2023 Foxen - Pinot Noir Santa Maria (750ml)

Foxen Winery has called the 2,000-acre Rancho Tinaquaic home since its founding, a Mexican land grant purchased in 1837 by Captain William Benjamin Foxen, an English sea captain and ancestor of the winery's founders. That deep family connection to the land has shaped Foxen's identity as a small production, single vineyard focused house, one that has become especially well known for expressive, cool climate Pinot Noir alongside its Chardonnay program. The winery's approach favors minimal intervention, letting the character of Santa Maria Valley's varied vineyard sites come through with clarity rather than heavy handed winemaking.

This bottling blends fruit from the historic Bien Nacido and Riverbench vineyards, both planted across a mix of sandy and clay loam soils shaped by Santa Maria Valley's cool, coastal climate. Multiple Pinot Noir clones, including Pommard, Wädenswil, and 115, are used to build complexity, with each vineyard and clone lot hand harvested and fermented separately in small, open top fermenters before blending. The wine then ages around ten months in French oak, a relatively gentle regimen meant to preserve freshness and the site's natural acidity rather than layer on heavy oak character.

The 2023 shows spiced cherry and strawberry aromatics woven with subtle forest floor and floral notes. The palate is medium bodied and elegant, with pure fruit, integrated acidity, and a long, energetic finish carrying a light lift of hibiscus. It pairs nicely with roast duck, grilled salmon, or herb roasted turkey.