2019 Foxen Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8
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The 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is a juicy, exuberant Pinot. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and rose petals are all kicked up. This is a decidedly lush, voluptuous Pinot that will drink well with minimal cellaring. There is a lot to look forward to. This rich, heady Pinot is not exactly subtle, but is sure is delicious.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is a more broad, expansive wine, revealing medium to full-bodied richness and depth as well as velvety tannins. Offering lots of baked cherry fruit, notes of licorice, scorched earth, and roasted herbs, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish, it leans on its fruit and texture, yet doesn’t have the precision of some of the other releases.
Foxen is one of my favorite producers in Santa Barbara. The team led by founders Bill Wathen, Dick Doré and winemaker David Whitehair consistently turn out some of the region’s most compelling and distinctive wines. Their 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is stellar. What a wine. Deep and wonderfully dynamic in the glass, the 2019 offers unreal complexity with its layered fruit and Santa Maria spice. At nearly five years of age, the 2019 is remarkably primary. The 2019 was priced at $65 a bottle ($145 on this list) when I first reviewed it a few years ago, a reminder of the tremendous value Santa Barbara wines offer in a global context. Readers who own the 2019 should be thrilled, as it is world-class.