24 Jul Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Warnelius Miller Scheurebe 2014, Alexander Valley

Scheurebe (prononced “shoy ray beh”) is a white wine grape variety that is primarily grown in Germany and Austria. It is a grape that was created by German viticulturalist Dr. Georg Scheu who used Riesling as the father and an unknown wild vine as the mother (although many thought it was Sylvaner).

While Scheurebe is easy to find in Germany and Austria, it is another story in California. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s California Grape Acreage Report of 2018, Scheurebe is not even listed.

Joseph Phelps has Scheurebe planted on their estate in Napa Valley and use it to make their sweet dessert wine Delice. And Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Winery in Alexander Valley has planted three rows (700 vines) of Scheurebe in order to make a dry wine. The Warnelius Miller Scheurebe 2014, Alexander Valley is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Karin Warnelius-Miller and Justin Miller, owners and winemakers at Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Winery, fell in love with Scheurebe on a trip to Austria. They were attracted to the simple beauty and depth of this obscure varietal. They produce only two barrels (55 cases) of Scheurebe under the Warnelius Miller label. (The Garden Creek label is only used for their Chardonnay and red Bordeaux blend Tesserae.)

The Scheurebe is night harvested and fermented with natural yeasts. The wine is aged for four months on the lees with light stirring. Malolactic fermentation does not take place and the wine is unfiltered and unfined.

The Warnelius Miller Scheurebe 2014, Alexander Valley has restrained finesse. It is a rich aromatic nose of grapefruit, currants, lilies, fig, honey and spice. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, unctuous and viscous but also bright and refreshing with a delicate acidity that dances around the edges of the mouth.

There are only 55 cases made and the wine is sold by allocation only to their mailing list….so sign up today if you want to try this rare, obscure wines!