Our Pinots
If you don’t know our Pinots, you don’t know FOXEN. We have become renown for our incredible Pinot Noirs. Vintage after vintage receive the highest acclaim and awards.
2017 - Pinot Noir -
Santa Maria Valley
$36 - Buy Now
91 Points - JebDunnuck.com
2016 - Pinot Noir Block 8 - Bien Nacido Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$64 - Buy Now
95 Points - JebDunnuck.com
"Moving to the Pinot Noirs, the 2016 Pinot Noir Block 8 Bien Nacido is a beauty that was brought up all in 3- and 4-year-old barrels. Sporting a vivid ruby/purple-tinged color as well as notes of wild strawberries, black raspberries, scorched earth, forest floor, and salty minerality, this beauty hits the palate with medium-bodied depth and richness, vibrant acidity, and a fresh, focused core that's mostly covered by the upfront 2016 fruit. I love its purity and vibrancy, and while you can certainly drink this beauty today, it's going to evolve gracefully on its balance."
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast, Matt Kettman
"This block-designated wine is intense in hearty aromas of black raspberry, dried mint and loamy earth. Spiced cake and sharp purple-flower flavors arise on the palate, but it's the dark, penetrating and focused boysenberry and dark-fruit flavors that command attention. Drink 2019–2036."
93+ Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"An explosion of aromas and flavors hits the palate in Foxen's 2016 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Block 8. Sweet rose petal, lavender and a host of red/purplish berry fruit opens up in the glass. Exuberant, racy and super-polished the 2016 is virtually impossible to resist."
92 Points - Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and nose of dried cherries, blueberries, forest floor, blackberries and hints of dried herbs and charcuterie. It's light to medium-bodied with earthy fruits, very juicy acidity and soft, grainy tannins, finishing earthy.”
92 Points - Burghound, Allen Meddows
"Here the oak influence is dialed up with notes of menthol that sit atop the essence of plum, dark cherry and violet scents. There is more volume and richness to the solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess a mouth feel that is at once generous and suave, all wrapped in a sappy, firm and beautifully complex finale. I very much like the balance and this beauty should amply reward mid to even longer-term cellaring, indeed it's going to require at least some."
90 Points - California Grapevine
2017 - Pinot Noir Block 43 - Bien Nacido Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$66 - Buy Now
96 Points - JebDunnuck.com
93 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2017 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 43 is bright, punchy and full of character. Next to the Block 8, the Block 43 has more overt fruit, while floral and savory notes lie in the background. Sweet red cherry, plum, and blood orange build in a supple, absolutely engaging Pinot that will drink well right out of the gate. This is such a pretty wine."
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast, Matt Kettman
2016 - Pinot Noir - Julia's Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$66 - Buy Now
96 Points - JebDunnuck.com
"The 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard comes from another cool site in the Santa Maria Valley and was raised in 46% new French oak. It has a more classic, evolved, complex style as well as lovely notes of forest floor, ripe cherry and raspberry fruits, dried spices, and dried orange peel. Seamless and elegant on the palate, with no hard edges, perfect balance, and ultra-fine tannin, it's a thrilling Pinot Noir that's going to keep for 10-15 years. Bravo!"
93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Pale to medium ruby in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard has a broody nose of forest floor, black cherries, blackberries, cola, woodsmoke and dried herbs hints plus notes of stewed black tea leaves. Light to medium-bodied and concentrated with earthy dark fruits in the mouth, it has grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing long."
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"Ripe red cherry meets with hints of dewy thyme, sagebrush and minty earth on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate is loaded with herbal impact, as thyme and oregano provide depth to the pomegranate and raspberry flavors."
90 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2016 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is one of the bigger wines in the range. There is no shortage of body or size, although the contours are a bit less polished than in some of the other wines in the range. Smoke, game, tobacco and feral notes contribute to the wine's slightly wild personality."
90 Points - Burghound
"Temperate amounts of wood and menthol again frame the relatively high-toned aromas of cranberry, raspberry and cherry. The suave and velvet-textured broad-shouldered flavors are rich to the point of opulence thanks to the abundant amount of sappy dry extract that helps to buffer the moderately firm finish that possesses reasonable depth and length on the ever-so-slightly warm finale."
