Kelley Fox Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021

Kelley Fox Wines is a small winery created in 2007 along with my father, Gerson “Gus” Stearns. Kelley has lived in the Willamette Valley since the late 80’s. The first vintage (2007) started with just over 100 cases. The annual case production is now around 5500 cases, from vineyards including the historic Maresh Vineyard (1970-1991 vine ages), Hyland Vineyard (through 2019), Freedom Hill Vineyard, Weber Vineyard (1983 and 1988 Pinot), Durant Vineyard (Chardonnay, Pinot gris, and starting in 2022, Pinot noir), Dux Vineyard (Chardonnay), Carter Vineyard (1983 old vine), and Canary Hill Vineyard.

Full-time, year-round, on-the-floor Oregon Pinot noir winemaker since 2000. Her education includes a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Biology from Texas AM University. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual degrees in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University and was admitted to the PhD program in Biochemistry. Her winemaking experience includes Torii Mor, Hamacher, The Eyrie Vineyards, and ten years as winemaker at Scott Paul Wines (August 2005 to about mid-April 2015). Since then, I have happily worked for my own winery exclusively. Starting with the harvest of 2018, I have been producing my wines at the winery of dear, longtime friends, Ann and Dean Fisher of ADEA Wine Company.

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. They are Oregon wines, and hopefully, they are wines specifically of their vineyards. That said, the wines are not really “made” at all. Her winery emphasizes terroir‑driven Pinot noir and Chardonnay with small, carefully made lots. Her style is often described as intuitive, soulful, and anti‑commercial, valuing purity, elegance, and a deep connection to place; she speaks about the land, trees, and spiritual inspiration behind her wines in interviews and profiles.

This is Kelley’s third Pinot produced from Weber Vineyard, a beautiful vineyard just down Worden Hill Road from Maresh Vineyard that I have prized for a very long time. The vines in this block were planted in 1983 on their own roots. Strong, old Oregon oak trees and towering old maples guard the southern part of my block for this wine, while the eastern border of my block is a wild, mixed forest filled with unseen songbirds singing during the light hours. The Weber 2021 is a medium, youthful, and rich tone of red with brilliant transparency. The classic Dundee Hills nose is pure-fruited, inviting, and full red and blue berries and subtle spices. The mouth has beautiful, silken texture full of strawberries and raspberries. It has nice acidity and fine structure that has a long, silky, and weightless finish. When I wrote these notes, this wine felt like it should be in a fairy tale.

Weber Vineyard block in the Dundee Hills, planted on own roots in the early 1980s. Jory and volcanic-based soils with good drainage and cool maritime influence. Small-lot, gentle extraction with partial whole-cluster fermentation and aging in neutral French oak to preserve clarity and terroir expression.

Winefront

Kelley Fox Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 – 96 / 100 Points

Dundee Hills A.V.A. Self-rooted Pommard vines planted in 1983. No new oak. 30% whole bunch. Dried rose, liquorice/aniseed, cherry, spice and white pepper. Light to medium-bodied, lively wine, bright acidity and delicate flavour, but does have presence and there’s almost no oak influence discernable, which really suits the wine. Finish is very ‘mineral’ and so long. Vineyard speaks. Beautiful.It’s a wine that provoked an emotional response, and that doesn’t happen so often.

– Gary Walsh

Jeb Dunnuck

Kelley Fox Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 – 96 / 100 Points

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

– Audrey Frick