2021 Foxen Winery Rosé of Mourvedre Santa Ynez Valley 750 ml

Few Santa Barbara producers can match Foxen’s Midas touch with Rhône varieties. They consistently craft what Antonio Galloni called “some of the most compelling wines I taste anywhere in the world.” So there was no question that their single-vineyard Mourvèdre would show the savory complexity that defines the variety’s best bottles.

“Compelling” doesn’t begin to describe this rosé, which evokes Mourvèdre’s trademark brooding character alongside floral aromas and red-berry energy. It’s equal parts Californian vivacity and Provençal sophistication. Sure, it’s got the strawberry aromas and refreshing acidity that call out for sunsets on the back porch. But give it another swirl, another sip, and you’ll find Bandol-reminiscent notes of white pepper, garden flowers, dried orange peel, and dried leaves.

Foxen is known for their combination of intense fruit and brilliant balance. The Wine Advocate called Foxen wines “loaded with class and personality across the board,” and this rosé is no exception.

They made just 213 cases from around eight acres of mostly own-rooted vines in the Happy Canyon’s Vogelzang Vineyard. In the southeastern corner of the Santa Ynez Valley, fog burns off here sooner than the rest of the region—ideal for Rhône varieties. But marine breezes come rushing through the east-west valley so consistently every afternoon, you could set your watch by it, refreshing the vines and preserving lively acidity.

Founders Bill Wathen and Dick Doré have spent the past 30+ years crafting wines from stellar vineyards like this one, helping turn Santa Barbara into the powerhouse region it is today. Yet if this beautifully balanced rosé says anything, it’s that the winery hasn’t taken their foot off the gas for a second.