness. A wine of quiet grandeur and lasting beauty, one for the cellar, or for that rare evening when only perfection will do