Born and raised in the fresh mountain air of the Colorado Rockies, Kelly moved to the west coast to explore her passions. Working in a restaurant to pay the bills, wine became a natural focus of her food centered world and off to Oregon she went to explore the exciting cool climate of the Willamette Valley.

A who’s who of wineries gave her the chance to learn the craft from the ground up. Starting in the vineyards of WillaKenzie in ’98, she soon found herself in the cellars of Eyrie, Torii Mor, Lemelson, Tyee, Left Coast and 12th&Maple. A degree in Food Science with a Fermentation Science focus, coupled with a vintage in Burgundy complimented her work experience and she was well on her way in her pursuit to unlocking the holy grail of wines, Pinot Noir.

Kelly makes wines now for a handful of boutique brands including Dukes Family Vineyards, Trout Lily Ranch, Andante Vineyards and Mad Violets.