Kelley Fox 2022 Willamette Valley DUX Vineyard Chardonnay

This is the second vintage that Kelley has made this wine, which comes from DUX Vineyard high in the Dundee Hills. This block of Chardonnay is planted with cuttings of Abbey Ridge Draper clones in Jory soils. The wine undergoes primary fermentation in stainless steel before being racked into 228L neutral Burgundy barrels, where it undergoes malolactic conversion and spends another six months aging. It's a precise and clean Chardonnay with subtle texture and laser-like focus. The fruit is mature but not overly ripe, with chiseled structure and a lingering finish. This is great now but should continue to evolve with a few years in the bottle. While a Chablis comparison makes sense, it doesn't really do this wine justice as it really has a personality all its own.