Foxen Wine Tasting with Special Guest Jenny Doré

Vito Corleone: I like to drink wine more than I used to.
Michael: It’s good for ya, Pop.
Vito Corleone: Anyway I’m drinkin’ more.
The Godfather

I like to drink and that is why we host so many wine tasting events at Wine Watch!  We have an incredible line-up of winery personalities coming to town over the next few months here at the Wine Bar because I will jump on any chance I get to break bread with one of the world’s top wine producers.  So, when my good friend Florent told me that Jenny Dore from Foxen Winery was coming to town we immediately added a date for her at the Wine Bar because at the end of the day you must have something to drink with your dinner and we drink at a very high level at the Wine Watch.

Foxen Winery is one of the leading Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in California.  Dick Doré was Born and raised on the family-owned Rancho Tinaquaic, this sixth generation Santa Barbara County resident.  He returned to his roots in 1985 where he established FOXEN Vineyard & Winery with Bill Wathen.  They got in on the ground floor before the “Sideways Effect” that brought the spotlight to Santa Barbera as one of California’s top wine growing regions for these Burgundian varietals.

They also make great Syrah and Chenin Blanc at Foxen Winery and tonight we have Jenny Doré here to show us an excellent line-up of the new releases.  Chef Toni Lampasone will be making a special meal to compliment the tasting wines and the fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. 

Foxen Wine Tasting with Special Guest Jenny Williamson Doré
Thursday, January 31, 2019
7:30 PM

Foxen Chardonnay Block UU Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley 2016
Price: $35.00       Sale $30.80

(94 Points) "The 2016 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Block UU comes from a great vineyard located just east of the town of Santa Maria and was brought up in 20% new French oak. A classic Bien Nacido bouquet of honeyed orchard fruits, crushed rocks, oyster shells, and white flowers flow to a rich, beautifully textured, concentrated Chardonnay that has everything you could want from this variety. With terrific balance, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish, it's brilliant stuff that should evolve gracefully for 5-7 years." JebDunnuck.com

Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria 2016
Price: $25.00       Sale $22.00

(93 Points)  "The 2016 Chenin Blanc Old Vines Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard is the most distinctive white in the Foxen range. Ample and creamy on the palate, the Chenin exudes tons of old vine depth. What a gorgeous wine this is." - Vinous

Foxen Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2016
Price :$35.00       Sale $30.80

At Foxen Winery 50% of production is Pinot Noir and 2000 cases of it is this wine. This wine is Pommard clone and spends 1yr in 2nd year french oak Francois Frere barrels. Sourced from a variety of sites, this wine has a pretty nose of wild flowers, exotic spices, light red berry fruit, raspberry and strawberry with light smoky notes.  Smooth and silky on the tongue with a good hand of that spice and floral nuance form the nose lasting through the finish, a smoky earthy character coming in at the end, that light berry fruit lasting through the end, nicely built.  Finish 45+    Excellent +

Foxen Pinot Noir  John Sebastiano Santa Rita Hills 2016
Price :$55.00       Sale $48.40

(92 Points) "The 2015 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is a bold, direct wine with more of a savory character than the other Foxen Pinots. My impression is that the 2015 needs time to fully open up, as there is quite a bit of density and depth waiting to emerge. Even today, though, the John Sebastiano is compelling."- Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Foxen Pinot Noir  Block 8 Santa Maria Valley 2015
Price :$65.00       Sale $57.20

Foxen Pinot Noir  Block 8 2015 Santa Maria Valley Magnum
Price :$140.00    Sale $123.20

(94 Points) "Racy, silky and beautifully nuanced, the Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Block 8 captures all the richness of the year while retaining terrific energy. The red berry and floral notes show quite a bit of nuance and silkiness in a Pinot that manages to be both powerful and refined. The aromatic, highly expressive finish adds to the wine's considerable beauty." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Foxen Pinot Noir Block 43 Santa Maria Valley 2016
Price :$ Sale $

(94 Points) "One of the riper, richer wines in the lineup, the 2015 Pinot Noir Block 43 Bien Nacido offers beautiful notes of framboise, dried spices and earth, with full-bodied richness, a rounded, textured and mouth filling style and a great finish. In a vintage that yields mostly hard, austere wines, this offers fruit!" - JebDunnuck.com

Foxen Syrah Williamson-Doré Vineyard Los Olivos District  2015
Price :$50.00       Sale $44.00

(93 Points) "The 2015 Syrah Williamson-Doré Vineyard is fabulous. Inky blue/purplish fruit, crème de cassis, menthol, licorice, lavender and exotic spice notes are pushed forward in this sensual, exotically ripe Syrah from Foxen. There is plenty of tannin and structure lurking beneath all of the fruit and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced throughout." - Vinous

Menu
Charcuterie and Cheese Selection
Pacific Salmon Carpaccio with candied Lemon rind, lavender aioli
Speck Wrapped Venison Loin stuffed with Sundried cherry foie gras mousse over juniper Pinot Noir natural sauce

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. 

