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The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia
Tom Stevenson edited by Orsi Szentkiralyi

Kelley Fox Wines ***V

This is a small-scale producer of wines with heart, soul, and deliciousness.

*** The best wines that money can buy without any allowances made for limitations of local style quality and quality.
V  Wines of exceptional value for money whether they are inexpensive or not.

KEY TO TASTE AND QULAITY SYMBOLS

How good a wine producer is and why a wine tastes the way it does are the twin pillars of this encyclopedia; thus, FACTORS AFFECTING TASTE and QUALITY and the STAR RATING SYSTEM are regular features. The taste guides are found in Appellations, Producers, and Styles. Stars are given for a producer’s general quality and do not necessarily apply to each wine that a producer makes. When a producer listing has no stars this indicates an acceptable but not outstanding standard.

2023 Kelley Fox Wines Albariño Willamette Valley

The 2023 Albariño Willamette Valley comes from the Hotel Vineyard that lies near the foothills of the Cascade Mountains and was raised in a fresh style without the use of oak barrels. In the glass, it pours a bright straw/yellow hue and is lively with aromas of white peach, sea spray, citrus oils, and a savory touch of beeswax. It is energetic through the palate but has lovely concentration and a silky texture, with mouthwatering acidity and a salty, savory mineral finish. This fantastic, savory wine would be exceptionally paired with white fish and olive tapenade. Drink 2024-2037. 92
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2023 Kelley Fox Wines Chardonnay Willamette Valley

Pouring a medium yellow/golden hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley comes from younger vines within the Freedom Hill Vineyard and is floral and expressive with aromas of quince, grapefruit, a hint of sweet spice, and delicate toast. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate and has a mouthwatering feel, a silky, rounded midpalate, and outstanding energy propelling it through the lovely, savory, mineral-noted finish. It’s hard to resist now and offers tremendous value. Drink 2024-2032. 93
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2023 Kelley Fox Wines Grüner Veltliner Willamette Valley

Also from the Hotel Vineyard, the 2023 Grüner Veltliner Willamette Valley sports a shimmering yellow/silver hue and reveals aromas of salted pineapple, white pepper, melon, and verbena. The palate offers vibrant energy, with a snappy lift of ripe acidity in a medium-bodied frame, and it’s rounded and supple through the mid-palate and finish. It’s a wonderfully pure expression of Grüner that’s unusual to find outside of Austria. Drink 2024-2030. 92 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2023 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Blanc Barbie

Also coming from the Freedom Hill Vineyard, the 2023 Pinot Blanc Barbie is named after Kelley’s late mother Barbara. Raised in a single puncheon barrel of neutral acacia, it pours a bright yellow/silver color and is lifted in the glass with aromas of lime zest, delicate flint, wet stone, fresh linen, white peach, and delicate resinous, savory undertones. It has a focused and linear feel, with a medium-bodied frame and a clean, mouthwatering finish. It floats on the palate with a lovely, long finish and is only going to improve if given another 6-12 months. Drink it over the next 5-7 years. 93 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2023 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard

A reflective yellow hue, the 2023 Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard has an expressive and complex nose with notes of toast, honeycomb, preserved Meyer lemon, and poached apples. Medium to full-bodied, it was raised in neutral barrels and has a delicate, creamy texture, with a weightless feel and a long, mouthwatering finish. It retains wonderful freshness and purity and should have a good deal of longevity. Drink 2024-2034. 94
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard

The 2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard is a bright ruby hue and offers more cherry fruit as well as notes of fresh roses, rocky stones, and gravelly earth. It’s linear but so refined on the palate, with a clean and even feel, it is almost Volnay-like. Drink it over the next 15 years. 96
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard

A bright ruby hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard comes from a vineyard only a quarter mile away from Canary Hill, but the difference between the two wines is night and day. With a jeweled ruby/magenta color, the Carter Vineyard cuvée is closer to a Bonnes Mares, with ripe raspberry liqueur and sappy fresh herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it’s broader with depth and richness. One of the great wines of the vintage, this long and age-worthy red is next-level good. 98 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard

A bright but transparent magenta hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard is all about sapidity, with resinous fresh herbs, fresh wild black raspberries, strawberries, and fresh earth, and it has an airy feel, with refreshing sweet earth and self-rooted vines. Medium-bodied, it offers ripe tannins and a lush texture, with a long finish. It stays fresh and lifted, buoyant yet rounded. Drink 2024-2040. 96 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard

Darker ruby magenta-colored, the 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard reveals expressive notes of crushed pine needles, black raspberry liqueur, and resinous herbs as well as dark stones and a hint of licorice. Medium to full-bodied, it has great spice and a ripe, expansive structure. An all-encompassing wine, drink it over the next 15 years. 98 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks

A jeweled ruby color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks is focused in the glass, bringing a more forward intensity to its notes of rosemary, bright botanicals, ripe red berries, and cedar. It has a linear feel on the palate, as well as vertical energy with a defined structure, a chiseled feel. and a long finish. With mineral drive and a savory finish, it’s structured and needs time. Drink 2026-2042. 96+ 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal

With a jeweled ruby hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal is a beautifully floral wine on opening and has a gorgeous perfume of pure, ripe raspberries, roses, incense, and sweet spices, with some blue floral tones coming through as it opens. Bright and medium-bodied, it has approachable, fine tannins, vibrant, mouthwatering, even acidity, and crystalline purity, gaining in depth as it opens in the glass. With a beautiful, clean, salty feel, it’s deceptive in its approachability and is only going to gain in intensity and depth as it ages. Drink 2025-2040. 96 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard

A jeweled red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard comes from volcanic soils and offers pretty notes of wild preserved strawberries. A mouthwatering red, it’s crystalline but not soft, with a chalky texture, real structure, a note of dusty, chalky earth, and a savory finish. 96 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard

The 2022 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard is so floral and perfumed, with blue fruit shining through and a juicy lift of ripe berries, forest earth, sweet earth, and violets. Ripe and rounded, it’s lush and expressive out of the gate, with ripe tannins. It feels more immediate, but it’s going to age gracefully over the coming 15 years. 97 
Audrey Frick (8/7/2024)

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2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard

Moving over to the Eola-Amity Hills, the 2021 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard is packed with energetic tension, opening to notes of crushed stone, ripe pomegranate, and rosemary. Focused, with balanced ripeness and even-keeled acidity, it’s seamless and long on the palate, with sweet tannins and a refined feel. It has fantastic energy, with delicate incense on the long finish, and will be an age-worthy wine to enjoy over the coming 10-12 years. 97
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard

From 40-year-old self-rooted vines that are organically farmed, the 2021 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard is a ripe ruby hue and offers notes of grenadine, candied roses, and cinnamon. Its tannins are ripe and fine, and it fills the palate with ripe red fruit, apricot, and notes of crushed stone along with mouthwatering salinity. Drink 2023-2038. 98
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard

The 2021 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard is super- expressive and hits on all cylinders, with electric energy throughout. Aromatically, it’s layered with notes of pine needles, wild cherry, and fresh medicinal herbs, and on the palate, it offers ripe, supple tannins and an outstanding finish. It’s going to have a very wide drinking window over the next 10-15 years. 98
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal

A gorgeous perfume lifts from the glass of the 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal revealing notes of rhubarb, rosehip, and raspberry eau di vie. Coming from vines planted in close proximity to walnut trees and pouring a vibrant ruby color with youthful hints of orange, it offers fine tannins, a linear, weightless feel, and a clean, long, perfumed finish. It is very attractive now but will have significant longevity over the coming 6-8 years. 95
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard

The jeweled ruby 2021 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard takes on a riper though equally pristine character, with wild raspberry liqueur, pressed roses, forest herbs, and blood orange. On the palate, it has a rounded mouthfeel with more concentration and delivers ripe tannins as well as a pure, long, earth-toned finish with beetroot spice. Drink 2025-2035. 96
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Mirabai

