Foxen Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills John Sebastiano Vineyard 2021

95 points Wine Enthusiast: “Big and bold but balanced, this bottling slaps the nose with vibrant raspberry jam and baking spice aromas. The palate is fresh, fruity and hedonistic in style, offering fresh cherry and raspberry as well as mace and cardamom flavors. It's an attention-grabber. (Oct 2023)”

93 points Decanter: “Uplifting and fresh herbaceous quality on the nose paired with bright red fruit, a distinguishing characteristic of Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. The Foxen John Sebastiano Pinot Noir is laden with a berry patch of freshly harvested fruit character and liner acid quality that follows through to the finish leaving a refreshing minty note that has relative persistence in the palate. Drinking window 2024-2035 (Jun 2024)”

92 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): “The 2021 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is powerful and dense, but also a bit compact. It will be interesting to see if this opens with time. Today, all of its energy is directed inwards. Potent and quite deep, the 2021 captures all of the intensity that is typical of the eastern side of the appellation. In other words, it's a wine that offers more in the way of forward fruit but less savoriness. Ripe dark blue/purplish fruit, sweet spice, lavender and menthol linger. Drink 2023-2031 (Sep 2023)”

92 points Matthew Luczy (Wine Advocate): “While less intense and complex than the Fe Ciega bottling, the 2021 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is lovely, opening with aromas of dark fruit, black tea, bergamot and dried sage. It is pure and spry on the palate before finishing on a darker note that retains a vibrant, crunchy energy. This is primed for early consumption and offers a beautiful take on the Foxen style as applied to the Sta. Rita Hills. Drink 2024-2030 (Oct 2024)”