Kriselle Cellars Showcases Southern Oregon Wine Tasting
Southern Oregon wine tasting is an experience unlike any I’ve ever had.
And I’m a born-and-raised California boy who’s worked on the back-end of a bar within some of that wine country.
Most people immediately associate Oregon wines with the Willamette Valley. I know I did. That was all I was familiar with when it came to Oregon wines during my bartending days.
This is why seeing the sheer amount of wineries while driving through the Rogue Valley intrigued me so much.
One stop landed me along the Upper Rogue Wine Trail at an incredible Southern Oregon wine tasting room called Kriselle Cellars.
A Southern Oregon Wine Tasting Room at its Finest
Outside of the impeccable view of the surrounding landscape, the actual tasting room took my breath away upon entry.
Please note:
As of this writing, due to COVID restrictions, they are keeping all of the seating to the outdoor areas.
However, if you hit the tasting room on a sunny (or partially cloudy) day like I did, you won’t have any qualms with that.
Relax next to the fire as you take in the sights of the hillsides and the rows of grapes growing right outside.
Kickin' Back with Some Kriselle Cellars Red
Relaxation aside, let’s talk about what we really came here for:
The wine.
As for myself, I’m a big fan of reds, particularly blends. Fortunately, the Reds Only Flight allowed me to jump around the reds section. Here, I found myself leaning heavily toward the Suelo Rocoso. (Although, with only 10 cases left of that one, you’ll have to act quickly to try it out for yourself.)
When I hopped over to the Blended Flight that showcased a mixture of reds and whites, I landed on the Di’Tani, which I do believe was my favorite.
A couple of fun facts:
“Di’Tani” is actually the Native American name for “Table Rock.”
If you know anything about the Rogue Valley, you’ll know that the “Table Rocks” are the most iconic natural formations created by lava flow.
The winery asked permission from the local tribe for use of the name, both as an ode to the culture before them as well as the land we all still appreciate.
This wine also comes with a Double Gold medal:
One from the Best of the NW Wine Press Wine Competition.
The other from SFCWC.
And really, the moment this award-winning wine take a stride across your taste buds, you’ll be ready to assign it an award of your own.
Most Recent Release at this Southern Oregon Wine Tasting Room
I also happened to pop into this winery on release day for their spring wine, the 2018 Belle TouVelle.
Here’s the thing about this winery:
Between its proximity to the river allowing them to plant in rocky soil, the unpredictable climate seen in the Rogue Valley, and the hillsides that allow the sun to shine evenly across all the grapevines, Kriselle’s got another award-winner in the making with the 2018 Belle TouVelle.
The soil provides the real taste in this leathery, violet red. It was inspired by the riverbanks of the Merlot-based red blends of Bordeaux, and perfected along the right banks of the Rogue River.
The Cellar Society
If you frequently enjoy some Southern Oregon wine tasting, you can also join the Kriselle Cellars membership club.
You receive significant discounts for the new bottles put out on a bimonthly distribution.
Discounts on all bottles of wine, anytime.
Free wine tastings in the tasting room.
And, I mean, access to this incredible winery just for the fun of it. I know if I was sticking around the area, I’d be on board.
The Final Highlight: Wood-Fired Pizza
On Saturdays and Sundays, you can also enjoy a pizza from their wood-fired grill.
As for me, I went in hard on the Mediterranean Pizza, complete with a rosemary and garlic infused olive oil, an Italian cheese medley and herb blend, artichoke hearts, feta, spinach, and sundried tomatoes.
Basically, that pizza didn’t stand a chance.
I also opted for the gluten free cauliflower crust, and I have no regrets at all.
Not only is it a few dollars cheaper (and a few inches smaller, for those of you who might want a little less), it’s one of the best cauliflower crusts I’ve ever had.
And I always opt for the cauliflower crust when I can.
Other Southern Oregon Wine Tasting Rooms on the Upper Rogue Valley Wine Trail
Kriselle is one of four wineries included on the Upper Rogue Valley Wine Trail.
The other three are:
As of this writing, I have only made it to Cliff Creek Cellars. Be sure to subscribe to the blog to be notified for my write-up on that, as well as the other two on the Upper Rogue Valley Wine Trail (assuming I’ll be able to make it to them before I run out of time.)
