FOXENDear Members,I love this time of year! Spring is just around the corner; the hills are green; the vines are coming to life with the promise of a new vintage, and Billy is busy getting ready for the March bottling of our 2016 single-vineyard Pinots. Sadly, however, this year began with tragedy on January 9 as our neighboring community of Montecito was hit by devastating and deadly mudslides. Our hearts are still broken for the 21 lives lost (and two still missing) on that fateful day. Many were injured and hundreds of homes and business were destroyed or damaged. As I write this, Montecito has begun the long process of clean up and rebuilding. It is heartening to see some of the neighborhoods and businesses in Montecito slowly coming back to life. We are eternally grateful to the legions of first-responders who put their lives on the line for our neighbors when tragedy struck. As you may recall, last fall FOXEN pledged $1 for every bottle of our Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir sold through the end of the year to help with Northern California wildfire recovery efforts. Last month, we were able to donate $1,118 to the Community Foundation of Sonoma County-Fire Relief Fund. And because of the devastation caused by the Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, we matched our Sonoma donation with a $1,118.00 donation to United Way’s Ventura and Santa Barbara County Thomas Fire Fund. In addition, I’m proud to say that our Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation raised more than $31,000 for Direct Relief’s wildfire relief efforts in 2017. And on February 17, the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation held its tenth auction benefitting Direct Relief. I’d like to end this letter on a positive note with a reminder that one of the best ways to help our Montecito and Santa Barbara communities recover is to COME HERE! Stay in our beautiful hotels, dine at our great restaurants, soak up the sun on our beautiful beaches, shop, and of course, drink Santa Barbara County wines!As always, please know how much Bill, Becky, Jenny and I appreciate your enthusiastic support of FOXEN over the past 33 years.

Cheers! Dick Doré

N e w s l e t t e rM a r c h 2 0 1 8

FOXEN Vineyard & Winery • 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd • Santa Maria, CA • 93454 • Tel. 805.937.4251 • foxenvineyard.com

March 2018 Payment DetailAnchor Club Members:

$158.66 (including your 15% discount, CA state tax, and CA shipping)

Master & Commander Club Members:$551.68 (including your 20% discount, CA state tax, and

CA shipping)Your state tax and/or shipping rate may be different

depending on your location. Pick-up members are not charged a shipping fee.

Calendar of EventsMarch 2018

FOXEN Vineyard & Winery • 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd • Santa Maria, CA • 93454 • Tel. 805.937.4251 • foxenvineyard.com

March 11th - FOXEN Second Sunday - FOXEN Tasting Room - Santa Maria, CAEvery second Sunday of each month, we will have live music and a food truck on property from

12:30pm-3:30pm. This “FOXEN Second Sunday” will feature live music by About Time Duo, and Sass’ Catering will be

onsite with delicious food available for purchase. For more information contact our Events Coordinator, Micaela at events@

foxenvineyard.com

April 8th - FOXEN Second Sunday - FOXEN Tasting Room - Santa Maria, CAFrom 12:30-3:30 enjoy live music by Clark Street Boys. Wine and Fire will be onsite with their Mugnaimi oven to bake their

wood fired pizzas. For more information contact our Events Coordinator, Micaela at events@foxenvineyard.com

April 21st - Santa Barbara Vintners Festival Grand Tasting - River Park in Lompoc, CAMark your calendars for the 36th Anniversary of Santa Barbara Wine Country’s Vintners Festival on Saturday, April 21, from

1-4pm in the bucolic River Park in Lompoc, CA. Taste wines from over 100 wineries, meet winemakers and winery owners,

savor gourmet food from 30 regional restaurants and chefs, hear live music, drink sparkling wine in the Bubble Lounge,

sample organic foods from the best local farmers and foragers, and watch live cooking demonstrations. To purchase tickets

or for more information, visit https://www.sbcountywines.com/vintners-festival.html

April 21st - Alisal Guest Ranch Wine Dinner - Solvang, CA Our annual dinner at the beautiful Alisal Guest Ranch has become one of our most popular traditions. We are excited to

announce that this year’s dinner has been set once again during the Santa Barbara County Association’s Spring Festival, on

April 21. Dick and Jenny will host this dinner created by Alisal’s Chef and paired with some very special FOXEN wines. For

more information visit our events page at www.foxenvineyard.com/experience-foxen/events/

Wine Club Clubhouse

Open Every Saturday 11am-4pm

We have transformed the old barn into a clubhouse for our members. Club members and their guests can check in at the

shack and head into our clubhouse where we will be pouring your current club shipment releases. We encourage you to

bring food and lounge in this exclusive new location.

2016 Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard Block UU: The

2016 vintage was a sigh of relief after more than three years of drought and

2015’s extremely low yields. This vintage brought somewhat normal rainfall

that was enough to refresh and re-invigorate the vines’ root health. Happy

vines make happy grapes! In 2016 we picked our Bien Nacido Chardonnay

over the course of 22 days, waiting for each section to be at optimum

ripeness, while still retaining that vibrant acidity that is the hallmark of Santa

