- Certified Sustainable
- 100% Pinot Noir
- SWK Vineyard block is the highest, steepest section of the Bodega Headlands Vineyard
- Planted in 1999 by Steve Kistler
- West/Southwest Orientation
- Goldridge, sandy loam soils over marine sediment and fossils
- Hand-harvested at night
- Hand-sorted as clusters before completely destemming
- Each vineyard block is fermented separately in 2-4 ton fermenters
- Not cold-soaked prior to fermentation
- Native yeast fermentation
- Punch downs are used only as needed to distribute the heat of fermentation, ensuring a gentle extraction
- After fermentation is complete, the tanks are drained and only the free-run wine is transferred by gravity to Francois Freres barrels (25% new) to age 11 months
- Native malolactic fermentations
- Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimum level of SO2 (~50 ppm)
- 13.3% abv
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2023
Country:
United States
Region:
California
Appellation:
West Sonoma Coast
Variety:
Pinot Noir
Color:
Red
Farming Practice:
Sustainable
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | US-OCC-42-23 | 12/750ml |
Resources
Press & Reviews
Vinous
Score
100
Date
2026-01-13
"The 2023 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard emerges from the highest, steepest and most exposed section of the Kistler family's Bodega Headlands site. It is a quintessential Occidental wine. Clean mineral notes cut through a core of red-toned fruit, chalk, white pepper, slate and dried herbs in a vivid, wonderfully translucent Pinot that hits all the right notes. Time in the glass brings out the wine's captivating inner perfume. The precision here is simply unreal. Majestic."
Wine Advocate
Score
95+
Date
2026-01-11
"The 2023 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard blossoms slowly, petal by petal, from foresty aromas of flint, woodsmoke and mossy bark to deeper tones of wild blackberry, pomegranate and mixed tea leaves. The medium-bodied palate is concentrated and complex with nuanced, earthy flavors. It™s structured by firm, suede-like tannins, and vibrant acidity adds tension. It has a very long finish, and while it™s expressive now, it will benefit from extended cellaring."
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2022
Vinous
Score
98
Date
2025-01-30
"The 2022 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard is pretty dense in this vintage, its 12.6% alcohol notwithstanding. A wine of understated depth and power, the 2022 sizzles with tension. Chalk, slate, mint and white pepper all race across the palate in this tightly wound young Pinot. Readers will have to give this a few years in bottle. There is an element of translucence here that is so beguiling."
2022
Decanter
Score
96
Date
2025-03-22
"The 2022 SWK is structured and upright. Sourced from a single block within the Bodega Headlands Vineyard, the vines grow on gravelly soils at the estate's steepest, highest, and most western edge. There's some tension on the first sip - it's one of the more powerful wines in the lineup, with firm tannins that give it shape and grip. Wild blackberries, blueberries, and juicy red fruits like pomegranate flavours dominate. At the same time, a hint of mint and salty coastal minerality lifts through the mid-palate, and bright acidity carries everything into a long finish. Quite fresh and focused. Tasted from Bottle S2032."
2022
Wine Advocate
Score
96+
Date
2025-01-16
"The 2022 Pinot Noir SWK Vineyard is jam-packed with sweet red fruit aromas: raspberry, pomegranate and rhubarb are complemented by nuances of blood orange, nori and flint. The light-bodied palate balances concentrated, crunchy flavors and soaring floral perfume with lacy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, and it has a long, dynamic finish. It opened dramatically over several days and will benefit from several years in the cellar."
2022
Wine Spectator
Score
95
Date
2025-05-14
"Laden with mulberry and blackberry puree notes that are focused in feel, girded with singed anise, iris, apple wood and savory accents. A flash of warm slate adds cut and drive through the lengthy finish, where a mouthwatering echo brings you back for more. Lovely. Best from 2026 through 2036."J.M."