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Weisinger Family Winery 2019 Roussanne
Born to be a winemaker
It was 1978, and nine-year-old Eric Weisinger joined his two younger siblings to help their father, John, plant vines on a hillside just south of Ashland. Ever since, Eric never seriously considered doing anything else, becoming head winemaker at age 29. His approach? Continuous experimentation, while staying true to his core winemaking philosophy.
Spend time with winemakers in Southern Oregon, and you’ll hear Eric’s name again and again. He’s served as a mentor to countless winemakers. Quiet and humble, he’s the backbone of the Southern Oregon wine community.
Of course, if you’re going to lead, you’ve got to expand your horizons. For seven years, Eric did two harvests a year – alternating between Oregon and New Zealand, focusing on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Even now, Eric is the winemaker for a winery in Texas. Believe it or not, Texas is the #5 wine-producing state in the USA. We’re hoping to host an Oregon vs. Texas event at the Cellar 503 tasting room someday soon!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Weisinger Family Winery, Ashland, Oregon
2019 Roussanne
What a rare treat this is! Despite the roots of its name (“roux”, French for “red”), Roussanne is a white-wine grape from the Rhône Valley in France. Typically blended with Marsenne and Viognier, it almost never appears by itself -- and is the backbone of the white wine blends of the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape region.
Difficult to grow, Roussanne produces an elegant, floral wine. The Weisinger edition has a strong backbone of acidity and a light yeastiness that reminds you of a lemon meringue pie.
Pull this bottle from the fridge an hour or so before you open it, in order to let those aromas and flavors come out to play!
This wine is going to be fantastic with hard cheeses like Emmental and Gruyere (or hey, make fondue!) The acidity helps this wine pair nicely with savory, rich meats like duck, chicken, and salmon, as well as roasted vegetables.
A Cellar 503 selection in July 2020, Old World Wines, New World Style Rogue Valley | Roussanne
