Bonnie Brae Wine & Liquor Mart
785 S. University Boulevard • Denver, CO 80209
Phone: (303) 733-7261

FESS PARKER WINERY AND VINEYARD
– Santa Barbara, California

Davy Crockett’s favorite wines!! “…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.” – Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

The Monthly Selections

2008 Santa Barbara Chardonnay 

A composite of tasting impressions: “Fess Parker Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2006 provides the consumer with a classic Santa Barbara County Chardonnay experience at an excellent value. Partially barrel fermented and aged in a combination of French and American oak for 8 months, the resulting wine has citrus and melon aromas predominate on the nose. Green apple, grapefruit and mild pear notes make for a refreshing, crisp sensation on the palate. This California Chardonnay is crafted in a very approachable style while maintaining excellent body - a perfect by-the-glass choice.” – MadWine.com. “Crisp, clean notes of apple, pear and citrus combine with a hint of smoke, toast, vanilla and spice to create a subtle aroma of apple pie in this refreshing Chardonnay. On the palate lush tropical flavors followed by distinct layers of pineapple, citrus, pear and a hint of sweet oak and toast are coupled with great texture and balance making it a wonderfully food friendly wine.” “…medium to full-bodied...flavors of apple, oak, pear – Robert Parker. “…lively...honeysuckle, apricot, butter, lime, pear, pineapple – Wine News.
Regular Price $13.99 Web Special $10.99

2006 Santa Barbara Syrah 

This wine is usually blended from six Santa Barbara vineyards: the estate’s own Rodney’s Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley, Hampton, Great Oaks, Starlane, Marcella’s, and Valley View…the preponderance is Syrah, with small amounts of Grenache and Petite Syrah…all from Santa Barbara County. The wine is 100% barrel aged 15-18 months, 1/3 of it new French Oak. Journalistic impressions: “The '05 Fess Parker Syrah offers delicious blackberry fruit… round, opulent, and velvety textured.” “Santa Barbara County Syrah in a big way! The nose on this wine is enticing and complex, with notes of spice, blackberry, leather, vanilla, dark cherry and hints of mint, and white pepper. The palate bursts with dark cherry, plum, toast, leather and spice.” “Distinct flavors of dark cherry, plum, black currant and toast are evident on the palate along with hints of mint and other herbs.” “As the wine enters your palate, expect an explosion of fruit flavors accompanied by toast, leather and spice.”
Regular Price $15.99 Web Special $12.99

2007 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 

A Pinot Noir with great forward fruit flavors. The striking palate exudes a fusion of flavors – including black cherry, plum, cranberry, chocolate, cola and cinnamon supported by gentle acidity and firm tannins. Earth, mineral, and spice notes add depth and complexity. Well integrated smoky, toasty and vanilla flavors come through toward the finish – derived from a significant proportion of this wine being aged in new French oak barrels. On the nose you'll find lots of captivating scents of black cherry and current, forest floor, cola, cinnamon, vanilla, strawberry and raspberry combined with toasty oak, tobacco and a hint of new saddle leather. The perfect wine for salmon, duck or lamb seasoned with Mediterranean spices.
Regular Price $24.99 Web Special $19.99

The Fess Parker Story

Although Fess Parker began his career as a well-known actor, he has since become a very successful businessman in Santa Barbara county. Fess Parker, now 81, became an American icon himself by playing American icons on screen. Most famous for his coonskin-cap wearing portrayals of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, Parker also starred in Old Yeller, Battle Cry, Thunder Over the Plains, and dozens of other films, television shows, and stage performances. Not content to simply rest on his laurels, Parker has had a second and even third career as a real estate developer, hotel and spa operator, and more germane to our discussion today, as a winery owner. The winery and vineyard are possibly the most accessible and beautiful of his many ventures and well worth the visit.

When Fess Parker was cast in the role of Davy Crockett in the mid-1950’s, it caused an international sensation and changed his life forever. So too did the purchase of 714 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley. Realizing the potential of Santa Barbara County as a premium grape-growing region, Fess and his son, Eli, originally set out in 1989 to plant a small vineyard and sell fruit to local producers. Unlike a lot of other celebrities who simply lend their name to a brand, Parker built the winery from the ground up, starting with a virgin piece of land in the Los Alamos valley near Santa Barbara.

Since 1989 Parker wines have won more than 30 medals in national competitions. They have four vineyards that occupy 700 acres. Their total production is about 50,000 cases a year, which makes them one of the larger wineries in the county. Today, his winery and vineyard are making both fame and fortune. The winery, tasting room and grounds are the most lavish of any of the wineries in the Santa Barbara wine region. It is definitely one of the most attractive wineries in California. The winery produces wine mostly from their estate vineyards located in three different growing areas of Santa Barbara Country. Parker's children still operate the winery, and his son Eli is the winemaker and head of vineyard operations.

Robert Parker is an ardent fan of the Fess Parker wines: “…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.” “He has become one of the leading vineyard developers in Santa Barbara, gobbling up impressive pieces of property and turning them into topnotch vineyards for not only his own wines, but as fruit sources for some of the region’s top winemakers.

February 2010 SPECIAL FEATURES

Erath Winery – Dundee, Oregon
• 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir
• 2008 Oregon Pinot Gris