Foxen Vineyard & Winery - "Block UU" Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Foxen Vineyard & Winery was founded in 1985 by partners Dick Doré and Bill Wathen. The estate is named in honor of Dick’s great-great-grandfather, English sea Captain William Benjamin Foxen. A pioneer of Santa Barbara County, Captain Foxen purchased Rancho Tianquaic, a Mexican land grant that originally totaled nearly 9,000 acres and comprised most of what is now known as Foxen Canyon. Today, the Foxed estate resides on 2000 of those acres, consistently remaining in family hands. Foxen crafts an extensive lineup of wines from their five estate vineyards (Ernesto Wickenden, Tinaquaic Alta, Tinaquaic Bajita, MaMère and Williamson-Doré), as well as sourcing from the finest vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County (Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Happy Canyon), all sustainably farmed. Foxen adopted the anchor as its trademark brand, just as Captain Foxen did as his ranch cattle brand.

This Chardonnay from Foxen is sourced from Block UU of Bien Nacido Vineyard. Pale yellow in the glass, the 2022 offers an inviting bouquet of ripe citrus and orchard fruits accented by notes of lemon curd, toasted almond, chamomile, and crushed oyster shell. The medium-bodied palate is rich and beautifully textured, layering flavors of white peach, pear, and lemon zest with savory nuances and a distinctly stony, saline minerality. Bright, refreshing acidity provides lift and definition, carrying the wine through a long, crisp finish that leaves a lingering impression of citrus and sea spray. The perfect foil for seafood, from oysters and shrimp scampi to simply grilled or cedar-plank salmon.