A few hours before Red Newt Cellars’ winemaker Kelby Russell left to board a flight to represent New York State wines at the 2023 Wine Paris/VinExpo event, he hopped on the phone to discuss why he loves his wine community. That’s not surprising for the very busy Kelby—he also has his own wine label, Kelby James Russell Wines—who received the 2023 Phyllis Feder Unity Award from the New York Wine
Though neither planned on a career in winemaking, Kelby James Russell and Julia Hoyle have come to be recognized winemakers in the Finger Lakes and beyond and are well-respected for the quality of their wines. Together the two have accumulated more than a hundred 90+ scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits, and other well-known periodicals including distinctions for Top 100, Best Buy, Editor’s Choice, and Year’s Best
Raised on an Erie Canal town just north of the Finger Lakes, like so many teenagers before him, Kelby was certain he would never return after High School. To his surprise, after graduating from Harvard College in 2009 he found himself learning winemaking in the Finger Lakes rather than living and working in an East Coast city. To his delight, he couldn’t be happier. Kelby interned at Fox Run Vineyards