Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of Bordeaux-like currants, cedar pencil, chocolate, and leather nuances emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Franc Tinaquaic Vineyard, an incredibly well-balanced, medium to full-bodied red that has fine tannins and a great finish. It might be one of the finest Bordeaux blends I've tasted from this estate, and if you were to put this in a blind tasting of top Bordeaux, you might just shock your friends – and yourself.
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Decanter
Opulent aroma intensity with a heady perfume of violet, blueberry and leather, yet on the palate, this wine retains enough acidity to feel fresh and youthful. Flavours are laced with red cherry, pomegranate, graphite pencil shavings and a pleasant finish of fruit and warm spice. Tasting this wine blind might lead you to Cru Bourgeois from the Haut-Medoc region. Great value. Enjoy it young for a lovely occasion or celebration.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I found the 2021 Cabernet Franc Tinaquaic Vineyard Old Vines to be a pearl in the Foxen roster and quite reminiscent of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc from Saumur-Champigny. It hails from a 1.5-acre plot of dry-farmed vines planted in 1989. A beautifully balanced, vibrant nose of dusty dark fruits, damp soil, fresh herbs and dark chocolate introduces a silky, pure palate that is remarkably elegant and nuanced. It concludes with an explosive finish that maintains full-throttle energy through its powdery, precise, fine-grained tannin structure and succulent acidity. A singular, old-school expression of Cabernet Franc that is immensely charming and alluring, I look forward to following this over the next decade.
Rating: 94+ -
Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Franc Tinaquaic Vineyard is a rich, explosive wine. Deep, ample and layered, the 2021 offers a compelling mix of varietal character and Santa Maria savoriness. Dark red cherry, plum, espresso, dried herbs and menthol are all dialed up to the maximum. This is a gorgeous wine in every way.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.