2018 Kelley Fox, Maresh Vineyard Royal Ann Block Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills

Kelley Fox established her winery in 2007, building on her long-standing experience as a winemaker in Oregon’s Willamette Valley to produce wines that emphasize transparency and specific vineyard origins. This Pinot Noir comes from the Royal Ann Block of the historic Maresh Vineyard in the Dundee Hills, a site characterized by its proximity to century-old cherry trees and vines planted in the early 1990s. In the glass, the wine offers precise aromas of red and black cherries, beetroot, and gentle spice, framed by a silky, refined texture and notable soil-driven minerality. The 2018 vintage provided a warm, dry growing season without extreme heat spikes, resulting in a wine that balances power with a dancing, elegant structure. This bottling is built for the cellar, though it possesses an approachable, sappy core that will reward both immediate enjoyment and long-term aging.