The 2008 Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard has a dense ruby/purple color that is much more saturated than the Julia’s Vineyard, with beautiful raspberry and boysenberry notes as well as some spring flowers in the background. A full-bodied, pedal-to-the-metal style of Pinot Noir, with beautiful fruit, texture, and length, this is a super, almost bigger-than-life Pinot to drink over the next 7-8 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 very good wine from this famous vineyard, although it’s compromised by some excessively ripe, raisiny flavors. There are just enough of them to interfere with the otherwise smooth, silky raspberries and cherries, and the new oak, which is delicious. Doesn’t seem like an ager.——S.H.(11/1/2010)—— 87