FOXENDear Members, As you all know, weather issues can affect the timing of your wine shipments. With this is mind, we decided to move up our summer shipment from June to May. Hopefully we can avoid heat problems that have been known to affect some of your previous June shipments.

With the record-setting rains this winter, we experienced one of the most spectacular wildflower shows in years. In addition, the drenching rains of February helped to leech our vineyard soils of built up salts and delay bud-break—giving our vineyards an outstanding start to the 2017 growing season. So far, the overall growth in our vineyard blocks looks better than we’ve seen in years. And as I write this, our hills are just beginning to turn from emerald green to a more golden hue that contrasts with the beautiful bright green growth on the vines. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a great vintage!

April was a very busy month for Jenny and me. In addition to our annual dinner at the Alisal Guest Ranch during the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival weekend, we hosted wine dinners at the University Club in New York City and the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani on the Big Island. And looking forward, we’ve already confirmed a number of additional dinners and tastings around the country. So, I strongly recommend that you check our Calendar of Events on our website, www.foxenvineyard.com, for more information.

And speaking of special events…our Second Sundays have been a big hit! Every second Sunday afternoon of the month we have a food truck and live music at FOXEN. This will continue throughout summer. Our next one is scheduled for Mother’s Day, May 14. What a fun way to celebrate by hanging out with us—enjoying FOXEN wine, eating good food and listening to fun music!

Of course, my two favorite events of the year are always our exclusive annual club events: the Master & Commander Luncheon on June 10, and the Anchor Club Barbecue on August 5. Reservations for both events can be made by calling the winery at (805) 937-4251, or emailing wineclub@foxenvineyard.com. We look forward to seeing many of you at these events.

Wishing you a great summer!

Cheers!

Dick Doré

N e w s l e t t e rM a y 2 0 1 7

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

May 2017 Payment DetailAnchor Club Members:

$148.61 (including your 15% discount, CA state tax, and CA shipping)

Master & Commander Club Members:$519.70 (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 Events May 2017

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

May 14th- Food Truck and Live Music - Foxen Tasting Room - Santa Maria, CAEvery second Sunday of each month, we will have live music and a food truck on property from

1pm-4pm. This “FOXEN Second Sunday” will feature live music by Clark Street Boys, and The Chefs Touch BBQ Rig

will be onsite with delicious BBQ food available for purchase. For more information contact our Events Coordinator,

Micaela Buchanan at events@foxenvineyard.com

May 25th - Foxen Wine Dinner - Vittorio’s - San Diego, CAVittorio’s began planning this dinner months ago, carefully choosing their menu to perfectly complement Foxen wine. Join Kaitlin in San Diego for this special five course Foxen wine dinner at Vittorio’s. Cost is $59.50 per person not including tax and gratuity. Please call (858) 538-5884 for reservations

June 24th - 25th - Summer Sipping Passport Event - Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, CAPurchase your Passport for $45 and get 20 one ounce pours from 13 wineries on the famous Foxen Canyon Wine

Trail. On Saturday each winery will provide delicious small bites for you to enjoy. Your passport also comes with a

commemorative Foxen Canyon Wine Trail logo glass, exclusive wine discounts, and a special keepsake. For more

information or to purchase your passport go to https://summersipping2017.eventbrite.comJuly 22nd - Vintners 5 Miler - Sanford & Benedict Vineyard - Lompoc, CAThe second annual Vintners 5 Miler presented by the Santa Barbara Vintners’ Foundation is a unique trail run

through the vineyards of Sanford Winery in the beautiful Sta. Rita Hills. The race is followed by the Finish Line

Festival with wine tasting, gourmet food served up by our favorite local restaurants, awards presentation, and live

music. FOXEN will be a sponsored winery at the event and will be pouring FOXEN wine at the finish line festivities.

We will also have a team running the 5 miler led by our Winemaker David Whitehair! Go to: https://raceroster.

com/events/2017/10571/2017-vintners-5-miler to register.

July 16 - July 23, 2017 - Foxen Rhône River Wine Cruise - Avignon to Lyon.We’re doing another cruise...and this time solo! Dick and Jenny are taking a group of our FOXEN wine lovers up

one of France’s most beautiful rivers, the Rhône, on a 7-night river cruise. See picturesque villages up close as you

slowly cruise by on Uniworld’s SS Catherine. Selected by Cruise Critic in 2015 as the Editor’s Choice for the best

river cruise line, Uniworld offers an all-inclusive experience that includes complimentary beverages and shore

excursions. Enjoy a selection of our award winning Pinot Noir and Rhône-style wines during a seminar and tasting

and served with dinner on the first six evenings of the cruise. Listen to what past Food &Wine Trails cruiser, D.

Hochberger, had to say about his 2015 FOXEN wine cruise: “Foxen went out of their way to be unbelievable hosts

and are great people. It was unbelievable how much wine they provided at all tastings and get-togethers. They

made the cruise!!” Join us this summer for this fabulous FOXEN wine cruise! Contact Food and Wine Trails at (800)

367-5348 | info@foodandwinetrails.com

August 5th - Anchor Club BBQ - Tinaquaic Picnic Grounds - Santa Maria, CAIt’s time again for our annual Anchor Club BBQ. Traditional Santa Maria-style barbecue provided by The Hitching

Post along with live music, raffles, and plenty of FOXEN wine will make this an event to put in the record

books. $65 for tickets and the event starts at 12:30 pm. Call us at 805-937-4251 to RSVP.

