George Yasutake

9.7

The best wine of the night! Bested Phelps Insignia 2003-5 (from previous wine freaks dinner @ Actelion), Palazzo Cabernet franc 2010, Meteor 2006, Pride Syrah 2006, Foxen 2010 Block & Bien Nacido Vineyard. — 5 years ago

with Brian

Zachary Price

9.0

Holiday vino! This little beauty came in my last shipment from Foxen, one of my favorite producers in Santa Barbara county. The Guillermo Grasso is Foxen’s take on a new world Tuscan - a 50:50 Sangiovese (Faith Vineyard)-Cabernet Sauvignon (Vogelzang Vineyard). 22 months in French Oak - 40% new - gives this wine a hefty punch of tannin and body. While the Vogelzang Vineyard is well known for producing wonderfully complex Cabernet, I’m not as familiar with Faith Vineyard - however a quick Google search shows that the Vineyard, located in Santa Ynez, specializes in Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc on a 7 acre plot. Though Foxen recommends cellaring this one for a few years to mellow out - I’m drinking it early. Paired with fish tacos. ~$35 | #foxen #santaynezvalley #supertuscan

On the eyes: Deep, concentrated blood red, bright - but hazy (unfined and unfiltered), med+ stain, med+ tears, no gas.

On the nose: Strawberry, cherry, rose hips, pencil shavings, tobacco, and a bit of earthy funk. Med+ alcohol.

On the tongue: Med+ acid, med+ tannin, med+ alcohol, full body, firm and tight. Red currants, raspberry, floral high notes, cigar box, and worn leather. A bit cloying and rambunctious - it would benefit from a year or two in the cellar, but still very yummy! Decant it and enjoy! Merry Christmas! — 6 years ago

Mike Rushing

9.0

Blue fruit, black licorice, slick and concentrated. — 7 years ago

Conrad Kenley

8.9

Coming around and showing dark sweet fruit — 8 years ago

Ellen Shin

9.1

가벼우면서도 무거운 와인. 처음 신맛이 세고, 신맛이 입에 돌음. 끝은 부드러움 — 8 years ago

Rob Mayes

9.2

Fantastic. — 8 years ago

with Ryan

Branden Bidwell

8.9

A magnificent wine from a mediocre vintage. Very savory. — 9 years ago

Wilfred Wong

Chief Storyteller, Wine.com

9.2

One of my TOP TEN WINE EXPERIENCES OF 2014. Simply love this wine! Medium straw, light yellow color; dried apple and mineral in the nose, understated and persistent and eerily deductive; medium bodied; dry, medium acidity, well balanced; tart apple flavors, some slate; medium finish. An amazing dry chenin blanc made in a style unheard of in American winemaking circles. (Best Served: 2014-2017) (Tasted: August 25, 2014, San Francisco, CA) [Sourcing: Vineyard planted in the early 1980's on very sandy soils in the Foxen Canyon district] [Winemaking: Tank fermented, transferred to neutral wood for the winter, racked back to tank for a few months prior to bottlng] [Eric Railsback-Winemaker] #whitewine #cheninblanc #santaynezvalley #centralcoast — 9 years ago

Charles Hudson

9.1

Of all the stuff I bought in Santa Barbara, I think this was the best. Better than the Rusack and slightly better than Whitcraft. — 10 years ago

Ming L

8.9

Light peach and floral with hint of smoke hays on the nose. Profound minerality weaves through a round and slight waxy palate, with a long spicy and salty finish. I don’t drink Chenin Blanc often, but with a bit bottle age, this bottle is showing very nice. — 5 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

8.9

A super succulent merlot-petit verdot blend from Foxen. Ripe blackberry and licorice fill the round, warming palate. An easy drinker from one of my favorite names in Santa Barbara. — 6 years ago

Frank Kuo

9.6

Deep saturated color of gold. Nose of buttery roasted nuts, ice wine like sweetness, dried apricot, raisins, milky toffees, and some oaky note. Taste of structured acidity, almost balsamic, oaky, saline minerals, milk toffees again, dried strawberries, and hint of concentrated sweetness and flower of note. Aftertaste is long and memorable, with balsamic note, a bit zest, and slight burn of alcohols dancing together. She is easily the best Chardonnay so far for me in 2017. — 7 years ago

