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J. Scott Cellars 2018 Grenache
Painting with the full palette of colors
Jonathan Oberlander, winemaker and founder of J. Scott Cellars, loves experimenting, dabbling, and playing with new varietals and unusual blends.
As he told the Eugene Register-Guard newspaper, “I have a buddy who has only made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. To me that’s like painting in the colors red and blue only. You have this entire palette; why limit yourself? I go for it.” And he does. J. Scott features nineteen different wines.
Which one is his favorite? Don’t ask – he’ll tell you it’s like picking your favorite child: they’re all great!
J. Scott Cellars is part of the burgeoning urban winery scene in Eugene, with a facility in an industrial park on the outskirts of town. The brick-and-mortar location is a nice step in the evolution of J. Scott.
Without a personal fortune to sink into wine, he’s bootstrapped his way up, starting with a production of just 100 cases when he started – and closing in on 7500 today.
Even better, he opened up a gorgeous new tasting room in the 5th Street complex in the heart of Eugene last year!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
J. Scott Cellars, Eugene, Oregon
2018 Grenache
One of the most popular wines in the world, there’s not a lot of Grenache planted in Oregon. What is planted is mostly found in the hot, dry climate of Southern Oregon – much like the French and Spanish regions inland from the Mediterranean coasts.
You’ll typically find Grenache blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM), but we love Grenache as a standalone varietal. A Grenache from California’s San Joaquin Valley may be big, bold, and over the top, but this Grenache from J. Scott has more in common with Pinot Noir than its cousins to the North and South.
This is a graceful and elegant wine with powerful aromatics. You’ll find blueberry and boysenberry notes alongside a subtle hint of cedar and smooth vanilla. Pair this wine with duck and roasted vegetables – or maybe just a good book and a warm fire.
A Cellar 503 selection in February 2022, Urban Wineries Rogue Valley | Grenache