2016 - Pinot Noir - Solomon Hills Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$62 - Buy Now
96 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"Dark mulberry, black raspberry and slate start the nose of this bottling from one of the region's most coastal vineyards, but then comes a tremendous amount of black sage, Earl Grey tea and the slightest touch of game on the nose. Dark-berry flavors are cut by thyme and lavender on the palate, which is rich yet fresh, tart and lovely."
93 Points - JebDunnuck.com
"Strawberries, violets, citrus blossom, and some exotic passion fruit characteristics all emerge from the 2016 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard, a pretty, elegant, perfumed wine that has tons to love. Possessing medium-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a clean finish, it's one of the more vibrant, racy wines in the lineup. Give bottles 2-3 years of bottle age and it will keep for 10-15 years or more. This cuvée spent 17 months in one-third new French oak."
92 Points - Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby, the 2016 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard opens with warm cinnamon, wild blackberries, black and red cherries, dried leaves, potpourri and dusty earth scents. The light to medium-bodied palate gives up good fruit concentration, great juicy acidity and soft, grainy tannins, finishing long.”
92 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"Foxen's 2016 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills capture all the raciness that is so typical of this Santa Maria site. Perfumed, supple and nicely textured, the 2016 will drink well right out of the gate. Ideally, it would have been nice to see a little more depth here, but the 2016 is still quite attractive."
91 Points - Burghound
"Discreet hints of oak toast and menthol character can be found on the herbal tea-inflected nose that features notes of dark raspberry, cherry, spice and a touch of earth. The nicely rich and sleek middle weight flavors possess an appealing sense of vibrancy that carries over to the lingering, balanced and delicious finish that evidences a hint of bitter cherry pit. Like the Melville, this beautifully textured effort needs to develop better depth and it should be able to do so as once again, the underlying material is very promising."
2015 - Pinot Noir - Riverbench Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$52 - Sold Out
This vineyard was originally planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir during the 1970’s in the Santa Maria Valley. Few of these early plantings exist anymore or are economically productive, so a second wave plantings were installed in 2007 and 2008. And we were invited to come on board to source pinot noir, choosing our acreage and clones, from the Riverbench Vineyard in 2008. This Pinot Noir is a selection of our best barrel lots from their Block 38 (Dijon Clone 667 & Swan). The Riverbench terroir differs much from the high mesa terroir of the Tepusquet bench across the Sisquoc River, more alluvial (water born) sand and river rock as opposed to gravity born heavier soils, and tends to let the Pinots show more earthy and soft fruit elements. This wine displays abundant notes of beet root, strawberry, rhubarb and berry pie crust--with bright acidity and medium soft tannins. It was bottled without fining or filtration. It’s very approachable now, and willing to match up with almost any poultry, fish or salad. Drink now through 2023.
2016 - Pinot Noir -
Sta. Rita Hills
$38 - Buy Now
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"This appellation blend offers a more affordable way to see what owners Bill Wathen and Dick Doré were up to in 2016, and the results are delicious. Aromas of fresh raspberry, gravelly earth and sagebrush lead into a palate loaded with tangy, vibrant and fresh flavors of tart red fruit, pepper spice and flower petals."
90 Points - Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
"The 2016 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has a pale to medium ruby color and a cracked pepper and dried violet-scented nose with cola, woodsmoke, dried leaves, blueberries, dried cranberries, rhubarb and sweet raspberry aromas. It's light to medium-bodied with savory fruits, juicy acidity and soft, grainy tannins, finishing spicy."
90 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2016 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) offers terrific richness and volume for an appellation-level wine. Plump, juicy and forward, with tons of character, the 2016 is a positively joyous wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Vineyard sites are John Sebastiano and La Encantada."
2017 - Pinot Noir - John Sebastiano Vineyard
Santa Rita Hills
$56 - Buy Now
94 Points - Wine Enthusuast
92 Points - JebDunnuck.com
"Fresh aromas of pomegranate and raspberry meet with loads of sagebrush and wild mint on the layered and alluring nose of this bottling by Billy Wathen and crew. Flavors of smashed wild berries, dewy herbs, blistered tomato and forest floor moss show on the sip—a great balance between earth and fruit."
90 Points - Vinous
"More discreet but not invisible wood and menthol influences set off the very ripe array of cassis, spiced plum and pretty violet nuances. Here too the mouth feel of the full-bodied flavors is exceptionally rich thanks once again to the abundant dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the lingering, firm and well-balanced finish. This needs to develop more depth but the underlying material appears to be up to the task and my rating implicitly assumes that greater complexity will arrive with time in bottle."
