Kistler Occidental Bodega Ridge Pinot 2023 1.5L Rhone and 1% Petit Verdot

and 1% Petit Verdot

and an opulently-textured finish

I'd easily put this up with the finest wines in the vintage

less earthy and more ethereal than the Clos de la Roche

the Madrona Ranch

Kistler Occidental Bodega Ridge Pinot 2023 1.5L Rhone and 1% Petit Verdot"The 2023 Pinot Noir Bodega Ridge Vineyard marries fruit density with energy. Tiny berries in this section of the vineyard yield a dark, dense Pinot. Black cherry, plum, licorice, incense and dark spice add to an impression of somber gravitas. The Bodega Ridge has the broadest shoulders of the four estate wines in this range. It is also one of the most reticent wines in the lineup. Brisk acids and beams of tannin really explode on the back end.