Mike Rushing

9.2

SY valley mashup of Syrah and Viognier - you get red fruit, ripe peach, clove and orange zest. Try it with pork loin. — 7 years ago

Steve Medbery

9.6

Drank 2008 from a magnum with an hour of breathing time. Wow, cherry and cassis, lots of body and super long beautiful finish. — 8 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

10

The best pinot noir ever. Shared with family tastes even better — 8 years ago

with Paul

Mike Rushing

9.2

Happy canyon cabs are legit. Shhh...don't tell anyone. — 9 years ago

Zachary Price

9.2

Picked up this one at Albertsons on a lark and popped it a week ago. Firestone winery was the first estate winery on the now famous Foxen Canyon Trail, established in 1972. The Santa Ynez Valley offers gravelly loam with rocky subsoils that impart great mineralty and distinct finishes. You can drink this one now if you find it, but it should drink well for the next couple of years. Decant for a hour to enjoy it fully. ~$20 | #firestone #merlot #santaynezvalley

On the eyes: Opaque, Deep Rusty Ruby with Med Stained Tears. No Gas, Evidence of Tartaric Crystals.

On the nose: Very Heady Aromas of Big Stewed Cherry with Tobacco and Smoke, American Oak, Med Alcohol.

On the tongue: Med Acid, Med+ Alcohol, Med+ Tannin, Ripe Cherry and Mulberry rounded out with Cola, Tobacco, and Oak. Med+ Body, Med Complexity and Good Finish. — 9 years ago

Tom Young

9.8

Really good. One of my favorite pinots so far. Big fat pinot that Compares very well with Foxen Melville, Valdez Lancelot and Bell Glos. — 10 years ago

Tom Young

9.0

Nice lighter port easy drinking and tasty — 10 years ago

Charles Hudson

9.1

I think I would have been happier with the Foxen — 6 years ago

Steve Medbery

9.5

Earthy, beautifully aged Pinot — 6 years ago

Mike Rushing

9.3

Lemon curd and tropical fruit with the littlest hints of oak and minerality. I would drink a lot more chard if it tasted like this. — 7 years ago

Michael Schuster

9.2

Nice old Pinot noir. Held up well, but not at its peak — 7 years ago

with Jugoslav

Alison Longworth

10

Perfect smooth full body wine. — 8 years ago

Zachary Price

8.9

The Foxen Volpino, or "little fox", is a 78% Sangiovese - 22% Merlot blend. The merlot hails from Vogelzang located in Happy Canyon AVA, but I'm not sure where the sangiovese is sourced. Either way, the wine is one of the 7200's "caltalian" blends that, if available, can be poured for you in the winery's "Shack" tasting room. The shack is an adorable bare bones structure located off the Foxen Canyon Road surrounded by old world charms and stunning vistas, full of sassy sommeliers and attendants. Not fined or filtered, the grapes and barrels do the talking and deliver a fine new world example of an old world staple. ~$32 | #foxen #volpino #caltalian

On the eyes: Bright, garnet, burnt orange color, med+ stain, med+ tears, no gas, floc present.

On the nose: Vinous, cassis, blackberry, tobacco, mint, hints of petrol, med+ alcohol.

On the tongue: high acid, med+ tannin, med+ alcohol, med round body. Juicy, black cherry, current jam, a tinge of pressed meats, then leather yielding to oak and smoke. A very serviceable table wine - still young, wait another a year or two as it starts to come into its own. — 8 years ago

Steve Anderson

8.9

Santa Barbara County Vintner's Assoc. Celebration of Harvest tasting in Solvang. — 9 years ago

Andrew Goldstein

9.2

Tobacco, strawberry, blackberry, jam, pepper. — 9 years ago

with Lindsey

Carrie Lixey

9.0

Strawberries and cream. Super bright. Would pair it with fish and a tropical salsa. — 10 years ago

Tom Young

9.8

One of the best pintos I've had — 10 years ago

Tom Young

9.0

I liked this wine for $19 from last bottle, but not nearly as good at the Foxen and kale especially when tasted next to each other. I would buy again however — 11 years ago