Foxen Vineyard

Bill Wathen and Dick Doré met in the late 1970s while both were working in the Santa Barbara County wine industry, Wathen at Chappellet Vineyard in Napa Valley and later at Rancho Sisquoc, Doré in the financial sector. Doré had inherited a connection to the historic Rancho Tinaquaic, the 8,875-acre Mexican land grant given to his great-great-grandfather, sea captain William Benjamin Foxen, in 1837. The partners founded Foxen Vineyard in 1985 with the inaugural commercial vintage that year, using a small structure on the Tinaquaic Ranch. The original 'Old Foxen' tasting room, opened in the 1990s, was a converted 1860s blacksmith shop. In 1989 they began planting the Tinaquaic Vineyard, the estate's own source for Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and other varieties. In 2010 they opened a modern solar-powered winery, nicknamed 'The Shack,' farther along Foxen Canyon Road, allowing them to expand production and run two tasting room destinations simultaneously.

• Wathen and Doré met in the late 1970s in the Santa Barbara County wine industry; founded Foxen Vineyard 1985
• Estate named for William Benjamin Foxen (1796-1874), Doré's great-great-grandfather, who received Rancho Tinaquaic 1837 Mexican land grant
• Tinaquaic Vineyard planted 1989 on the original land-grant property; first plantings included Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay
• Two tasting rooms on Foxen Canyon Road: 'Old Foxen' (1860s blacksmith shop converted in the 1990s) and 'The Shack' (solar winery, 2010)

Foxen Vineyard occupies a distinctive place in Santa Barbara County: a family-history estate rooted in the original land-grant geography of the region, with a producer-style approach that draws fruit from across the county's most prestigious vineyards. While Au Bon Climat and Qupé defined the Bien Nacido-anchored model and Sanford Winery defined the estate-Pinot model, Foxen helped establish the Santa Barbara County 'small-grower, multi-vineyard' model that the next generation of producers would inherit. Bill Wathen's winemaking has been consistently lauded for restraint and clarity, and the estate's diverse portfolio (which includes Cabernet Franc from Tinaquaic, Sea Smoke Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese) reflects the breadth of Santa Barbara County's climates and varieties. The two Foxen Canyon Road tasting rooms are anchor destinations for the Santa Maria Valley wine trail.

• Family-history estate rooted in the original 1837 Foxen land grant, anchoring Foxen Canyon's identity
• Established the Santa Barbara County 'small-grower, multi-vineyard' model alongside ABC and Sanford
• Diverse portfolio across Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio reflects regional breadth
• Two tasting rooms on Foxen Canyon Road are anchor destinations for the Santa Maria Valley wine trail

Bill Wathen's winemaking philosophy emphasizes single-vineyard expression over house-style imposition. Pinot Noir is typically fermented in small open-top tanks with native yeasts, with variable whole-cluster inclusion depending on vineyard and vintage; aging is in French oak (typically 25 to 40 percent new) for 12 to 16 months. Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed, fermented in French oak with native yeasts, and aged on lees for 10 to 14 months. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Tinaquaic Vineyard are fermented in small open-top tanks and aged 18 to 22 months in French oak. Wathen treats each vineyard as a distinct fermentation lot, and the resulting wines emphasize site over style: Sea Smoke Pinot is structured and dense; Bien Nacido Pinot is bright and red-fruited; Tinaquaic Cabernet Franc is herbal and savory. Alcohols typically run 13.5 to 14.5 percent.

• Single-vineyard expression over house-style imposition; each vineyard treated as a distinct fermentation lot
• Native yeast fermentation; variable whole-cluster Pinot depending on vineyard and vintage; 25-40% new French oak for Pinot
• Tinaquaic Cabernet Franc + Cabernet Sauvignon: 18-22 months French oak; structured and herbal
• Alcohols typically 13.5 to 14.5 percent; restrained relative to California averages

Foxen Vineyard has been a consistent presence on Wine Spectator's Top 100 lists, with multiple bottlings receiving 90-plus point ratings across decades. The Foxen Tinaquaic Cabernet Franc has been particularly noted for years as one of California's most distinctive Loire-style Cab Franc bottlings. The 2010 opening of 'The Shack' modern solar-powered winery represented a major investment milestone, allowing significant expansion of production. Bill Wathen has been recognized as a Santa Barbara County wine industry mentor, with multiple subsequent winemakers (including Brewer-Clifton and others) crediting time spent in the Foxen cellar as foundational. Dick Doré's 2018 retirement after 33 years marked a generational shift, though the estate continues without major directional change.

• Multiple Wine Spectator Top 100 placements across decades; multiple 90-plus point bottlings consistently
• Tinaquaic Cabernet Franc widely cited as one of California's most distinctive Loire-style Cab Franc bottlings
• 2010 opening of 'The Shack' solar-powered winery enabled major production expansion
• Bill Wathen recognized as a Santa Barbara County mentor; multiple subsequent winemakers credit Foxen cellar experience

Foxen Vineyard is a partnership between Bill Wathen and the Doré family (Dick Doré retired from active operations in 2018; family interest continues). Wathen leads winemaking and operations from 'The Shack' on Foxen Canyon Road. Annual production runs approximately 12,000 to 15,000 cases across roughly 25 separate bottlings, supporting both the broader distribution program and the two-tasting-room model. The Tinaquaic Vineyard provides estate Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and a small parcel of Pinot Noir. The remaining fruit comes from approximately 10 to 12 other single-vineyard sources under long-term grower contracts: Bien Nacido, Sea Smoke, Sea Smoke Block UU, Solomon Hills, Rancho Sisquoc, Williamson, La Encantada, Julia's Vineyard, and others. Foxen has been particularly noted for its long-running relationship with Sea Smoke (estate fruit relationship since the early 2000s) and Solomon Hills.

• Partnership between Bill Wathen and Doré family; Dick Doré retired 2018; Wathen continues as winemaker and managing partner
• Annual production approximately 12,000-15,000 cases across roughly 25 separate bottlings
• Estate Tinaquaic Vineyard plus approximately 10-12 single-vineyard grower contracts across Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, and Santa Ynez Valley
• Long-running relationships with Sea Smoke, Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills, Rancho Sisquoc; Sea Smoke contract dates to the early 2000s

The estate-owned Tinaquaic Vineyard sits on the original 1837 Foxen family land grant in northern Santa Maria Valley, encompassing approximately 10 acres planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, and a small Pinot Noir block. The grower-contract sources span Santa Barbara County's premier vineyards. Bien Nacido Vineyard supplies Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Block UU (single-block bottlings). Sea Smoke Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills supplies Pinot Noir (the only outside producer with a long-term Sea Smoke fruit contract). Solomon Hills (Santa Maria Valley), Rancho Sisquoc (north Santa Maria Valley), La Encantada (Sta. Rita Hills), Williamson, Julia's Vineyard, and additional sources round out the program. The diversity of sources allows Foxen to bottle distinct expressions of cool-climate Pinot Noir, transitional Pinot, and warmer Bordeaux varieties from a single tasting room.

• Estate Tinaquaic Vineyard (~10 acres on 1837 land grant): Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir
• Sea Smoke Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills): only outside producer with a long-term Sea Smoke Pinot Noir fruit contract
• Bien Nacido Vineyard (Santa Maria Valley): Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Block UU; Solomon Hills, Rancho Sisquoc, La Encantada additional sources
• Cross-AVA fruit diversity allows distinct cool-climate Pinot (Sea Smoke, La Encantada), transitional Pinot (Bien Nacido), and Bordeaux varieties (Tinaquaic) under one label