Home Wine U The Buzz Wine Reviews   Review Archive   Rating System Calendar Fun Stuff About Us Feedback Key Contacts FAQ Links		Wine Tasting Notes Foxen Winery Foxen Winery was founded in 1985 and is closely tied to this region of Santa Barbara County. Co-owner Dick Doré is the great-great grandson of William Benjamin Foxen - the English sea Captain who purchased the Rancho Tinaquaic lands in 1837. This area initially encompassed most of Foxen Canyon and was the site of some military action in 1846 during the Mexican War. On Christmas 1846, Foxen warned American forces of an impending ambush, allowing them to take Santa Barbara without bloodshed and leading to California being ceded to the United States. Currently 2000 acres of the original 9000 acre land grant remains in the Doré family hands. Wine maker at Foxen is co-owner Bill Wathen. He has over thirty years of experience making wine. He graduated from Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Fruit Science, specializing in vineyard management. His first jobs were working with two of Santa Barbara County's pioneers: Dale Hampton and Louie Lucas. He has worked as vineyard manager at Chalone Vineyard. There, he learned traditional French winemaking techniques under the tutelage of Dick Graff, another California wine pioneer. He returned to Santa Barbara County in the early eighties and, along with long-time friend Dick Doré, founded Foxen. Bill makes wines which express terroir and does not impose stylistic elements outside of his wine making methods. He prefers to let the vineyard speak for itself. This is part of the Foxen philosophy of a "hands-off" approach to making vineyard-designated wines.   2005 Foxen Cuvée Jeanne Marie, Williamson-Doré Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley 2005 Foxen Syrah, Williamson-Doré Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley 2004 Foxen Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Block 8 2004 Foxen Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard 2004 Foxen Late Harvest Viognier, Vogelzang Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley   Back to top. Search our wine reviews archive by: review date, vintage and winery.			Get the buzz: Wine reviews Great stories Interviews Wine education tools New content every month It's FREE! Click here
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