The 2008 Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard is dark ruby, with a peppery, spicy nose of incense and red cherry fruit. A fleshy, medium to full-bodied wine with loads of berry fruit, earth, and spice, this is a distinctive Pinot Noir that cuts a broad swath across the palate, but remains elegant and pure. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. This is one of my favorite wineries in Santa Maria. Proprietors Bill Wathen and Dick Dore have been making wines at Foxen since 1985. There is some serious history as well, as one of Dick Dore’s ancestors was a retired English sea captain who settled in Santa Barbara in the early 1800s, hence the nautical symbols embedded in the labels. Foxen is one of the few wineries in California that has not abandoned one of the best grapes in the world, Chenin Blanc. This grape can produce wonderful wines from this region when handled properly. Four brilliant Pinot Noirs have emerged from Foxen in what could have been a very challenging vintage. These are some of the best examples of Pinot Noir I tasted from this vintage. P.S. All of these wines from Bill Wathen and Dick Dore are bottled “delicately,” without fining or filtration. Tel. (805) 937-4251

A beautiful Pinot, showing the depth of fruit and structural balance this fine vineyard is famous for. It’s a low-yield wine, aged in 50% new French oak that adds a rich, smoky vanilla coat to the raspberry and cherry jam, spice and mineral flavors. No stems were included in the fermentation, which accounts for the silky transparency. This compelling Pinot changes with every scent and sip. now–2013.——S.H.(11/1/2010)—— 95