2014 Foxen Winery Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills is sold out.

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95-Point California Pinot at its Apex

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  • 95 pts Wine Enthusiast
    95 pts WE
  • 93 pts Wine Advocate
    93 pts RPWA
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2014 Foxen Winery Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills 750 ml

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Shipping included on orders $150+.
  • Curated by unrivaled experts
  • Choose your delivery date
  • Temperature controlled shipping options
  • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

Grand Cru Excellence in Sta. Rita Hills

Grand Cru Excellence in Sta. Rita Hills

In Wine Enthusiast’s 95-point review of the 2014 Foxen Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard, the venerable publication gushed “the palate packs vibrancy” and was dazzled by its “extreme sense of space.Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called it “hard to resist.” The master craftsmen behind the praise are “The Foxen Boys” — Bill Wathen and Dick Dore — but they’ll be quick to point to the vineyard as the wine’s true star. Vinous’ Antonio Galloni clearly agrees, writing that the John Sebastiano Vineyard “belongs in the upper echelon of vineyard sites in California.” Considering that most Santa Barbara vintners deemed 2014 “the third in a string of excellent vintages” according to Wine Spectator, the Foxens had a perfect storm on their hands. One sip of this silky-smooth, rich and decadent Pinot, and it becomes clear that you’re drinking California’s version of Grand Cru Burgundy. 

The 2014 growing season couldn’t have provided a better backdrop for Foxen and its world class John Sebastiano Vineyard Pinot Noir. The third-straight drought year in California ushered in steady Pacific breezes on the extreme Eastern boundary of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA where Sebastiano vines are rooted in clay-loam over a game-changing bed of limestone. Though dramatic diurnal temperature shifts occured, those Pacifi breezes helped Pinot grapes ripen evenly, yielding rich and complex character, with bracing acidity

After 33 years in business, a lot of things have changed since the launch of Foxen from the family-owned Rancho Tinaquaic property in 1985. For instance, the Civil War-era blacksmith shop, which they converted to a tasting room, was upgraded in 2009 to a state-of-the-art solar-powered winery and brand new tasting room What’s stayed the same is the duo’s commitment to taking a minimalist approach to winemaking; one that puts complete trust in the surrounding and encompassing terroir.