Kelley Fox Wines

Overview

Kelley Fox is one of the finest winegrowers in America, producing site-expressive, non-interventionist Pinot Noir and white wines from the Willamette Valley, Oregon. She founded Kelley Fox Wines in 2007 after seven years working with other Oregon pioneers, foremost David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards. Trained not in oenology but in biophysics and biochemistry (Oregon State University, Masters in both), she brings a scientist’s precision and a farmer’s intimacy to her work. Production is approximately 4,500–5,500 cases per year, run principally with only two full-time employees. Her mantra: “wine is a place.” Her single vineyard Pinot Noirs are “unequivocally amongst the most beautiful red wines made currently in the United States” (Gilman, VFTC #120).

Appellations

• Dundee Hills — Maresh Vineyard, Weber Vineyard, Durant Vineyard, Stater Vineyard, Dux Vineyard
• Eola-Amity Hills — Canary Hill Vineyard, Carter Vineyard
• McMinnville AVA — Hyland Vineyard
• Willamette Valley / Freedom Hill AVA (Mount Pisgah–Polk County) — Freedom Hill Vineyard (Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir)
• Tualatin Hills — Shafer Vineyard

Background

Kelley left doctoral studies in 2000 to enter wine, starting at Torii Mor, then Hammacher Wines, then Eyrie Vineyards (2003–2005) where David Lett taught her winemaking. From 2005 to spring 2015 she was head winemaker at Scott Paul Wines. Her debut 2007 vintage was four barrels: two each of Maresh and Momtazi. Since 2015, exclusively Kelley Fox Wines. From her first decade (2007–2016) she sourced solely from Momtazi (biodynamic, McMinnville) and Maresh (organic, Dundee Hills) vineyards. Vineyard sources have expanded markedly from 2017 onward.

Key Vineyards and Wines

Maresh Vineyard (Dundee Hills, planted 1970 — original franc de pied vines)

• Liminal — Long Rows Block; first produced 2008, last vintage 2023; franc de pied 1970 vines; Gilman’s notes: ethereal, red-fruity, pristine; among Kelley’s finest. Scores: 2023 — 96; 2022 — 96; 2021 — noted.
• Golden-Crowned Sparrow Blocks — blended from multiple blocks planted 1978–1991; continues. Scores: 2023 — 94; 2022 — 95.
• Historical single-block cuvées: Star of Bethlehem Flower Block (2015–2021), Red Barn Blocks (2015–2018), Royal Ann Block (2018–2021) — all now retired.

Weber Vineyard (Dundee Hills, planted 1983 on franc de pied; small 1987 parcel) Scores: 2023 — 95; 2022 — 94. Deep, sappy, soil-driven; one of Gilman’s favorites.

Durant Vineyard (Dundee Hills, planted 1973 + 1984, franc de pied; first Pinot vintage 2022) Also produces Lark Block Chardonnay (marine sedimentary soils, planted 1991; from 2018). Scores (Pinot): 2023 — 93+; 2022 — 96. Scores (Chardonnay): 2022 — 94; 2018 — 94+.

Carter Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills, planted 1983, Wädenswill + Pommard clones, franc de pied; Nekia volcanic soils; owned by Ken Wright) Red-fruity style; structured, slow to unfold; “one of the slower to unfold of the superb pinots.” Scores: 2023 — 93+; 2022 — 94+; 2021 — 94.

Canary Hill Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills, House Block planted 1995; Jory/Nekia volcanic soils; owned by Ken Wright) Kelley’s most black-fruited pinot; one of her smallest cuvées. Scores: 2023 — 93; 2022 — 94+; 2021 — 94+.

Freedom Hill Vineyard (Mount Pisgah–Polk County AVA, marine sedimentary soils, sheltered from Van Duzer Corridor)

• Pinot Blanc: from 2017 (first vintage) — Barbie Pinot Blanc (acacia puncheon) + Freedom Hill Pinot Blanc (neutral oak) — “finest American pinot blanc bottling I have ever had the pleasure to taste.” Ages brilliantly: 2017 Barbie still superb at 8 years.
• Pinot Noir (South Heritage Block, planted 2002; from 2021): black-fruited, soul-driven.
• Chardonnay: from 2021. Pinot scores: 2023 — 95; 2022 — 93; 2021 — 94.

Hyland Vineyard (McMinnville AVA, Coury Clone, franc de pied planted 1988, biodynamic; produced 2017–2019)

Shafer Vineyard (Tualatin Hills, planted 1973–1974, franc de pied, organic since 2016; from 2022) Scores: 2023 — 93+.

Stater Vineyard (Dundee Hills, planted ~1990; leased by Kelley, farmed by Stirling Fox; from 2023) Borders Eyrie Vineyard estate and Durant.

Momtazi Vineyard (McMinnville, biodynamic, planted 1998–1999; sourced 2007–2017 only) Former cornerstone: most tannic, structured, bramble-edged pinots. Now retired from lineup.

Mirabai (blended Pinot Noir; barrel selection; “lithe, high-energy, aerial pinot”; most accessible red in lineup) Primarily Dundee Hills sources (Weber, Stater, Durant, Maresh); becoming Willamette Valley AVA from 2025 vintage with addition of Freedom Hill. Scores: 2023 — 93; 2022 — 93.

Style Notes

Kelley Fox’s approach is as non-interventionist as possible: foot-trodden fruit, indigenous yeasts, generous whole-cluster inclusion (100% for Pinots since 2015, vintage permitting), no enzymes, no cold soaks, gentle pigeage, single racking, no fining or filtration. Élevage ~11–12 months in used oak only (no new oak for Pinots since 2012). From 2024, single-vineyard Chardonnays receive ~30% new oak. Only additives: sulfur, food-grade tartaric acid (warm years), minimal chapitalization (cool years).

Wines are among the most terroir-transparent in Oregon: incredibly pure, red- or black-fruited depending on site, with fine-grained tannins, dancing acids, and phenomenal backend lift and energy. They are built for decades. Single vineyard Pinots “probably none will hit their apogees until they are twenty-five to thirty years of age” (Gilman). Even the Mirabai “blended” cuvée deserves 6–7 years of cellaring. Chardonnays are similarly austere young; the 2019 Durant “didn’t show its full self until about a year or two ago” after years of relative austerity.

Drinking windows (general guidance): Single vineyard Pinots: open no sooner than 15 years; plateaus at 25–30 years. Mirabai: 6–7 years minimum. Chardonnays: 3–4 years minimum before broaching. Pinot Blancs: 3–4 years; age beautifully for 10+ years.

My Tastings

(none yet)

Sources

• sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Nov-Dec 2025 #120.txt — “Kelley Fox: One Of America’s Greatest Winegrowers” (pages 23–51): full profile plus extensive tasting notes on 2024 Pinot Blancs, 2022–2023 Pinot Noirs, 2018–2022 Chardonnays, older vintages