Kelley Fox Stater Vineyard Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2023 (750ML)

Picked on September 14, 2023, and bottled unfined and unfiltered on June 11, 2024, this is Kelley Fox’s Pinot Noir from the newly leased Stater Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. Sylvia and the late Wayne Stater established the site in 1988; it lies between the Eyrie and Durant vineyards, screened by cedar and fir, and these vines went into volcanic soil in 1990. A warm, even 2023 season gave the fruit depth while keeping it fresh. Fox used 10% whole clusters and native yeasts, then nine months in neutral 228-liter barrels, for 196 cases. She watched it fill out in the cellar into something deeper than it first promised. Deep ruby, it shows blackberry, cherry cordial, sage, lavender and cedar shavings, with brisk acidity, a peppery lift and gripping tannins closing on licorice and wet stone. Pork tenderloin, seared tuna and grilled quail fit it well.