2017 Kelley Fox Wines, Pinot Gris, Maresh Vineyard, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon.
The racy and unique skin contact (almost like a Rosé or Vin Gris) Maresh Pinot Gris from Kelley Fox, one of Oregon’s stars, is brilliant in detail and is a serious complex wine that almost defies it’s category, as John Paul of Cameron’s Rouge de Gris does, and Fox’s version is interesting for it’s texture and more powerful presence in the glass, while the Loire model tends to be a more pale, austere and minerally crisp in style as Denis Jamain’s Domaine de Reuilly is, by comparison. Fox explains her Pinot Gris with her winemaker experience as follows, it was produced from self-rooted vines planted in 1991 at the historic Maresh Vineyard, the 2017 Pinot gris was 100% destemmed and fermented in two 1.5 ton “macrobin” fermentors. One pigeage (foot-treading) by her, personally, this happened each day with about close to a 14-16 days skin contact prior to the wine being pressed at dryness. The elevage was in an old world if not ancient style uterine-shaped concrete amphora vat. The Maresh Pinot Gris is dry white wine that has the pink/reddish hue of skin contact and has enough acid to feel more Rosé like than a red wine, but with a touch of tannin and savory notes. There’s an almost smokiness on the palate as well as nice generous bright fruits which includes strawberry, apple skins, sour cherry and a peach element as well as mineral tones, dusty stones and snappy spices. This wine is more intriguing than pretty in the taste, but there is an appealing rustic charm that keeps you coming back and it’s much more lovable with food, drink it up!
($24 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive
