2022 Fess Parker - Pinot Noir Parker West Santa Rita Hills (750ml)

Fess Parker, the actor known for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, bought a 714-acre former cattle ranch in Santa Barbara County in 1988 with hopes of someday running a small winery. That modest ambition grew into Fess Parker Winery, founded in 1989 and still family-owned three generations later. Winemaker Blair Fox now draws on long-term relationships with several of the county's top vineyards to craft the winery's lineup of small-lot, vineyard-designated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Parker West is the family's westernmost vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, planted on sandy, low-vigor soils just a few miles from the cold Pacific fog that defines the appellation's style. The site's cool, wind-swept conditions push a long, slow ripening period, producing fruit with the wild, savory edge the vineyard is known for. The 2022 Pinot Noir was hand-harvested from Parker West and aged in French oak to preserve that character.

The wine opens with dense dark fruit and turned earth, joined by chaparral, clove, and nutmeg. On the palate, wild herbs and sagebrush frame a core of plum and pomegranate, with a touch of vanilla lingering on the finish. Serve it with grilled quail or a wedge of triple-cream cheese.