Vibrant and lifted with poppy fruit, the 2022 Pinot Noir Mirabai is a brilliant ruby hue, with fresh, lifted aromas of wild red cranberry, white pepper, and fresh tangerine. Open and approachable, with medium body and soft elegant fruit as well as a supple texture and fresh acidity, it’s even-keeled and has a hint of spice on the finish. I love this wine for youthful fresh drinking. 92
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Chardonnay Durant Vineyard

A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034. 95
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

2022 Kelley Fox Wines Chardonnay Dux Vineyard

A brilliant silver straw hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Dux Vineyard is pure with aromas of wet stone, green pear, fresh white flowers, and lemongrass. Medium-bodied, it has focused energy and high-toned notes, although it’s not austere and is matched with density and a weightless feel. I usually like to avoid the word “ethereal,” but that’s how this wine feels. It’s pure without being reductive. Drink it over the next 6-8 years. 94
Audrey Frick (9/17/2023)

© 2024 Jeb Dunnuck | Reprinted with Permission

2018 Pinot Noir “Maresh Vineyard” Red Barns Blocks– Kelley Fox Wines (Dundee Hills)

The Red Barn Blocks on the Maresh Vineyard are also one of the original parcels to go in the ground here in 1970, when Jim and Loie Maresh planted their first vines. The 2018 vintage will be the last that Kelley produces from this parcel of vines. At fifty percent, the Red Barn Blocks includes just a bit more whole clusters than the regular Maresh bottling this year. It delivers a magical aromatic constellation of cherries, fraises du bois, mustard seed, turmeric, gentle smokiness, incipient cinnamon, a gorgeous base of soil, cherry blossoms and cedar. On the palate the wine is pure, full, focused and dancing, with a sappy core, stunning transparency and grip, ripe, utterly refined tannins and superb lift and bounce on the very long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is a pinot noir of understated magic and mystery. 2026-2065+. 95.  p.160 (Number Eighty-Seven | May-June 2020)

2019 Pinot Noir “Canary Hill Vineyard”- Kelley Fox Wines (Eola-Amity Hills)

This is the first I have seen of a Canary Hill Vineyard bottling of pinot noir from Kelley Fox and it is simply beautiful. The vineyard is owned by Ken Wright, with the parcel that Kelley purchases grapes from having been planted in 1999. The 2019 Canary Hill bottling comes in at a 48 cool 12.5 percent octane and delivers a beautifully refined, black fruity nose of dark berries, cassis, a complex array of gentle herb tones that recall bay leaf, cumin and thyme, coffee bean, dark soil tones and a topnote of currant leaf. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, vibrant and intensely flavored, with a lovely core of fruit, superb transparency and grip, ripe, buried tannins and a long, tangy and complex finish. This is so effortless and light on its feet, while still showing off outstanding depth and backend energy. 2029-2080. 93. (November-December 2020 | Number Ninety)

2019 Pinot Noir “Carter Vineyard”- Kelley Fox Wines (Eola-Amity Hills)

The Carter Vineyard is another new (to me) bottling of pinot noir from Kelley Fox. This vineyard is also owned by Ken Wright, with the first vines having been planted here in 1983, which include the parcel of Wädesnwil clones on francs de pied from which this wine is crafted. The wine is just a touch riper than the Canary Hill, reaching an even thirteen percent and offering up a vibrant bouquet of cherries, red plums, a gorgeous base of soil tones, clove, gamebird, fresh thyme, a touch of sweet stems and a discreet foundation of cedar. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and soil-driven, with a lovely core, fine-grained tannins and beautiful balance and grip on the long, complex and very promising finish. Fine juice. 2030-2080. 93+. (November-December 2020 | Number Ninety)

