2020 Foxen Winery Pinot Noir Fe Ciega Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills 750 ml

Foxen only made nine barrels of this flagship Pinot Noir, which is a shame, because we wish every Pinot lover in the world could try it. Lush but bright, aromatically explosive, and complex as the day is long, it’s a gorgeous expression of one of the top sites in the Sta. Rita Hills—one that’s typically reserved for members of Foxen’s Anchor or Master & Commander club who buy between 24 and 48 bottles each year. 

The revered Foxen winery has long been one of the most respected in the region, and founder/director of winemaking Bill Wathen has honed his style over the decades to become a true master of Sta. Rita Hills Pinot. Crafted by Wathen and David Whitehair (who was promoted to winemaker in 2016), this bottle shows the glory of one of Sta. Rita Hills top sites. 

The Fe Ciega Vineyard sits at the very western end of the Sta. Rita Hills. It’s wedged between Sea Smoke and Domaine de la Côte, where the fog flows in freely from the ocean and keeps things chilly until mid-morning. The site’s proximity to the Pacific, thin clay soils over fractured shale, and gentle southern exposure all combine to produce intensely concentrated grapes. 

The last time we visited, we witnessed Fe Ciega’s magic firsthand. We climbed up a small mesa that looms over the vineyards below, and when we reached the vines, the fog was still thick. We waited. Then, as if on cue, the “sea-smoke” began to lift—and 45 minutes later, the vineyard was aglow, putting the majesty of Fe Ciega into perfect focus. With this 2020 Fe Ciega, Wathen and Whitehair have done the same thing.