Kistler Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard Russian River Valley 2021 750ml

Kistler Vineyards, founded in 1978, built its reputation on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from cool Sonoma sites, and Laguna Ridge in the Russian River Valley is one of its signature Pinot Noir vineyards. The 2021 marks a stylistic shift: the team began picking this fruit earlier, and Vinous awarded it 98 points, praising its tension and energy and calling it "a stunner." Expect crushed red berries, blood orange, rose petal, mint and white pepper on a full yet tightly focused palate with very fine tannins. James Suckling noted plenty of strawberry and orange peel character. Approachable now with a decant, it should drink well into the early 2030s.