Occidental story starts in 1975, when Steve Kistler started his career in the wine business. He fell in love with a vineyard named "OCCIDENTAL Vineyard", because it was located on the top of a coastal site, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He fell in love with Pinot Noir and its truly unique characteristics, vivid aromatics, a bright natural acidity and from that point onward, he devoted his life to the Pinot noir. After years of purchasing small plots that suited the growing and developing of this precious grape, he founded Occidental in 2011, a winery dedicated to the production of world-class pinot noir from the Freestone-Occidental area. Today, Occidental farms 85 acres of pinot noir. The vineyards are farmed with great skill and commitment by many of the same men and women who have worked alongside with him at Kistler Vineyards.