B-21 Top Recommendation
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A "sumptuous, vibrant Pinot Noir from one of Santa Barbara's top sites" according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous, the richly structured 98 pt. 2018 Foxen Pinot Noir Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard offers concentrated ripe fruit hinting of smokey earth with a mineral-driven finish, an exciting single vineyard selection that's a sure bet for fans of boldly styled California Pinot at value pricing.
Since founding Foxen Vineyards and Winery in 1985, Bill Wathen and Dick Dore have been pioneers in the production of vineyard-driven wines, based in northern Santa Barbara County on land purchased by Dick's great, great grandfather in the early 1800s. Considered the benchmark for growing cool climate grapes in California's Santa Maria Valley, Bien Nacido Vineyard planted Block 8 for Foxen over two decades ago, a steep 11 acre parcel at its highest elevation that's cooled by Pacific Ocean breezes funneling up through the Santa Ynez Mountains, preserving the Pinot Noir's natural acidity. Employing Bill Wathen's minimalist intervention approach in the cellar, winemaker David Whitehair aged the 2018 Foxen Pinot Noir Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard for 16 months in 44% new French oak before bottling it without filtering or fining, yielding a core of rich, spiced fruit finishing with lush tannins that Jeb Dunnuck sums up as "a brilliant wine" and declared "fabulous" by Antonio Galloni.
From the exceptional Bien Nacido Vineyard, counted among the top ten vineyards in the world by the Wine Enthusiast along with the likes of Romanee Conti, Cannubi and To Kalon, the 98 pt. 2018 Foxen Pinot Noir Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard is a knockout, layering enticing, ripe fruit over a "bright, acid-driven frame" that "also packs some punch" according to the Wine Spectator's James Molesworth, an outstanding value from a superb Santa Barbara vintage. | 
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