Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir, Kelly Fox Wines, Dundee Hills, Oregon 2021

Kelly Fox Wines, Dundee Hills & McMinnville 

Kelley Fox Wines is a small family winery run by just two people, Kelley Fox (winemaker) and her brother, Gerson Stearns (general manager).  The first vintage was 2007, starting with just over 100 cases. The annual case production is now just shy of 2000 cases, all from the historic Maresh Vineyard and the Demeter-certified biodynamic Momtazi Vineyard.

The wines are made to reflect the land, the vines, the fruit of the vines, the year, and everything else unknown and unseen that comes with those things. That said, the wines are not really "made" at all.  As the winemaker, Kelley Fox has no end result in mind each year for the what the wines will be. What she is doing is responding to the essence of the fruit from each block, which she hopes is carrying the essence of the earth that bore it, along with the details of the year (the weather, the stars and the planets).

Kelley graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual degrees in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University and was admitted to the PhD program in Biochemistry.

Very old vines, organically farmed vines at this historic vineyard owned by Ken and Karen Wright of Ken Wright Cellars. The vines were planted on their own roots back in 1983. 2019 was my first year working with Carter.

The 2021 is a transparent, deep red that is youthful with blue notes. The lush, fresh nose has rich red fruits, subtle spices, and minerals. In the mouth there is a powerful presence- a stillness- a restraint and a waiting- that is weightless. It’s full of strawberries and other berries (like Marionberries). This wine feels alive and ineffably beautiful.

Grape: Pinot Noir

Only 322 cases of 6 produced

Biodynamic