Kelley Fox, Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022

This is a new Chardonnay produced from young vines from a vineyard Kelly loves and respects tremendously: Freedom Hill Vineyard. Because this is their second year of production, they put them in a label drawn by her younger daughter, Violet, depicting a snowy owl about to light onto a Western hemlock branch. As these vines mature, they will increasingly transmit the unique place on earth that they are in relationship with. I’m eager to grow and learn with these vines on their path to becoming my Freedom Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Kelley Fox Wines is a small winery created in 2007 along with Kelley's father, Gerson "Gus" Stearns. Though she has lived in the Willamette Valley for over 32 years, Kelly finds herself loving Oregon more and more every year. The first vintage (2007) started with just over 100 cases. The annual case production is now around 5000 cases, from vineyards including the historic Maresh Vineyard, Hyland Vineyard (1988 Coury Clone Pinot), Freedom Hill Vineyard (barrel-fermented Pinot blanc, Pinot noir, and Chardonnay), Weber Vineyard(1983 and 1988 Pinot), Durant Vineyard (Chardonnay and Pinot gris), Dux Vineyard (Chardonnay), Carter Vineyard (1982 old vine), and Canary Hill Vineyard.

She has been a full-time, year-round, on-the-floor Oregon Pinot noir winemaker since 2000. Education includes a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Biology from Texas AM University. Graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual degrees in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University and was admitted to the PhD program in Biochemistry.