TN: Kelley Fox wines at Chambers (Feb 18, 2020)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
Kelley Fox is making a swing through the Northeast: two days in NY, a day in CT, a day in RI, a day or two in MA ...the schedule is still evolving.

The tasting table is crowded, naturally. JasonA and I talk for several minutes before we reach even the second rank of people gathered around the table.

Kelley looks in fine form, taking care of everyone from the nerds to her groupies.

And she pours as many wines off the list as on it:

Kelley Fox 2017 Pinot Noir "Mirabai" - classic KF, bright and light and warm strawberries, very gulpable too, made from blocks all around Maresh Vineyard

Kelley Fox 2017 Pinot Noir, Maresh Vineyard "Star of Bethlehem Flower Block" - slightly moreso red-fruit than the regular Maresh, there is an extra harmony and substance-without-weight here

Kelley Fox 2016 Pinot Noir, Momtazi Vineyard - literally bluer-purplier, more black earth, a little too weighty to call it crisp (but it would be, otherwise), gives the recognizable ginger/loamy nose

Kelley Fox 2018 Pinot Blanc, Freedom Hill Vineyard - quite good pinot blanc: there is some depth of flavor, perhaps best called green-grape, a long and even finish, gotta be one of the best pinot blanc outside Austria

Kelley Fox 2015 Pinot Noir, Momtazi Vineyard - a bit more open than the '16, perhaps a bit sweeter and zippier too, adds a bit of raspberry to the dark fruit, I cannot bring myself to dump out the rest of the pour

Kelley Fox 2018 Pinot Noir, Maresh Vineyard - wow wine, this speaks right up, assertively berry-basket and friendly, glyceral, not tannic today but the flavor clings to the inside of my mouth

Kelley Fox 2018 Chardonnay, Durant Vineyard "Lark Block" - from a seashelly section of Durant, not quite a chablis but lean and minerally chard (for CA)

Kelley Fox 2018 Pinot Noir, Maresh Vineyard "Royal Ann Block" - thick and liqueur-ish, amazing wine, sweet, dark, long, and tactile, from a block near some cherry trees
 
Did she really pour 2018 durant chardonnay at Chambers? Quite possible, but just checking: she poured the 2017 two days later for us in CT.
 
Jim, yes. I have visited twice, met her brother, walked a few blocks together.

Pavel, that is what I wrote down but there were a lot of bottles and a lot of hubbub so I won't claim infallibility.
 
The 2018 Durant has been released, so it's certainly possible.

Going out there next week for a visit and to pick up some wine. Love the Mirabai year in and year out for the price, and the 2017 is a fine example.

Nice notes, Jeff.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Jim, yes. I have visited twice, met her brother, walked a few blocks together.

Pavel, that is what I wrote down but there were a lot of bottles and a lot of hubbub so I won't claim infallibility.
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Jeff, I have no experience with these wines. How would you compare the style to, say, Vincent's?

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Jeff, I have no experience with these wines. How would you compare the style to, say, Vincent's?
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I am sad to say that I don't think I've had a Fritzsche wine. Name some more Oregon wines you know, maybe I do, too.
 
I've had both, they each are delicious and have great balance. Fox are more elegant, Vincent a bit richer. I'd guess KF will age better but that may simply be a function of me drinking all my Vincent young. Vincent is much better QPR.
 
I’ve only had KF twice and didn’t see much out of the ordinary - and of course, I can’t remember which or vintage, etc.
Maybe I’ll take another look.
Vincent, OTOH, I buy by the case annually.
Best, Jim
 
All the fuss made me reach out last night for a lonely bottle of 2014 Mirabai which I happened to have lying around. Kinda simple nose, cherry and stems. Attractive mouthfeel, balanced, a bit sweet on the finish but with enough zingy fixed acidity and no volatile. No noticeable oak. Very agreeable, not a simple quaffer, though also not much complexity that I can discern.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
I’ve only had KF twice and didn’t see much out of the ordinary - and of course, I can’t remember which or vintage, etc.
Maybe I’ll take another look.
Vincent, OTOH, I buy by the case annually.
Best, Jim
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Kelley makes lovely wines but she's without a doubt one of those people where if you've met her and spent any time with her, the wine will taste even better.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
All the fuss made me reach out last night for a lonely bottle of 2014 Mirabai which I happened to have lying around. Kinda simple nose, cherry and stems. Attractive mouthfeel, balanced, a bit sweet on the finish but with enough zingy fixed acidity and no volatile. No noticeable oak. Very agreeable, not a simple quaffer, though also not much complexity that I can discern.
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It was a warm year so maybe the wine is still somewhat shut down. Mirabai is a selection, not a younger vines cuvee.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Kelley makes lovely wines but she's without a doubt one of those people where if you've met her and spent any time with her, the wine will taste even better.
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Keith, I have no clue what you are talking about. Can you restate that for me in terms of points?

I woke up at the crack of dawn about three years ago, in cold sweat, realizing just for how many of my favorite wineries - in Italy, France, Germany - this (what KL says about KF) applies. It is not a coincidence.
 
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
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Everyone?
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by MLipton:
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
Everyone?
Best, Jim
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You must have missed the positioning of my tongue, Jin.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by MLipton:
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
Everyone?
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

You must have missed the positioning of my tongue, Jin.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
Moi?
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

To avoid future bias, the winemakers should have bags on their heads, at least for the first couple of meetings.
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
originally posted by MLipton:
Well, since everyone knows that the only reliable way to evaluate wine is a double-blind tasting, you should only be allowed to meet the winemaker (or schnook, as the case may be) after the evaluation phase has concluded.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

To avoid future bias, the winemakers should have bags on their heads, at least for the first couple of meetings.
Click to expand...

I think I see “The Masked Winemaker” in the offing.

Mark Lipton
 
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