Kelley Fox Wines Kelley Fox Wines was founded in 2007, together with her father, Gerson “Gus” Stearns, producing about 100 cases or so. Today, Kelley has grown production to about 3000 cases per year. Grapes sourced from the historic Maresh Vineyard, the Demeter-certified biodynamic Momtazi Vineyard along with Hyland, Freedom Hill, Weber, and Durant Vineyard. Kelley has been immersed with her full-time pursuit of making Fine Wines since 2000. In fact, literally Kelley is submerged into her wines. One of the many winemaking decisions a winemaker contends with is Pigéage, a French word meaning to “punch down.” Punching down refers to a winemaking process, during the early stage of fermentation,…

Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 Grace and Ken Evenstad first arrived and settled in the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley in 1989. At that time, the couple had spent over 20 years together in Minnesota building a successful business and a deep appreciation for the wines of Burgundy. The Evenstads had faith in Oregon early on, before there was a national market for domestic Pinot Noir. When the time came to pursue their longtime dream of growing and producing world class Pinot Noir, they invested in a 42 acre hilltop estate that had just been logged in the beautiful Dundee Hills of Oregon. With the support of…

Domaine Serene Yamhill Cvuée Pinot Noir 2011 Grace and Ken Evenstad first arrived and settled in the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley in 1989. At that time, the couple had spent over 20 years together in Minnesota building a successful business and a deep appreciation for the wines of Burgundy. The Evenstads had faith in Oregon early on, before there was a national market for domestic Pinot Noir. When the time came to pursue their longtime dream of growing and producing world class Pinot Noir, they invested in a 42 acre hilltop estate that had just been logged in the beautiful Dundee Hills of Oregon. With the support of…

Cristom Pinot Noir 2013 Eileen Vineyard The development of Cristom Vineyards is the result of a twenty-plus-year collaboration between an engineer, a winemaker and a farmer – who are, first and foremost, stewards of the land. Founder Paul Gerrie hired Cristom’s winemaker Steve Doerner and Vineyard Manager Mark Feltz in 1992. Together at the winery since day one, they have consistently produced masterful and expressive Pinot Noirs. The four estate Pinot Noir vineyards – Eileen, Jessie, Louise and Marjorie – are named for Gerrie family matriarchs. Each single vineyard has its own natural variances in soil, elevation and exposition, and Steve strives to craft wines that are representative of both…

Penner-Ash 2012 Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir Penner-Ash Wine Cellars embodies the spirit and passion of a small producer focusing on Pinot Noir in the northern Willamette Valley, Oregon.  After working for some of Napa’s premier wineries and Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 1998.  In the winery, the focus is on small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks to extract a rich, fruit-focused, textured mouth feel.  Each lot is treated individually and depending on the outcome, either blended into their reserve quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or bottled separately as a vineyard designate. The Penner-Ash Winery was completed in…

Ken Wright Cellars 2012 Meredith Mitchell Vineyard Ken Wright Cellars is in Carlton, Oregon. It was founded in 1994 by Ken Wright, a winemaker who began his career at wineries on California’s Central Coast. The winery focuses on the terroir of its various vineyards and makes a portfolio of Pinot Noirs. Ken Wright Cellars has long standing reputation of producing some of the best Pinot Noir’s. The estate in 2003 started another label, Tyrus Evan, which produces Claret, Syrah, Malbec, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Today I tried their Meredith Mitchell Vineyard offering. Deep red color with purple edges. The nose shows off aromas of black and red fruits with earthy…