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Kriselle Cellars 2014 Tempranillo
The richness of the Rogue Valley
On a cold, clear December day we met with Scott Steingraber, owner and winemaker at Kriselle Cellars in their gorgeous tasting room in White City, Oregon; just outside of Medford. The view of the valley – rolling hills, herds of cattle, and row upon row of wine grapes – was stunning.
An Oregonian, his career as a civil engineer for very large construction projects took Scott and his family to San Francisco and Seattle – where he explored wine country and started experimenting with winemaking. In 2003, Scott moved home to Oregon and started a winery on the land owned by his wife, Krisell, and her family.
The vineyard, part of the working Buxton Ranch, is tucked between the Rogue River and the famous Upper Table Rock. The soil of the vineyard is loaded with river rock, which makes the vines struggle and brings lots of heat to the grapes – producing strong fruit and intense flavors. When you taste this wine, you’re tasting the warmth of Southern Oregon, the richness of the Rogue, and Scott’s journey through the great wine countries of the West Coast.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Kriselle Cellars, White City, Oregon
2014 Tempranillo
Just 24 years after the first Pacific Northwest planting of Tempranillo, the Spanish varietal has established itself as an emblematic Southern Oregon wine – with over 70 Oregon wineries featuring it.
From young and bright to deep and aged, you can find Tempranillos to suite any palate. At Kriselle, they’ve produced a Tempranillo in the classic style of the Rioja region – aged in oak barrels for years. This 2014 wine is their current release.
This is a deeply colored and deeply characterful wine. Rich and robust, you’ll first notice aromas of wood spice, cassis, and leather – is that barbecue coming wafting out of the bottle? Then, you’ll pick up deep black fruit flavors of plum, blackberry and black cherry alongside mocha and savory herbs.
Serve this wine with smoked meats, chiles rellenos, shredded pork tacos, or even a spicy wood-fired pizza.
A Cellar 503 selection in January 2019, Oregon Classics Rogue Valley | Tempranillo