2014 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills: This Pinot Noir is an assembled wine meant to showcase what the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is all about. John Sebastiano Vineyard, in the northeast corner of the AVA, represents 2/3 of this blend, and contributes lighter, brighter red fruits, sassafras and mulberry. La Encantada Vineyard, in the cooler southwest edge of the AVA, represents 1/3 of the blend, and brings with it darker, more brooding black fruit and hard spice elements. The wine was put together from five different vineyard sites—consisting of five different clones and ten fermentation lots. The blend was assembled in March of 2016, after 18 months in French oak from various cooperages—of which 20% was new. It was bottled without fining or filtration on March 14, 2016. This wine, because of its medium weight and light fruit and dark fruit makeup, has the ability to match up to multiple dishes. My go-to is always pan-seared, oven-roasted duck breast with duck fat fries. In addition, I recommend seared salmon salad or spring pea soup with some Santa Barbara Ridgeback shrimp tossed in. Enjoy

now through 2022. • 91 Points - Wine Enthusiast • 91 Points - Wine

Advocate • 90 Points - California Grapevine • 90 Points - Tasting

Panel • Production: 1934 cases • Retail: $38

2014 Syrah, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley: This was an exceptional vintage for our Tinaquaic Vineyard Syrah—even though it was a relatively early harvest (September 11 & 12). The older dry-farmed Syrah vines from our original vineyard block on top of the canyon, picked out at a mere one pound per vine (this was the second year of our four-year drought); while our newer Syrah vineyard block adjacent to the winery (which is semi-irrigated) picked out at four pounds per vine. We retained 10% whole clusters in the fermenters, and this seemed to give the wine some added extraction or “oomph”. The wine was aged 18 months in François Frères 500-liter French oak puncheons (20% new), and then bottled without fining or filtration. Our 2014 Tinaquaic Vineyard Syrah is big and seamless—with lots of white pepper, lavender, and huckleberry notes, and a tarry, meaty mouthfeel to boot. I found it to be a perfect pairing with lamb Shawarma or Gyros. It also matched well with pepper and cumin-

rubbed pork tenderloin. Drink now through 2026. • 93 Points - Wine Enthusiast • 91-93+ Points - Wine Advocate

• Production: 625 cases • Retail: $48

2014 Cabernet Franc, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley: Like our estate Syrah, we were dealing with the dry-farmed old vines from the upper blocks that were in drought mode in 2014, that produced just over one pound per vine; while the semi-irrigated, newer vines next to the new winery gave us three pounds per vine. The drought-induced early harvest had us picking our Cabernet Franc September 19 through the 22. This wine also includes Tinaquiac Vineyard Petit Verdot, which makes up 17% of the blend. After two years in François Frères French oak barrels (44% new), the wine was bottled without fining or filtration. The resulting wine shows lots of dusty blueberry, cocoa, fennel, graphite and plum cake, tobacco aromas and flavors. It finishes beautifully with a mouthful of perfectly ripe Elephant Heart plum and herb muddled red raspberry. For an excellent food pairing, I like to grill butterflied and chipotle-glazed quail or game hen, then set it on top of some chorizo corn bread dressing. It was

also excellent with black lentil soup or stew. Drink now through 2028.• Production: 570 cases • Retail: $50

Billy’s Winemaker Notes May 2017

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

Name: ______________________________

Email: ______________________________

Address:___________________________

City: __________________ State: ______

Zip: ___________Phone: ______________

r Pay with credit card on file

r Call with different card #

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

May 2017 Current Releases FOXEN Retail Anchor (15%) Master (20%) Qty 2014 Chenin Blanc, Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard2013 Chenin Blanc, “Good Year” Ernesto Wickenden2015 Chardonnay, Block UU- Bien Nacido Vineyard2016 Rosé of Mourvèdre, Santa Ynez Valley2014 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley2013 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills2014 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills**2013 Pinot Noir, Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard2013 Pinot Noir, John-Sebastiano Vineyard2013 Pinot Noir, La Encantada Vineyard2013 Pinot Noir, Fe-Ciega Vineyard2013 Syrah, Toasted Rope, Vogelzang Vineyard 2013 Syrah, Williamson-Doré Vineyard2013 Syrah, Tinaquaic Vineyard2014 Syrah, Tinaquaic Vineyard**2013 Sweet Ending, Late Harvest (375mL bottles) foxen 7200 Retail Anchor (15%) Master (20%) Qty 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Vogelzang Vineyard2013 Range 30 West, Happy Canyon of SB2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vogelzang Vineyard2014 Cabernet Franc, Tinaquaic Vineyard**2014 Pajarito, Vogelzang Vineyard2013 Guillermo Grosso, Santa Ynez Valley2014 Cabernet Savignon, Grassini Vineyard2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mamére Vineyard

**included in shipment and exclusive for members for 30 days or while supplies last** TOTAL: ______ ______ _____

TO PURCHASE WINESOrder Online Today

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

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

$25.00$45.00$34.00$25.00$35.00$38.00$38.00$62.00$48.00$62.00$66.00$44.00$46.00$48.00$48.00$30.00

$21.25$38.25$28.90$21.25$29.75$32.30$32.30$52.70$40.80$52.70$56.10$37.40$39.10$40.80$40.80$25.50

$20.00$36.00$27.20$20.00$28.00$30.40$30.40$49.60$38.40$49.60$52.80$35.20$36.80$38.40$38.40$24.00

$28.00$44.00$54.00$50.00$44.00$34.00$52.00$100.00

$23.80$37.40$45.90$42.50$37.40$28.90$44.20$85.00

$22.40$35.20$43.20$40.00$35.20$27.20$41.60$80.00