2023 Fess Parker - Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills (750ml)

Fess Parker Winery grew out of actor Fess Parker's 1988 purchase of a 714-acre ranch along the Foxen Canyon Trail in Santa Barbara County, a property he originally intended for cattle and a handful of grapevines. The winery and tasting room, completed in 1994, was designed to evoke an Australian sheep station, complete with a stone fireplace and a wraparound veranda overlooking the vineyard. More than three decades later, the estate remains family run, with winemaker Blair Fox continuing to draw on some of the finest vineyard sites in Santa Barbara County.

This Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir blends fruit from three distinct estate and partner vineyards: forty-eight percent from Rio Vista, forty-one percent from Ashley's Vineyard, and eleven percent from Parker West. Combining sites gives the wine a fuller picture of the appellation's character than any single vineyard could offer alone. After fermentation, the wine aged nine months in French oak, about a third of it new, adding gentle structure while preserving the fruit's natural brightness.

The 2023 vintage shows earthy currant and wild cherry aromas, joined by loamy earth and a touch of sagebrush. On the palate, cranberry, light blueberry, and strawberry carry through to a long, well-balanced finish with a dusting of spice. It pairs nicely with grilled lamb chops, roast turkey, or a wild mushroom pasta.