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 "While maintaining an attractive price structure, Fess Parker and his winemaking team continue to raise the quality to impressive levels."
Robert Parker, Jr.
“This excellent winery continues to turn out a bevy of very fine wines in all price ranges and seemingly irrespective of the varietal composition.”
October 2006
2003 Rodney’s Vineyard Syrah – 93 points
2004 Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay – 91 points
2003 Big Easy Syrah – 90 points
2004 Ashley’s Vineyard Pinot Noir – 90 points
2004 Santa Barbara County Viognier – 89 points
Frontier Red Lot 61 - 88 points
Eli fared well over at Epiphany too:
2003 Rodney’s Vineyard Petite Sirah – 92 points
2003 Revelation, Rodney’s Vineyard – 90 points
2003 Hampton Vineyard Syrah – 89 points
Wine Enthusiast Magazine weighed in as well.
2003 Big Easy Syrah – 93 points
2004 Ashley’s Vineyard Chardonnay – 93 points/Editor’s Choice
August 2006
93 points – Syrah, Rodney’s Vineyard, 2003
 “An emerging “grand cru” site in Santa Ynez is Rodney’s Vineyard, named in honor of Fess Parker’s deceased son-in-law. He sells some of the fruit to other wineries who often designate it as “Rodney Shull Vineyard.” Parker’s 2003 Syrah Rodney’s Vineyard is an opaque ruby/purple-colored offering revealing gorgeously deep, expansive, flamboyant aromatics of black currants, smoke, bacon fat, dried herbs, sweet licorice, and white chocolate. It is a full-bodied, powerful, textured, sumptuous Syrah that cascades over the palate with copious glycerin, richness, and silky tannin. This beautiful wine should drink well for 10-12 years or longer.”
91 points – Chardonnay, Ashley’s Vineyard, 2004
“The outstanding 2004 Chardonnay Ashley’s Vineyard reveals the top-class and nobility of this vineyard site. It reveals white peach, tropical fruit, mineral, and subtle wood characteristics in its exotic personality along with fine acidity, medium to full body, and a layered, delicious mouthfeel. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.”
90 points – Syrah, Big Easy, 2003
“From Fess Parker’s Camp Four Vineyard, the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2003 Syrah The Big Easy boasts vibrant notes of creme de cassis, smoke, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, well-delineated, lush, and fleshy, with silky tannin in the finish, it should drink well for 7-8 years.”
90 points – Pinot Noir, Ashley’s Vineyard, 2004
“The most intriguing wine in this quartet is the 2004 Pinot Noir Ashley’s Vineyard. This beautifully layered Pinot boasts notes of smoked game, black currants, cherries, underbrush, and forest floor. Layered, dense, rich, and full-bodied with a silky finish, it should evolve for another 7-8 years.”
89 points – Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard, 2004
“Complex, oaky, full-bodied, structured, and muscular, the spicy 2004 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard reveals notes of earth, black currants, black cherries, and a hint of tapenade. Soft and fleshy, it should drink well for 5-7 years.”
89 points – Viognier, Santa Barbara County, 2004
“The 2004 Viognier offers abundant apricot and white peach characteristics, heady glycerin, and good spice, richness, and depth. Enjoy this beautiful white over the next 12 months.”
89 points – Syrah, Santa Barbara County, 2003
“The 2003 Syrah Santa Barbara exhibits aromas and flavors of blackberries, black cherries, spice, roasted meat, herbs, oak, and espresso. It is a mainstream, delicious, fleshy, satisfying wine to enjoy over the next 3-5 years.”
88 points – Frontier Red, California Lot 51
“One of California’s finest values is Fess Parker’s Frontier Red, now finished with a screw cap. The expressive, Mediterranean-styled non-vintage Frontier Red Lot 51 (a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignan) is a dead-ringer for a French Cotes du Rhone. It is a terrific choice for bistros as it is a heady, hedonistic, complex, amazing QPR. The wine exhibits a deep ruby/plum color as well as a big, spicy, Mediterranean-scented bouquet revealing hints of sweet cherries, plums, earth, and black currants. The wine possesses the power and depth to age for 2-3 years.”
87 points – Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, 2004
“Readers looking for a crisp, elegant, medium-bodied Chardonnay should check out the 2004 Chardonnay Santa Barbara. Tropical fruit and peach characteristics emerge from this tasty, soft, well-balanced cuvee. It is meant to be consumed over the next several years.”
87 points – Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, 2004
“The inexpensive 2004 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara possesses a dark ruby color as well as plenty of forest floor, black cherry, plum, and kirsch-like aromas as well as flavors. Consume this pleasant, soft, round, seductive Pinot over the next 2-4 years.”
Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s ® accolades
We were delighted to read what Robert Parker had to say about us in the latest edition of, “The Wine Advocate” (Issue 159 – Closing date 6-30-05).
“…no one has better vineyards or has pumped more money into specific terroirs than Fess Parker. The quality of his wines goes from strength to strength, yet they remain realistically priced. Consumers take note.”
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