Elemental Cellars

Elemental Cellars is the personal wine label of Witness Tree Vineyards winemaker Steven Westby. Steven's Elemental wines are made from grapes he sources around the state. Past vineyard sources have included Deux Verte Vineyard, Zenith Vineyard, and Witness Tree's own Estate vineyard.

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More About Elemental Cellars

Elemental Cellars Melon 2006:
In July of 2009, Wall Street Journal devoted several paragraphs to Steven Westby's tiny Elemental Cellars and his Melon white wine.

Wall Street Journal: "you can imagine the marketing problems with a wine called Melon (though it’s pronounced meh-lohn). A couple of years ago, we had a good one from a winery called Elemental Cellars in Oregon. At that time, the winemaker, Steven Westby, told us, "We call it our ‘Lucy and Ricky wine’ because there’s so much ’splaining to do" with the name. As it happens, Mr. Westby stopped making the wine after 2006. How come? It was difficult to sell.

"To be brutally honest, that was the hardest part," Mr. Westby told us. "It was a really hard sell. My real job is winemaker and vineyard manager at Witness Tree. Elemental Cellars is a side project with my wife. Basically, with my job there were more and more responsibilities, we’ve got three kids and something had to give. The Melon—my Lucy and Ricky wine—I let it go."

Four other wineries make wine from the Melon vineyard Mr. Westby used. As always, whenever you see an unusual varietal in the store, grab it because it likely reflects the winemaker’s personality and passion in a very special way." - Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher

Beautiful fresh pineapple with lime zest. Finishes clean with good minerality. The Elemental Melon is an insider Northwest gem that delivers great value and is the ideal match for seafood.

The Melon de Bourgogne grape, also known as Muscadet, is very uncommon in American vineyards but widely planted in France.

Elemental Viognier 2006:
Captivating aromas of white flower perfume and ripe stone fruit and honeydew melon. The wine expands on your palate, offering lengthy round fruit on the finish.

About Elemental's 2006 Syrah:
A fascinating, deeply complex Syrah with smoky violets and bacon, mineral, coffee and leather notes with vibrant berry fruit. Unmistakably Syrah - but a different animal than most Northwest Syrahs. 2006 was a perfect vintage for growing Syrah in Oregon's Willamette Valley - it was hot a dry and made for an absolutely smoking Syrah. The wine is co-fermented with Viognier, and a hint of floral sweetness announces its presence. Sadly, this is the last vintage of Elemental Syrah. An Avalon New Discoveries Wine Club Selection.

Smack dab in the middle of some of Oregon's famous Pinot noir country is little Deux Vert Vineyard, growing Melon, Viognier, Tempranillo, Pinot noir, and Syrah. This is Old vine Syrah (planted in 1995) by Deux Vert Vineyard owners Mike and Patty Green.

One of the very few Willamette Valley Syrahs produced, from the Deux Vert Vineyard. Intense aromas of violets, white pepper and black fruit give way to supple black raspberry and cherry flavors. This is an Oregon Syrah for fans of Northern Rhone Syrahs, like me! - Jean

I had the cheesehead hat blown right off my head this week when I tasted Elemental Syrah 06. It's from the Willamette Valley...as in Oregon...as in fantastic. 2006 was the perfect year for ripening Syrah in Oregon - hot and dry. Exotic and smoky, minerals and violets, this classic Syrah at under $20 is a steal! - Marcus