A bit about Foxen Winery:

Bill Wathen and Dick Doré (also known as the “Foxen Boys”) have been making wine together since 1985, when they founded Foxen Winery & Vineyard at the historic Rancho Tinaquaic in northern Santa Barbara County. Since that time, their dedication has remained the same—the creation of very small production, sustainably-farmed, vineyard-focused wines using a "minimalist" approach to winemaking.

Life has come full circle for Dick Doré. Born and raised on the family-owned Rancho Tinaquaic, this sixth generation Santa Barbara County resident returned to his roots in 1985 where he established FOXEN Vineyard & Winery with Bill Wathen.

After working as a banker in the late sixties and seventies, this University of California at Santa Barbara graduate gave up his nine-to-five job and moved his family to Europe. Over the next year and a half, Dick traveled the back roads of France, Italy and Spain, where he developed his love of wine. Dick returned to the Rancho Tinaquaic in the late seventies, just as the Santa Barbara County wine industry was emerging. With his passion for great wines firmly established, he initially worked to support his family, which included working for the Tepusquet Mesa Vineyard. It was here that Dick and Bill’s paths crossed and a life-long friendship and partnership was established.

Born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Bill Wathen is a true Central Coast native.  He chose to attend Cal Poly University where he graduated in 1975 with a degree in Fruit Science, specializing in vineyard management.  After graduation, Bill’s first job was to work for two Santa Barbara County viticultural pioneers -- Dale Hampton and Louie Lucas, at the Tepusquet Mesa Vineyard (now owned by Cambria Estate) and the Nielsen Vineyard (currently owned by Byron Vineyard.)

In 1978, Bill went north to become vineyard manager at Chalone Vineyard, where he was mentored by California wine pioneer and Chalone founder, Dick Graff. It was here that Bill learned traditional French winemaking techniques and appreciation for great Burgundies. Graff’s influence inspires Bill’s winemaking philosophy to this day. Bill’s approach to winemaking is straightforward as he explains, “It goes back to my roots as a viticulturist. I make every effort to make the perfect wine in the vineyard. Maximized viticulture equals minimalist winemaking.”

Returning to Santa Barbara County in the early eighties, Bill joined long-time friend, Dick Doré, and began making plans to make wine together.

The winery was named in memory of William Benjamin Foxen, an English sea captain and Dick's great-great grandfather, who came to Santa Barbara in the early 1800's.  In 1837, this Santa Barbara County pioneer purchased the Rancho Tinaquaic, a Mexican Land Grant that originally totaled nearly 9000 acres and comprised most of what is now known as Foxen Canyon.  Captain Foxen adopted the distinctive "anchor" as his ranch cattle brand, which has become a trademark of the winery.  It is very fitting that FOXEN has made its home on the 2000-acre Rancho Tinaquaic, which remains in family hands.

With the completion of FOXEN’s new solar-powered winery and tasting room in 2009, the historic and beloved “tasting shack was renamed “Foxen 7200”, where Bill and Dick now feature their Bordeaux and Cal-Ital-style wines, under a newly designed label. FOXEN Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Rhône-style wines are showcased in the new solar-powered tasting room at 7600 Foxen Canyon Road.

Big bottles of Foxen available:

Foxen Pinot Noir  John Sebastiano Santa Rita Hills 2013 Magnum
Price :$120.00    Sale $105.60

Foxen Pinot Noir  John Sebastiano Santa Rita Hills 2015 Magnum
Price :$120.00    Sale $105.60

(92 Points) "The 2015 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is a bold, direct wine with more of a savory character than the other Foxen Pinots. My impression is that the 2015 needs time to fully open up, as there is quite a bit of density and depth waiting to emerge. Even today, though, the John Sebastiano is compelling."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous