Cellar 503 Tasting Notes

Los Rocosos, Milton Freewater, Oregon
2020 Halcon Perigrino Grenache

In 2008, Roger Lemstrom was looking for a change. He retired from a 30-year career in government leadership roles for Oregon and Washington state, and ended a long-term marriage. On a whim, he moved to Medford, Ore.. His love of the outdoors led to starting a successful construction business specializing in rock walls, fences and decking.

In 2015, an on-the-job injury and the end of a second marriage had him again asking “What’s next?” One evening, Roger was relaxing on his couch searching for a movie to watch. He stumbled across “Bottle Shock” starring Bill Pullman. The movie changed his life. Roger reminisced, “I didn’t know much about wine at this point in my life, but I loved the plot about a middle-aged divorced guy who gave up his career to become a vineyard owner and winemaker.” He added, “It looked like fun, I was utterly charmed, and I thought ‘I can do this’!”

The next day, Roger enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology program at the Southern Oregon Wine Institute (SOWI).

While at SOWI, he realized he preferred the life of a vigneron. He wanted to be outdoors farming grapes and spend less time in the wine cellar and lab. In 2016, a small online ad for a vineyard led Roger to visit Milton-Freewater, Ore. He purchased the seven-acre vineyard in the up-and-coming Rocks District AVA located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. He named his new venture Los Rocosos — Spanish for “The Rocks”.

Roger oversees all aspects of the business, from vine to the whimsical branding and label artwork. He says, “Basically, I’m a farmer. My focus is on the grape production and the desire that my buyers (wineries and consumers) have the best possible fruit that can be produced.”

A visit to Los Rocosos offers more than a standard sit-down tasting. Visitors will get to experience being hosted by Roger himself. He relishes sitting down with visitors and turning them on about his vines, wines and The Rocks. “I am trying to offer people a more in-depth experience beyond what they would normally have at a typical tasting room. They get to have their questions answered by the person who grows the grapes,” Roger said.

As a connoisseur of art each of Roger's wines showcases a piece of art that he feels compliments or reflects the wine in the bottle, thereby elevating each wine with beauty in a two-dimensional tasting experience. This Grenache presents as a silky, medium bodied red wine elevated by the one-of-a-kind acid structure produced in the rocks district. Roger brought these Grenache grapes to glass in a style reminiscent of the old world. Explosive strawberry, black cherry, raspberry, with a hint of cinnamon and anise on the front palate finishing in integrated velvety tannins and a subtle delicate spice profile.

Pro-Tip: Get crazy and put this bottle of wine in the fridge for 30 minutes before you open it to enjoy the many faces and full spectrum of flavor it will present as you taste the wine at different temperatures.

A Cellar 503 selection in August 2023, Elevation The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater | Grenache