2019 Pinot Noir “Maresh Vineyard”- Kelley Fox Wines (Dundee Hills)

The vines in the Maresh turned fifty in 2020, so that is at least one good thing that has come out of this ill-fated year. However, they were doing just fine at age forty-nine, to hear this lovely wine tell the story! Kelley Fox’s 2018 Maresh Vineyard bottling is notably light and transparent in color this year (like a liquid ruby in the glass), coming in at the vintage’s evenkeeled 12.5 percent and delivering an equally beautiful red fruity blend of strawberries, cherries, blood orange, a nice youthful touch of sweet stems, a dollop of wild thyme, stunningly complex soil tones, rose petal and a touch of cedar. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and defined by its beautiful soil, with a touch of sappiness to the red fruit at the core, tangy acids, buried tannins and outstanding mineral drive and grip on the long, tangy and very complex finish. This is breathtakingly beautiful young pinot noir. 2030-2080+. 95. (November-December 2020 | Number Ninety)

2019 Pinot Noir “Maresh Vineyard” Royal Ann Block– Kelley Fox Wines (Dundee Hills)

The 2019 Royal Ann Block pinot noir from Maresh Vineyard is just a shade deeper-hued than the Maresh Vineyard bottling this year, but it shares that same fire brilliance to the color in the glass. The bouquet is lovely, wafting from the glass in a refined blend of cherries, cherry blossoms, a hint of red plum, gamebird, a very complex base of soil, gentle notes of cardamom, fresh nutmeg and mustard seed and a very discreet dollop of cedar. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and a tad more reserved in personality than the straight Maresh Vineyard cuvée, with a beautiful core of red fruit, excellent transparency and bounce, fine-grained tannins and a long, tangy and complex finish. This will want just a couple more years in the cellar to fully blossom than the Maresh, but will be dazzling when it is ready to drink. 2032-2080+. 95. (November-December 2020 | Number Ninety)

2019 Pinot Noir “Maresh Vineyard” Star-of-Bethlehem Flower Block- Kelley Fox Wines. 

The Star-of-Bethlehem Flower Block in the Maresh has become one of my favorite bottlings of pinot noir in all the US, and the 2019 version is everything one would expect in the synthesis of a very special terroir and a great vintage, brought together under the thoughtful trusteeship of Kelley Fox. The nose delivers an elegant and perfumed blend of strawberries, cherries, a hint of sweet beetroot, cloves, mustard seed, turmeric, a refined base of soil tones, wild flowers and cedar. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied and transparent, with great intensity of flavor, a lovely core, buried tannins and a long, bouncy and very complex finish. This seems a touch more like the straight Maresh in structure this year, as compared to the slightly more reticent Royal Ann pinot and will only need about a decade to really blossom into completeness. It is a wine of total, delicate honesty and a rare bird. Tuck it away and watch it take flight. 2030-2080+. 96. (November-December 2020 | Number Ninety)

Kelley Fox’s young 2022s speak first and foremost to the purity and transparency of Pinot Noir. I seldom find wines that show more of a sense of place than the hand of the winemaker. “I like to leave space around my wines that allow you to connect with them,” Fox explained. That makes all the sense in the world when tasting through this portfolio. The 2022s are lifted, finessed and ethereal yet still vibrantly fruit-focused and nearly spiritual in the way that seemingly only Pinot Noir can be. As for the 2023 whites, in the form of Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner and Albariño, they are potent and rich yet driven by an energetic mineral core that adds remarkable depth. Can wine actually taste healthy and fulfilling? Somehow, at Kelley Fox, they can, and they do. Keep in mind that the 2022s are still infants in the grand scheme of their evolution. – Oregon 2022: The Rollercoaster Vintage (Aug 2024)

2023 Albariño – 92 pts
Drinking Window: 2024 – 2028

Remarkably pretty and perfumed, the 2023 Albariño wafts up with minty herbs, lime zest and crushed stones. Zesty and energetic, this swirls across the palate with a stimulating core of citrus and salty minerals as brisk acidity starts the palate salivating for more. The 2023 tapers off distinctly green in personality, suggesting sour melon tones and closing with a sweet herbal thrust. This is no-frills, but it’s totally thrilling to taste. Eric Guido, May 2024

2023 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley – 93+ pts
Drinking Window: 2024 – 2031

The 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is more savory than sweet, with crushed almonds and yellow florals accentuating green apples. This is sweetly spiced with silken textures and ripe orchard fruits, all offset by a tinge of saline minerals and sour citrus. Depths of lemony concentration linger as this finishes with tremendous length. The 2023 is just a baby today and seems to evolve further with each tilt of the glass. This is fabulous. Eric Guido, May 2024

2023 Grüner Veltliner – 91 pts
Drinking Window: 2024 – 2029

Wet stone, mint leaf and sage complement sweet citrus and kiwi as the 2023 Grüner Veltliner lifts up from the glass. This opens with a pretty inner sweetness, displaying soft, round textures, citrus-tinged melon and hints of confectionary spice. It tapers off remarkably fresh, completely cleansing the senses while leaving behind perfumed florals and a gently grippy tinge of youthful tension. Eric Guido, May 2024

2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard – 94 pts
Drinking Window: 2026 – 2034

Darkly floral, the 2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard blossoms with a captivating blend of dusty sage, underbrush, tea leaves, raspberries and hints of incense. This is racy and wiry upon entry, with a tart cranberry crunchiness and autumnal spices that slowly saturate. It maintains amazing freshness, mixing wild blueberry and red plums with a saturation of tactile minerals, finishing lively and remarkably fresh with a sweet herbal tinge. Eric Guido, May 2024

2022 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard – 95 pts
Drinking Window: 2026 – 2034

Beautifully perfumed, the 2022 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard lifts with a flower shop bouquet, blending dusty roses, dried strawberries and minty herbs. There’s an energy to the 2022 that’s nearly impossible to describe—zesty and full of life, with crisp minerality and a bump of tangy citrus that adds lovely tension as tart wild berries saturate. The Carter Vineyard maintains fantastic momentum, finishing spicy, long and gently tannic, urging the taster back to the glass for more. This is fantastic and harmonious to the core. It hails from own-rooted vines planted in 1983. Eric Guido, May 2024

2022 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard – 93 pts
Drinking Window: 2026 – 2034

The 2022 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard cascades up from the glass with a glorious bouquet of sweet lavender and rose petals complementing crushed blackberries and shavings of fresh pine. This is a model of purity, silken to the core yet lifted and precise with juicy wild berry fruits and a burst of citrus-infused acidity that maintains unbelievable freshness. A coating of crystalline tannins flexes upon the senses as notes of blackberry and a flourish of violet slowly fade. Eric Guido, May 2024

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Anyone looking for Oregon Pinot Noir purity and transparent communication of terroir from the soil ot the vine to the bottle must explore Keley Fox Wines. When thinking about a vineyard, Fox looks beyond the soils, the exposures and the vines. She looks to the trees surrounding the vineyard, flora and fauna to create an honest wine, true ot its source. nI my opinion, the result si one of the most exciting portfolios of wines madeni the United States. The vineyard bottling that first drew me ni was Fox’s work with the legendary Maresh vineyard. As of 2021, the portfolio consists of Maresh Vineyard Liminal, Golden Crowned Sparow Blocks and the Star of Bethlehem Flower Block (which unfortunately wil not eb made after 2021 as Fox lost access ot this parcel). Each of these wines uniquely interprets the vineyard yet three different places. Exploring the range si fantastic for the wine geek ni al of us. Fox also presented me with several 2022s, avintage that played right into her hands. The ethereal fruit and perfume style beautifully matches the lifted and remarkably fresh vintage character. For the truly devoted, look for a bone-dry blueberry wine produced ni tandem with jim Anderson of Patricia Green Celars. There may not be anote for this bottling, but Ican tel you that it’s worth chasing down.

From Siting Pretty: Oregon’s New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond (Jan 2024) by Eric Guido

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Chardonnay Willamette Valley – 91 pts
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2030

The 2022 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is delicate in the glass, with lemon oils and mint complicated by hints of pine. Mineral-tinged orchard fruits and savory spice wash across the palate with a citrus concentration, adding tension toward the close. It finishes long, with a lingering sour tinge, leaving the mouth watering for more. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard Lark Block – 93 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2025 – 2033

The 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard blossoms in the glass as wildflowers and crushed apples give way to mint and crushed stone suggestions. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness and supple texture contrasted with zesty acids and crisp orchard fruits. It tapers off with amazing tension, grippy and cheek puckering with a citrusy concentration as savory herbs and a sensation of liquid stone fade. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Chardonnay Dux Vineyard – 94 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2025 – 2030

Sweetly floral and impossible to ignore, the 2022 Chardonnay Dux Vineyard entices with honeyed flowers, Asian pear and white smoke. Zesty citrus mixes with crisp orchard fruits and tantalizing minerality as a burst of brilliant acidity adds tremendous freshness. Staining and long, full of zesty tension, the 2022 tapers off with a salty flourish and crunchy feel. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard – 93 pts
Eola Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2025

The 2022 Pi not Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard opens with a rich and spicy blend of crushed stone, dried apricots and mint. Soft, silky textures soothe, filling the palate with masses of mineral-tinged orchard fruits and savory spice. It tapers off with a saline character and dramatically long, leaving lingering hints of lemon oil and raw almond. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Pinot Noir Mirabai – 92 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2034

The woodland-inspired 2022 Pinot Noir Mirabai blossoms in the glass with hints of cedar and pine complementing dried strawberries. It is fleshy in feel yet expertly balanced with masses of tart raspberry and exotic spice under an air of violets and lavender. The finish is long with a raspberry tinge and repleting florals. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal- 92 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2030

A mix of blackberries, pine, dusty dried roses and exotic spice wafts up from the 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal. This is deeply textural with silken waves of tart wild berries, taking on a sour tinge toward the close. It renders the palate completely refreshed, leaving a hint of mint and tart wild berries. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal – 94 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2030

Exotic spices, cloves and a dusting of confectionary spice embellish black cherries as the 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Liminal blossoms in the glass. This is finessed and pure yet still quite potent, flooding the palate with soft textures and tart wild berries energized by a core of zingy citrus. It leaves a pleasantly sour concentration with refined tannins and a lingering crunchy sensation. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden Crowned Sparrow Blocks – 94 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2032

The 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden Crowned Sparrow Blocks is darkly alluring with crushed woodland berries complicated by blood orange and pine hints. Silky textures and stimulating acidity soothe, washing tart red fruits across the palate guided by zesty acidity. This finishes wonderfully fresh and long with a staining of red and black fruit and crunchy tannins. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard – 95 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2025 – 2034

Spicy with a pleasantly herbal tinge, the 2021 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard entices with dark florals and black raspberries. This is plush in feel, like biting into a ripe piece of fruit with succulent wild berries motivated by zesty acidity. Long and dramatic yet wonderfully fresh, the 2021 finishes with a fine tannin coating and lingering hints of licorice. The energy here is unreal. What a beauty. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard – 93 pts
Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2025 – 2034

Magenta in color, the 2021 Pinot Noir CarterVineyard is spicy with dusty dried cherries and strawberries complemented by hints of lavender and clove. Seductively round yet full of energy, the 2021 rushes the palate with masses of tart wild berry fruit and mineral tones guided by juicy acidity. This finishes with remarkable freshness, only lightly tanriic, with a pleasant tannic crunch framing the experience beautifully. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard – 92 pts
Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2025 – 2034

Youthfully coy, the 2021 Pi not Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard opens with a spicy blend of peppery herbs and rose tones, giving way to sour cherry. Silky-smooth with cooling acidity and crisp mineral tones, this saturates the palate with tart wild berry fruits. It finishes long and staining with a saline tinge, tapering off youthful and chewy with a lick of licorice. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Royal Ann Block – 96 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2032

The 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Royal Ann Block is wonderfully spicy and expressive, with hints of blood orange and mint complementing dried strawberries. Silky and round with juicy acidity and vividly ripe wild berries, this takes on a tactile mineral tinge toward the close. It finishes long yet energetic, forcing the mouth to water as hints of raspberry and inner rose fade. Purity exemplified. What a gorgeous interpretation of Royal Ann Block. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Star of Bethelehem Flower Block – 93 pts
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2032

Translucent ruby, lifted and soulful, the 2021 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Star of Vineyard Star of Bethlehem Flower Block wafts up with an airy split pine and rosemary complementing wild strawberries. This is a model Block of purity, perfumed within with lifted acidity and crisp red fruits flowing beneath rosy inner florals. It tapers off long yet finessed, leaving a staining of tart raspberry and tart citrus nuances. Unfortunately, the 2021 is the last bottling of the Star of Bethlehem Flower Block. Eric Guido, January 2024

Kelley Fox Wines 2022 Nerthus – 93 pts
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Drinking window: 2024 – 2032

The 2022 Nerthus from Kelley Fox is a blend of 34% Early Muscat, 34% Pinot gris, 18% Riesling, and 14% Pinot blanc. Exotic and beautifully perfumed, with striking depth, Nerthus is brimming with character. Jasmine, kirsch, dried rose petals, passionfruit and spices soar out of the glass. It is so refreshing to taste a Rosé with real depth and personality. Nerthus is not for everyone. The strong tropical profile will come as a shock to the unsuspecting taster, and yet everything speaks of total class. Superb. Antonio Galloni, May 2023

The Wine Advocate

“Wine Advocate” reviews by Erin Brooks published 19 Dec 24

Durant Vineyard Lark Block Chardonnay 2023
RP 94
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $44
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2023 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard Lark Block, matured in concrete amphorae, is pure, energetic and reminiscent of Chablis. It has pure aromas of yellow apples, quince, toasted brioche, saline and seashell. The light-bodied palate is electric, the faintest kiss of texture drawing out its salty flavors, and it has a very long, nuanced finish. 551 cases were made.

Stater Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2023
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $34
Drink Date: 2025 – 2032

The 2023 Pinot Blanc Stater Vineyard has layered aromas of apricot, cereal milk, roasted almonds and flint. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated tree fruit flavors made more intense by its textural grip. Its power is foiled by refreshing acidity, and it has a very long, honeyed finish. I would love to drink this with 3-5 years of bottle age. 108 cases were made.

Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2022
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $34
Drink Date: 2025 – 2032

The 2022 Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard, matured in used French oak, has singular aromas of crushed apples, cereal, honey and alpine herbs. The medium-bodied palate pairs mouth-coating, honeyed flavors with mouthwatering acidity, and a touch of textural grip drives a long, floral finish. You can drink it now or let it develop savory complexity in bottle over the next 5-7 years. 259 cases were made.

Dux Vineyard Chardonnay 2023
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $44
Drink Date: 2025 – 2035

The 2023 Chardonnay Dux Vineyard was matured in used French and acacia puncheons. Quince and yellow apple fruit are accented by nuances of panna cotta and pie crust on the nose. The light-bodied palate combines concentrated tree fruit flavors and a touch of phenolic grip with mouthwatering acidity, and it has a long, gently honeyed finish. 149 cases were made.

Grüner Veltliner 2023
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $24
Drink Date: 2025 – 2030

The 2023 Grüner Veltliner has pure, layered scents of quince, honey, radicchio and alpine herbs. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, mouth-coating, honeyed flavors. Its generosity is foiled by vibrant acidity, and it has a very long finish. 336 cases were made.

Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2023
RP 92
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $26
Drink Date: 2025 – 2035

The 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley comes from young vines at Freedom Hill Vineyard. Fermented and matured in stainless steel, it has exuberant aromas of guava and peach accented by wafts of jasmine, spice and honey. The medium-bodied palate is powerful yet weightless, its highly concentrated flavors foiled by vertical acidity, and it has a long, flavor-packed finish. 623 cases produced.

Mirabai Pinot Noir 2023
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $39
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

Despite its modest price point, the 2023 Pinot Noir Mirabai (a barrel selection) comes from some of the top vineyards in the Dundee Hills. Fifty-two percent comes from own-rooted vines in the Weber Vineyard planted in 1983; 28% comes from Stater Vineyard, where vines were planted on rootstock in 1990; 11% comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1974 and 1984 in Durant Vineyard; and 9% comes from own-rooted vines planted from 1970 to 1988 in the Maresh Vineyard. It was fermented with around 15% whole clusters, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. It has ringing aromas of rhubarb, blackberry, raspberry, lavender and Angostura bitters, offering botanical undertones as it airs in the glass. The light-bodied palate is vibrant and expressive with wonderfully perfumed fruit, chalky tannins and a long, tremendously layered finish. 1,808 cases were made.

Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 96
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1983, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. It has pure, layered aromas of cranberry, pomegranate, orange peel, Angostura bitters and a kaleidoscope of woodsy and spicy accents. The palate is slender yet bursting with flavor, offering layer after layer of spice-laced berry fruit. It’s structured by abundant, dusty tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, complex finish. 427 cases were made.

Canary Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 95
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard comes from Pommard vines planted in 1995, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French barrels. It has generous, layered scents of cranberry, blueberry, sage, Angostura bitters and woodsy undertones. The medium-bodied palate offers just as many layers. It’s structured by finely astringent tannins and mouthwatering acidity, and it has a very long, flavorful finish. 224 cases produced.

Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 95
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1983. It was fermented with 50% whole clusters, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. Its aromas are reminiscent of the forest, with blackberries accented by wafts of fern, mossy bark and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant and chalky with fragrant flavors and a very long, flavorful finish. Only 86 cases were made.

Durant Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 95
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1973 and 1984. “I love self-rooted vines,” proprietor and winemaker Kelley Fox says. “Having this graft, there’s something that is lost and fuzzy in that translation.” Grapes were destemmed, and the wine was matured in used French oak. The nose is bursting with pomegranate, blueberry, blood orange and lilac aromas. The palate is slender with lacy, tea-like tannins and vibrant acidity, though its flavors are concentrated and highly perfumed, and it has a long, latent finish. Only 104 cases were made.

Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks Pinot Noir 2022
RP 94+
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1978 and 1991. It was fermented with around 30% whole clusters, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. It’s bursting with pomegranate, blackberry, blood orange and woodsy undertones. The light-bodied palate pairs concentrated, spicy flavors with soft, tea-like tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, latent finish. 433 cases produced.

Maresh Vineyard Liminal Pinot Noir 2022
RP 94
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Liminal Maresh Vineyard comes from own-rooted vines originally established by Jim and Martha {correction: Loie} Maresh in 1970. “These vines are very self-regulating,” proprietor and winemaker Kelley Fox explains. “When I was doing canopy work out there they didn’t need hardly any of the thinning or shoot positioning that the other vines do.” Grapes were destemmed, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. The nose is bursting with pomegranate, and with time in the glass, it reveals nuances of mixed tea leaves, bergamot and earth. The light-bodied palate combines tea-like tannins and vibrant acidity with concentrated, fragrant flavors, and it has a long, latent finish. 159 cases were made.

Shafer Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 94
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price: $90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1973, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. It has broody aromas reminiscent of a forest: fallen leaves, mushrooms, fern and earth aromas accent a core of wild berry fruit, though it opens dramatically as it airs in the glass. The palate is powerful yet slender with deeply concentrated flavors structured by abundant, dusty tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, flavorful finish. Just 46 cases were made.

Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
RP 93
Reviewed by: Erin Brooks
Release Price:$90
Drink Date: 2025 – 2040

The 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard, matured for 10 months in used French oak, is bursting with blueberry and boysenberry aromas, plus nuances of dried herbs and bitters. The light-bodied palate balances concentrated flavors with gently chalky tannins and refreshing acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish. 140 cases were made.