Maria Valley Chardonnay. After a gentle pressing and cold settling, the juice

was transferred to 500 liter puncheons (20% new), where it spontaneously

fermented. After eight months in the cellar, the wine was lightly filtered and

bottled. The aromas of this wine speak of Bien Nacido with notes of acacia

flower, mandarin pith and orange blossom honey. There is a “minerally,” almost

slate-like quality on the palate that carries the citrusy flavors all the way from

the front to the back of the mouth. I found this Chardonnay to be a perfect

match with Sole piccata and Halibut tostadas with yogurt-lime sauce. Drink

now through 2024. Production: 1,450 cases • Retail: $34

2015 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 43: Planted in 2006, Block 43 continues to evolve into a more

exciting and passionate Pinot Noir with each vintage. Yields were down in 2015 (around 3 pounds per vine), with tiny cluster

and berry sizes, which is optimal for Pinot Noir. We followed all our usual Pinot production procedures with this wine: 100%

whole berries in open-top fermenters; cold soak for four to five days; punched down twice daily; no pumping of juice; 17

months in barrel (of which 30% were new); and bottled without fining or filtration. Aromas of raspberry muffin jump out of the

glass and are followed by notes of violets, more raspberry/cherry, sassafras and baking spice. This Pinot Noir is a beautifully

balanced wine—full of creamy Bing cherry flavors and ample width on the palate. I suggest matching this beauty of a wine,

as I recently did, with Duck L’Orange and seared Foie Gras with a grilled Fuyu persimmon and Chambord reduction sauce.

On the vegetarian side, try a creamy mushroom lasagna or risotto. Drink now through 2025. • 94 Points - JebDunnuck.com

• 93+ Points - Wine Advocate • 93 Points - Vinous • 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast • 92 Points - California Grapevine • 91

Points - Wine Spectator • Production: 474 cases • Retail: $65

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Happy Canyon Select: Yields from the Happy Canyon AVA seemed to have

suffered the most in 2015, when our fruit yields were between a mere 0.8 to 2.0 tons per acre. These low yields were a result

of three years of severe drought plus cold, wet and windy weather during the bloom period. In the end, the high quality made

up for the low yields. Because only a small quantity of wine was made, we decided to blend our Vogelzang Vineyard fruit

with our Grassini Family Vineyard fruit to bottle enough Cabernet for you all. The finished wine is comprised of 88% Cabernet

Sauvignon and 12% Merlot from Vogelzang Vineyard. It was bottled after 22 months in French Taransaud barrels (75% new)

without fining or filtration. This wine is lush—both in the nose (berry pie, dew-kissed sage, menthol, spearmint and cigar box)

and the mouth (cassis, lavender, red pluots and dark plum). I suggest pairing this wine with some spicy Korean short ribs or

crispy Chorizo and cheddar tacos. Drink now through 2025+. Production: 350 cases • Retail: $46

Winemaker Notes - David WhitehairMarch 2018

FOXEN Vineyard & Winery • 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd • Santa Maria, CA • 93454 • Tel. 805.937.4251 • foxenvineyard.com

2015 CHENIN BLANC, “Old Vines” Ernesto Wickenden Vyd2013 CHENIN BLANC, “The Good Year” Ernesto Wickenden Vyd 2016 BLOCK UU CHARDONNAY, Bien Nacido Vineyard**2014 CHARDONNAY, Tinaquaic Vineyard 2015 PINOT NOIR, Santa Maria Valley 2014 PINOT NOIR, Sta. Rita Hills2014 PINOT NOIR, John Sebastiano Vineyard2013 PINOT NOIR, La Encantada Vineyard2014 PINOT NOIR, Melville Vineyard2014 PINOT NOIR, Fe Ciega Vineyard 2014 PINOT NOIR, Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard2015 PINOT NOIR, Block 43 Bien Nacido Vineyard** 2014 CUVÉE JEANNE MARIE, Williamson-Doré Vineyard2014 SYRAH, Tinaquaic Vineyard2013 SWEET ENDING, Late Harvest (375mL bottles)

2016 SAUVIGNON BLANC, Vogelzang Vineyard2014 PAJARITO, Vogelzang Vineyard2014 RANGE 30 WEST, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara2014 LOS POTREROS, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara2014 CABERNET FRANC, Tinaquaic Vineyard2014 MISSION, Barberena Vineyard2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Happy Canyon Select**2014 GUILLERMO GROSSO, Santa Ynez Valley2014 VOLPINO, Santa Ynez Valley

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TO PURCHASE WINESOrder Online Today

store.foxenvineyard.com Email

wineclub@foxenvineyard.comFax | Phone

805-937-0415 | 805-937-4251 x107Mail

Katie Longoria c/o FOXEN Vineyard7600 Foxen Canyon RdSanta Maria, CA 93454

$28.00$44.00$46.00$72.00$50.00$30.00$46.00$35.00$32.00

Retail Anchor(15%)

Master(20%)

FOXENV I N E Y A R D & W I N E R Y

March 2018 Current ReleasesQTY

$26.00$45.00$34.00$40.00$36.00$38.00$48.00$62.00$64.00$66.00$62.00$65.00$44.00$48.00$30.00

Retail Anchor(15%)

Master(20%) QTY

**included in shipment and exclusive for members for 30 days or while supplies last**

TOTAL:

$22.10$38.25$28.90$34.00$30.60$32.30$40.80$52.70$54.40$56.10$52.70$55.25$37.40$40.80$25.50

$23.80$37.40 $39.10$61.20$42.50$25.50$39.10$29.75$27.20

$22.40$35.20$36.80$57.60$40.00$24.00$80.00$28.00$25.60

$20.80$36.00$27.20$32.00$28.80$30.40$38.40$49.60$51.20$52.80$49.60$52.00$35.20$38.40$24.00