When he was running his namesake winery through the 1990s and 2000s, Steve Kistler became synonymous with California Chardonnay. Since founding his Occidental project in 2011 Kistler’s name is becoming synonymous with the new wave of California Pinot Noir. His Occidental Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast Freestone-Occidental 2021 is Wine Spectator's No. 2 Wine of 2023.