Foxen Vineyard & Winery Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2023 (750ml) *

Santa Maria Valley has a way of pushing Pinot Noir toward the savory and the bright at once, and this 2023 from Foxen is built squarely in that mold. It draws on fruit from a few of the valley's well-known sites, Bien Nacido and Riverbench chief among them, with Solomon Hills in the mix, and the result is a wine with real upright structure rather than easy plushness. Think cool-climate California Pinot that keeps its energy and its edges.

Aromatically it opens on cherry blossom, cola and dried herbs, with a red-fruited core that stays lifted rather than sweet. There's a distinctive savory thread running through it, tarragon, truffle and tobacco, offset by a flash of fresh watermelon that keeps things vibrant. The palate is silky but taut, high-toned, and it finishes earthy and energetic, holding onto that nervy freshness right to the end.