RIP Fess Parker

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I was sad to hear today about the passing of Fess Parker.

As many of you know, last weekend I poured wine for Epiphany and Fortress, wines that are part of the Fess Parker family of wines, and I got to spend time with Kate Snider, a member of Fess’s extended family. Back in the fall, I had the chance to meet Eli, Fess’s son, at a Dilly Cafe wine dinner. And of course, the Disney-phile in me always thinks of the roles Fess played – Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone.

Fess Parker bought the original winery land in the Sanya Ynez Valley, and in 1989, he and Eli hoped to plant a small vineyard to sell fruit. That small dream eventually became a much larger one, and the Fess Parker Winery now produces over 130,000 cases on their extensive acreage. Additionally, Fess Parker winery has a visitor center and tasting room along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. You can see the Fess Parker winery in Sideways, and even pick up a coonskin cap if you stop by.

Fess Parker makes some great wines. In particular, we’ve got two bottles of the Clone 115 Pinot Noir just waiting for us to pick up at the Dilly Cafe.

Fess Parker was 85 and died at home of natural causes.

For more on Fess Parker wines, see the guest post from the Hoperatives from July: When You Wish Upon A Grape: Disney-Related Wines.

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Posted by Michelle at 7:22 pm in RIP | Permalink | Comments (1)

One Response to “RIP Fess Parker”

Mark's Wine Clubs says:

March 22, 2010 at 6:34 pm

Definitely the end of an era here. Parker, no not that one, was really an innovative guy within the industry and will be sorely missed especially on California’s central coast where so many current winemakers got their start at his winery.