2021 Foxen Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard

The 2021 Pinot Noir Julias Vineyard comes from a site in the Santa Maria Valley and was aged for 16 months in 228-liter French oak barrels (30% new). Its light ruby hue is followed by a spicy, nuanced, slightly evolved perfumed of mulled strawberries, savory flowers, sassafras, and sweet spice. This carries to a medium-bodied, pretty, elegant and lightly textured Pinot Noir that has fine tannins and a good finish. It's an interesting effort that's drinking nicely today, and I see no reason to push the envelope on the aging curve either. Nevertheless, it should keep nicely for 4-6 years.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is laced with sweet red cherry fruit, dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, mint and crushed rose petal. This aromatic, earthy Pinot is classic Santa Maria in its flavor profile and overall structural feel.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is a lighter hued, perfumed, medium-bodied effort from a site in Santa Maria. It was destemmed and brought up in 30% new oak, and it has ripe cherry and dried strawberry fruits as well as savory spices, loamy soil, and sandalwood nuances. It’s balanced and has a gorgeous, lengthy finish. It will keep for a decade. I still find the 2020s to be slightly hit-or-miss from this reference point producer in the Central Coast, but the good news is that the 2021s appear to be a step up as well as more consistent.