2016 - Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard
Sta. Rita Hills
$62 - Buy Now
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"A bowlful of ripe red fruits, hibiscus and sharp cinnamon-laced potpourri make for an inviting nose to this single-vineyard expression. Bright acidity cuts through flavors of tart raspberry, pomegranate and baking spice on the taut palate, which is light in body but loaded with flavor. Drink 2020–2032."
94 Points - JebDunnuck.com
"From a site on the southern side of the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2016 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard (17 months in 40% new French oak) has a medium ruby color as well as a spicy, underbrush, and forest floor-scented profile. Possessing beautiful strawberry and raspberry fruits, medium body, bright yet integrated acidity, and a beautiful finish, it can be enjoyed any time over the coming 15 years or more. If you can, give it a year or two of bottle age."
93 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2016 Pinot Noir La Encantada is wonderfully perfumed, silky and lifted, all of which give it a distinctive sense of total finesse. The flavors are bright and aromatically deep, with plenty of red cherry, blood orange and pomegranate overtones. This is a terrific expression of La Encantada."
91+ Points - Wine Advocate
"The 2016 Pinot Noir la Encantada Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby color and scents of stewed black tea leaves, black peppercorn, wild blackberries, black and red cherries and berries plus hints of woodsmoke and cola. It has concentrated fruit and earth layers in the mouth with a light to medium weight, a grainy tannic frame and juicy acidity, finishing long."
91 Points - Wine Spectator, Kim Marcus
90 Points - Burghound, Allen Meadows
"A higher-toned and airier nose features notes of essence of raspberry and cherry where top notes of cranberry, spice and Asian-style tea add breadth. The mouth feel of the medium weight flavors is sleeker if less concentrated thanks primarily to the relatively fine-grained tannins shaping the dusty and bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This is certainly very pretty and I very much like the delivery but it doesn't possess, at least not yet, the same fine complexity as the best in the range."
90 Points - California Grapevine
2016 - Pinot Noir - Fe Ciega Vineyard
Santa Rita Hills
$70 - Buy Now
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"Black raspberry, turned earth, baked plum and incense show on the nose of this bottling from the vineyard of winemaker Billy Wathen's good friend Rick Longoria. There is a woody core to the palate, where oak and pine flavors are wrapped around black plum and boysenberry fruit, with a touch of sagebrush."
92 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"The 2016 Pinot Noir Fe Ciega is deep, fleshy and powerful. Although a bit monolithic, the 2016 possesses good depth and enough intensity to develop nicely over the next handful of years. Dark shades of fruit add to the wine's virile feel."
91 Points - Burghound
"This is the first wine to display any appreciable wood influence though it remains sufficiently in the background to easily allow the notably ripe but fresh aromas of cassis, poached plum and soft spice nuances to be appreciated. The suave, seductive and caressing middle weight flavors possess fine mid-palate density and even manage to retain solid detail on the balanced and youthfully austere finale. This is relatively understated in style and altogether lovely."
2016 - Pinot Noir - Melville Vineyard
Santa Rita Hills
$70 - Buy Now
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"Fresh aromas of pomegranate and raspberry meet with loads of sagebrush and wild mint on the layered and alluring nose of this bottling by Billy Wathen and crew. Flavors of smashed wild berries, dewy herbs, blistered tomato and forest floor moss show on the sip—a great balance between earth and fruit."
91 Points - Burghound
"More discreet but not invisible wood and menthol influences set off the very ripe array of cassis, spiced plum and pretty violet nuances. Here too the mouth feel of the full-bodied flavors is exceptionally rich thanks once again to the abundant dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the lingering, firm and well-balanced finish. This needs to develop more depth but the underlying material appears to be up to the task and my rating implicitly assumes that greater complexity will arrive with time in bottle."
2019 - Rosé of Pinot Noir - Riverbench Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
$22 - Buy Now
"Like biting into a crispy yet juicy cinnamon dusted plum that tastes like a strawberry margarita. Will stand up to a bit of heat like spicy sushi rolls, tacos, green chili cheeseburgers & chili dogs. Very versatile with all cuisines."- Billy Wathen