Fox Creek????

[Terry]

Anyone ever hear of this chardonnay? What does it sell for? Thanks in advance.

[Jerry D Mead]

I don't know it...don't have a Fox Creek in my winery/brand database...but somehow it just sounds like someone's second label???

JDM

[Woodman]

Sounds like one of those negociant labels to me -- Monthaven, etc. And, actually, some of them are quite good for what they are.

[Enophile]

Isn't Fox Creek one of the new Aussie labels brought in by the Grateful Palate?

[Jerry D Mead]

Fox Creek is a brand of the firm called Rutherford Benchmark (they also own Quail Ridge, Quail Creek, Monterey Peninsula and Bell brands...some of which are actual wineries...some of which are brands only).

The Fox Creek wines are made in Mendocino County by Greg Graziano, owner of the Domaine St. Gregory brand and former winemaker at Hidden Cellars.

Fox Creek is described as "ultra-premium, biodynamic wine."

I used to know what that meant via a press kit or propoganda sheet, but I no longer remember.

I can get you a phone number for Rutherford Benchmarks if you need it.
JDM

[Karena Shannon]

"ultra-premium, biodynamic wine"

Well, the first is certainly overused nowadays, and generally refers to a property that likes to brag about their vinification using as many French terms as possible, ex: "Dropping thirty percent of the crop at verasion, alleviated our need for saignee, allowing a full cuvasion with manual, twice-daily punchdown...", so on and so on.

The second is a little more difficult to describe. The best solution is to go to the webpage of a biodynamic farming association and read their verbiage. WWW.biodynamics.com is a good start.
Think of them as uber-organic farmers with a healthy dose of Druidic mysticism thrown in. None of which would mean jack when it came to wine, except that certain French properties (Domaine Leroy, M. Chapoutier) have embraced "biodynamique", and certain wine critics have pointed to the success of those properties as being caused by biodynamic agriculture. To be Really Trendy (without hiring Helen, Heidi, or Tony)requires a hook of some kind and biodynamics is it for some properties (Brick House, in the U.S, I don't know of any others.)

Hope this helped,

[Enophile]

By the way, Fox Creek IS also one of the wines brought in by the Grateful Palate. I don't know if they make a Chard or not, but this could lead to some confusion.