2022 Foxen - Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley Block UU Bien Nacido (750ml)

The 2022 Foxen Chardonnay Block UU from the celebrated Bien Nacido Vineyard is a standout expression of cool-climate Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, crafted by Bill Wathen and Dick Doré at their sustainably farmed, small-production winery in Foxen Canyon. Founded in 1985 on the historic Rancho Tinaquaic, Foxen has long been a benchmark producer for vineyard-driven Burgundian varieties in California, and the Block UU bottling represents some of the finest fruit they source.

Bien Nacido Vineyard sits in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley, one of California's coolest wine growing climates, where a steady wash of marine air off the Pacific Ocean tempers afternoon warmth and preserves natural acidity. The Block UU vines were planted in 1972 and 1973 on their own roots, and their age and low yields of approximately two tons per acre deliver concentrated, phenolically rich fruit with exceptional depth and character. Grapes from Blocks I and O (Clone 4 and RY17) were hand-harvested at night in September 2022, then whole-cluster pressed and fermented over 30 days using native house yeast in 500-liter French oak puncheons, with 24% new oak. The wine aged sur lie for eight months in the same vessels before a single racking and bottling in June 2023, resulting in only 590 cases produced.

On the nose, lemon confit, almond, dried flowers, and chamomile give way to a mineral core of gunflint and stony earth. The palate is tense yet mouthfilling, with citrus glaze, starfruit, ripe nectarine, and a saline depth, framed by zesty acidity and a lingering, mineral-driven finish. This is a decidedly earthy, structured Chardonnay built to reward several years of cellaring.