May 2026
May is Oregon Wine Month, chosen because it’s basically the nicest time to visit our state. We’re celebrating spring this month with a couple wines from the Pacific Northwest that are not Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, the classics you’ll usually find in the Willamette Valley. As the climate changes, more and more varieties are going to be able to ripen here and Oregon winemakers are going to have to look to new grape varieties to keep up with the trend. I wanted to bring in a couple wines we haven’t seen before to explore!
Kelley Fox Grüner Veltliner
Kelley Fox has lived in the Willamette Valley since the late 80s, and started Kelley Fox Wines with her father in 2007 after years of winemaking experience. Armed with dual master’s in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University, Kelley turned her eye on winemaking and utilizes her extensive knowledge on the science of wine. She worked for David Lett at Eyrie Vineyards, as well as Torii Mor, Hamacher, and Scott Paul Wines, before starting her own brand.
This Grüner is a blend of two organically grown vineyards in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and the Chehalem Mountains AVA. This wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve its super fresh character. Pale gold in the glass with an undertone of green, it’s like a picnic at the ocean: mineral, oceanic nose with white peaches, lime, sourdough, and ginger on the palate. This is a rich, full complex expression of Grüner with acidity that can pair with many foods, but is a complex thinking wine to quaff on its own. Its energy will hold up to butter-poached asparagus, lightly spiced Thai dishes, white fish, or pasta with cream sauce.
GC Wines Barbera
If you’ve been around a while, you know we’re huge fans of winemaker John Grochau and GC Wines. John first got into wine when he was racing bikes professionally in France, and the Loire style of wine—fresh, lively, bright fruit, not overly aged—has stuck with him. John’s wines are meticulously thought out, with every decision made to highlight the fruit, vintage characteristics, and the terroir.
This Barbera comes from Waving Tree Vineyard on the Washington side of the Columbia River, with 50 acres planted right beneath the Stonehenge Memorial. Battered by intense winds off the Columbia and long hours of sun, Barbera can ripen and become complex with varied notes of blueberry, boysenberry, and woody cedar. John utilizes carbonic fermentation to bring out the bright fruit characteristics, and then foot stomps in the tank to open up the grape skins and increase phenolics. The Barbera is aged for 5 months in neutral oak, rounding and softening the tannins without compromising the bright fruit. Perfect for a slight chill, it’ll hold up to burgers, grilled artichokes, and any dishes with dark berries.
