Fess Parker 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 750ml

Fess Parker Winery, established in 1989 by the late actor and Santa Barbara wine pioneer Fess Parker, has built its reputation on small-lot, vineyard-designated, and clonal-selection bottlings of both Burgundian and Rhône varietals. Now three generations into the family's stewardship, the winery continues sourcing from long-term contracts with some of the finest vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley AVAs, under winemaker Blair Fox. This Pommard Clone bottling is exactly the kind of focused, single-clone expression the winery specializes in — rather than blending multiple clones together, this wine isolates the Pommard clone specifically, letting its own distinct character speak clearly.

The 2022 vintage includes a touch of stem influence (roughly 25%), with the succulence of the Pommard clone itself standing out as the wine's defining trait. Bottling on the earlier side helped preserve much of the fruit's natural freshness. Fess Parker has been named a Top 100 Winery in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine in both 2022 and 2023 — genuine, sustained recognition for a winery built entirely around Santa Barbara County terroir.

The critical reception has been genuinely strong and consistent across three major publications. Wine Enthusiast awarded 93 Points, describing "dark plum aromas" dusted "in mulling spices on the nose of this clonal expression," with "a firm blast of acidity at the tip of the sip," which "unfurls through more plum and peppery, piquant spices and zings into the finish." Vinous matched that with 93 Points, noting the wine as "succulent and racy with red cherry and spice notes." Wine Spectator scored the wine 92 Points, rounding out a genuinely impressive sweep across critics. This is genuinely serious, clonally focused Santa Barbara Pinot Noir — real precision and structure from a winery with more than three decades of dedicated Pinot Noir experience in the region.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Fess Parker Winery was established in 1989 by the late Fess Parker, the Texas-born actor known for his television roles as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, who purchased a 714-acre ranch along Foxen Canyon in Santa Barbara County in 1988. The winery is now three generations into family ownership, producing premium, small-lot, vineyard-designated Burgundian varietals from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, alongside Rhône varietals from their own organically farmed, SIP Certified estate vineyard.

This 2022 bottling isolates the Pommard clone specifically, sourced from vineyard contracts in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, under winemaker Blair Fox. The wine includes roughly 25% stem influence and was bottled relatively early to help preserve fruit freshness.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 93 Points:
"Dark plum aromas are dusted in mulling spices on the nose of this clonal expression. There's a firm blast of acidity at the tip of the sip, which unfurls through more plum and peppery, piquant spices and zings into the finish."

Vinous — 93 Points:
"Succulent and racy with red cherry and spice notes."

Wine Spectator — 92 Points

Tasting Profile

Nose
Dark plum leads, dusted in mulling spices, alongside red cherry and gentle floral character.

Palate
A firm blast of acidity opens the sip, unfurling into more dark plum and peppery, piquant spice, with genuine succulence carrying through — a hallmark of the Pommard clone's distinct character.

Finish
Racy and zingy, closing with lingering spice — a genuinely vibrant, well-structured finish reflecting this single-clone bottling's real precision.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Roast duck or squab
• Grilled salmon
• Mushroom-forward dishes
• Soft, earthy cheeses