Foxen 7200 2020 Cabernet Franc, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

The Foxen 7200 Cabernet Franc 2020 from Tinaquaic Vineyard doesn’t walk in—it drifts through the shadows. On the nose: soy and tar undercut by dried cherry; a scent more aware of its roots than its ripeness. A hint of warm spice folds around the edges, never loud, just enough to catch your curiosity. 

Tasting it is finding stillness in motion. The fruit glides—dried cherry, maybe pomegranate—settles into fine-grain tannins, then clears into a graphite-driven backbone. It’s weighty without weight, movement anchored in stone. 

This isn’t canyon juice. Tinaquaic lies high in Santa Maria Valley, where old-vine, dry-farmed Cabernet Franc draws from weathered loam and coastal breeze. Wines here are framed by altitude, not oak; they aren’t bold—they’re noticed. 

Foxen’s approach amplifies that. Thin-staved barrels preempt bulk; native ferments respect fruit tone; and the style leans lithe rather than leather—structured, not showy. 

Drink it when you’ve stopped needing to be noticed, maybe with pine-seared lamb or roasted mushrooms. Its presence stays because it doesn’t announce.

Foxen 7200 2020 Cabernet Franc—Tinaquaic etched in dusk, more echo than echo chamber.