2013 Foxen Pinot Noir Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley

“California Pinot Noir at its finest…95 points” — Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

At the end of the 2013 growing season, the second consecutive drought year in Sta. Rita Hills, Bill Wathen and Dick Doré harvested a few dozen rows of Bien Nacido Vineyard’s Block 8 over the course of fifteen days. Set at the highest point and steepest slope of this Santa Maria bench site, the Pommard, Wädenswil 2A, Mt. Eden, 113, and 115 clones matured at a different pace. The first call to harvest was early, on August 31, while the last small-berry clusters wouldn’t be picked until September 14.

Then two of the most revered Pinot Noir makers on the California coast  did as they’ve been doing for almost 30 years: Practicing strictest Burgundian protocol, they performed cellar magic at Foxen Vineyards.  

Whole-berry destemmed as individual clonal lots, a cool fermentation was conducted over 2-3 weeks in small open-top fermenters with gentle punchdowns twice per day, before being transferred into 100% medium-toast François Frères cooperage from the Allier forest. Fifty percent of the barrels were new. Then the mind-boggling 2013 “Block 8” spent a very quiet 17 months in barrel and was racked just twice before being bottled — unfined and unfiltered.

For Burgundy purists who believe that California Pinot Noir never quite measures up to “the real thing,” think again. As to the California Pinot Noir collectors and enthusiasts among us, Foxen’s 2013 “Block 8” — by both our scorecard and The Wine Advocate’s — ranks among the greatest coastal Pinot Noirs of the last five years at ANY price!

Brilliant dark-ruby in hue with lavish aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, incense, and anise, bracketed by new-wood cedar. Rich, dense, and silken in texture, filled with a luscious, multi-layered mix of crushed red and black fruits, finishing with bracing acidity and fine dusty tannins. This is a masterpiece from the guys the locals like to call the “Foxen Boys.” The 2013 “Block 8,” while delicious on release, will age gracefully until the late 2020s.

• ABV 14.40%
• Enjoy right away
• % Pinot Noir