Tempranillo
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, wood-fired pork sausages, roasted wild mushrooms
✨ Technical Specifications
Kerloo Cellars' Tempranillo represents a compelling exploration of how Spain's noble grape translates to the rugged, sun-drenched terroirs of Washington State. Winemaker Ryan Crane utilizes low-intervention techniques to craft a Tempranillo that balances the grape's traditional rustic charm with the vibrant, concentrated fruit profile characteristic of the Columbia Valley. Sourced primarily from high-elevation sites like the Upland Vineyard on Snipes Mountain—where ancient, stony soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts mimic the high plains of Spain—this wine is typically aged in neutral French oak to preserve its natural acidity and mineral tension. The result is an expressive red that honors old-world structure while showcasing the bold, pioneering spirit of Washington winemaking.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2007 by winemaker Ryan Crane, Kerloo Cellars takes its name from the echoing call of the sandhill crane, symbolizing Crane's calling to craft authentic, terroir-driven Washington State wines. After studying viticulture and enology in Walla Walla and honing his cellar craft at Forgeron Cellars and Va Piano Vineyards, Crane built Kerloo around meticulous fruit sourcing from esteemed, sustainably farmed vineyard sites spanning the Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, and Columbia Gorge. His cellaring philosophy prioritizes minimal intervention, foot-treading, native fermentations, neutral oak, and concrete maturation to highlight purity of site and varietal transparency. Kerloo built a devoted following for its cool-climate Rhone-style expressions and vibrant single-vineyard bottlings, including Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay, Boushey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, and single-site Grenache, Syrah, and Grenache Rosé from benchmark crus like Upland and Painted Hills.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo