Review: Pinot Noirs of Xander Soren, 2025 Releases

Xander Soren is perhaps the most niche of any wine producer I’ve encountered. It’s a California-based producer exclusively focused on pinot noir… all of which are designed for consumption with Japanese cuisine. Xander Soren’s client list reads like a rundown of the finest bars and restaurants across Japan — and if you’re lucky, you can get some of these wines in the U.S. too.

We tried three recent releases — with both Asian food and hamburgers (sorry). Thoughts follow.

2019 Xander Soren Pinot Noir Central Coast Cuvee – A collaboration with Furthermore Wines, blending fruit from two vineyards on opposite ends of the California Central Coast. Earthy and gravelly up front, this pinot settles down in short order to reveal layers of surprisingly dark fruit, its black cherries rumbling into raspberries and boysenberries if given time to develop. That is work well worth doing, as late-game notes of dark chocolate and licorice, layered with a touch of prune. That may all sound quite heavy, but the wine is surprisingly light on its feet, despite its significant depth. Lots to explore, including hints of rhubarb and baking spice that perk up now and again. A / $125

2020 Xander Soren Pinot Noir Olivet Lane – Rich and fruity, just shy of decadent. While cherry and raspberry notes are up front, there’s plenty of nuance to go around here: brambly blackberries, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, and even some late-game butterscotch. While initially a bit dark, the wine quickly retreats to reveal a sweeter side, with cherries in syrup dominant as the finish builds. Gently gravelly with overtones of licorice on the fade-out, it shows a different side of Xander Soren, albeit one which is just as well-realized. A / $95

2020 Xander Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County – “Xander by Xander Soren” is perhaps a slight second label, but you wouldn’t know from the quality in the bottle here. Rich but wholly approachable, the wine pops with plump cherry notes, then plum and a layer of milk chocolate. Gentle florals emerge on a moderately tart finish, culminating in layers of green peppercorn, saffron, and some sesame notes. While it’s a bit more straightforward than the above selections, if this is a wine made for pairing with Asian food, it certainly gets the job done. A- / $75

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