The 2011 Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard is a beauty. Deeply colored, with a meaty, earthy undercurrent of decaying leaves and forest floor, it shows the dark side to Pinot fruit as well as a salty, sea breeze-like quality that comes through with air. Lively and pure on the palate, with bright acidity and firm structure, it is a serious effort that should be given 2-3 years of bottle age and consumed over the following 7-8 years. Drink 2016-2023+. This was a classy, character filled lineup of wines by the folks at Foxen. Tel. (805) 937-4251; www.foxenvineyard.com

One of the unquestioned highlights among these new releases, the 2010 Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard is beautifully layered from start to finish. Rich dark cherries, smoke, mocha, savory herbs and spices come to life in this multi-dimensional, stunning Pinot. There is a level of depth in the Sea Smoke that is flat-out breathtaking. The integration of fruit and oak is superb. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. I always look forward to tasting the Foxen wines, as they are loaded with class and personality across the board. The Chardonnays and the Pinots are the highlights among this set of new releases, while the 2010 Syrahs can’t quite match the superb 2009s. The 2010 Pinots in particular are well worth the effort of tracking down. Like all of the Foxen reds, they see minimal racking and are bottled without fining or filtration. Tel. (805) 937-4251

Heavy and rich, as Pinots from this vineyard tend to be. Also exceptionally ripe, with massive cherry marmalade and smoky, sweet oak flavors. Feels young and direct and easy to drink, with a fruity sweetness. Glamorous, but the price seems out of line.——S.H.(10/1/2011)—— 90