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Kriselle Cellars 2017 Viognier
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
2017 Viognier
Viognier (vee-oh-nyay) is an ancient grape. Legend has it that the Romans brought it to France’s Rhone Valley . But just 50 years ago, it was nearly extinct — with just 8 acres in production. Today, Viognier has staged a comeback, and nowhere as well as Oregon’s Rogue Valley, where winemakers are crafting cooler, richer, less alcoholic editions.
And that’s what you get from Kriselle. Perfume and body grace their 2017 Viognier. Seductive aromas of warm tropical fruit aromas of ripe mango, fresh pineapple and banana invite you in to a full-bodied white wine with rich mouth-feel and natural acidity. Marzipan and honeysuckle flavors intermingle with elegance in the long, lingering finish.
At Pour Oregon 2019, this Southern Oregon white wine was one of the crowd favorites. With just 430 cases produced, we’re excited to be able to bring this excellent Viognier to Cellar 503 members.
A Cellar 503 selection in June 2019, Best of Pour 2019 Rogue Valley | Viognier
