Welcome to our Wine Spies Wine of the Week!.

Today’s Fess Parker Winery 2014 Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir hails from the fabled vineyard that was named one of the Ten best vineyards in the world by Food & Wine Magazine. Fruit from Bien Nacido is highly prized and today’s prized 93 point (Wine Enthusiast) wine takes full advantage.

The Bien Nacido Vineyard was named one of the Top 25 vineyards in the world by Wine & Spirits Magazine. It was Food & Wine Magazine that called the vineyard one of the Ten best vineyards in the world.

Sweet and spiced and lusciously balanced on the nose, with aromas of black cherry, spiced cherry candy, cherry bark, dried wild mushroom, summer forest, soft spice, plum, subtle cedar and a hint of vanilla.

What a delicious Pinot Noir this is, with flavors of Bing cherry, blueberry, spiced cherry, cranberry rhubarb juice, plum, subtle sweet tobacco, red currant, raspberry, summer forest, subtle sweet spice, dark chocolate, and toasty oak.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine routinely award 90+ point scores to wines made from Bien Nacido Vineyard fruit. The Bien Nacido vineyard is the birthplace of high-scoring, high-dollar wines from Gary Farrell Winery, Longoria, Sine Qua Non, Au Bon Climat, Ojai Vineyard, Paul Lato and Twomey, to name just a few.

Today’s wine is VERY highly recommended.

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Here’s what the wine press has to say:

93 points - Matt Kettman, Wine Enthusiast - “Bright, fresh and vivacious, this bottling from the historic vineyard offers white flowers, sea salt, lemons and buttered white peaches on the nose. Apple flesh and lime rind sizzles into the citrus-driven palate, where a touch of lemon verbena adds complexity to this straightforward and delicious wine.”

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91 points - Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate - “A big, ripe effort that offers lots of black raspberry, licorice, toasted spice and scorched earth, the 2014 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard is rich, mouth-filling and textured on the palate, with plenty of fruit. It’s an outstanding wine to drink over the coming 4-5 years. This cuvee sees a touch of whole cluster (20%) and 18 months in one third new French oak.”