Private Parties Banquets Local Wines by the Glass

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(continued from page 12) scattered among mature fruit trees on a sunny lawn. If you are starting at the south end of the Trail, consider a lunch stop at fess Parker Winery, where you can dine in the shade of mature Valley oak trees flanked by native stone walls and colorful climbing rose vines.

Down to Business meeting the winemakers is one of the joys of touring the boutique wineries in this historic area. many of them are on hand to answer questions.

Seasoned wine tasters suggest visiting just two or three wineries on an afternoon jaunt. Today our focus is foxen Winery & Vineyard, founded by Bill Wathen and Dick Doré at the historic rancho Tinaquaic vineyard. The winery is named in memory of William Benjamin foxen, an english sea captain and Dick’s great-great grandfather, who came to Santa Barbara in the early 1800s. captain foxen adopted the distinctive anchor as his ranch cattle brand, which has become a trademark of the winery.

This classic balance is evident in just about every foxen wine. one of the standouts on this warm afternoon is the 2009 chardonnay from Bien Nacido Vineyard. “for the last four or five years we have been ‘unstylizing’ this wine – letting it be what it is so the true character of the fruit comes through,” Wathen says. Secondary fermentation is discouraged in this tight, well structured food wine, which is fondly known as “the lemon drop” to reflect its natural acidity—only slightly mellowed by an eight-month stint in new french oak barrels. another perennial favorite is foxen’s 2009 Pinot Noir from the coveted Sea Smoke Vineyard. a portion of each vintage is fermented in new oak barrels, removed when dry, and then placed in new oak barrels for another 16 months or so. “It’s almost like 200 percent oak,” Wathen says.

“Younger wines are more forward—they taste more fruity initially,” explains felipe hernandez, part owner of Koehler Winery, who also manages five prominent vineyards in the foxen canyon area and makes wine under his own label, feliz Noche. “older wines don’t jump at you—they linger,” he adds. “There is much more subtlety in the finish.”

That’s essential knowledge for novice wine tasters, who tend to favor young, acidic, fruit-forward wines during a casual tasting, then are disappointed when they open the same wine over a meal. We took the advice of eric mohseni at Zaca mesa Winery, who recommended the Zaca mesa 2008 estate Grown chardonnay to accompany our picnic, which included a splendid assortment of Kalamata and Sicilian olives, Brie de meaux cheese, marcona almonds, Genoa salami, and a Tuscan Treasure sandwich, all from los olivos Grocery. We came to the foxen canyon Wine Trail for total immersion, a quintessential country experience. We weren’t disappointed. While autumn is a lovely time to visit, every season offers unique delights, from the wildflowers of spring to the golden hills of summer to the clear, piercing days of winter, when snow often graces the mountain peaks.

So what are you waiting for?