Scott Steingraber
USA
Scott's Wines
- USA
- 3 wines
- 2 styles
Your specialist in Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley
After having a wine moment with an Oregon Cabernet Sauvignon, Scott and his family went all in in 2006 – never looking back – buying a ranch in Rogue Valley where they planted vineyards from scratch.
Scott’s made wine from different areas for over 25 years – but Southern Oregon’s warmest and driest region won his heart. There, he can make his beloved Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties – his way. The Rogue Valley isn’t Oregon Pinot country – it’s something new – and spectacular.
Because of you, Scott can focus on making gems like Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Viognier for Angels who would not have discovered them otherwise – while supporting his dream of making Oregon wines future-forward in many ways – his production facility is even 100% solar powered! Win-win.
Scott Steingraber's Story
Scott grew up in Oregon and studied civil engineering at Oregon State University, specializing in technical bridge construction. He began working with a large firm that relocated him to destinations needing large-scale infrastructure work. One project was in the San Francisco Bay Area – and during his off-hours, he and his wife would frequent Napa and Sonoma.
Scott didn't know at the time these visits to wine country would lead to a future in wine. However, along the way from one job assignment to another, he began making wine on the side for fun, so those Napa and Sonoma days must’ve stuck with him. His final construction project took his family to the Pacific Northwest.
Scott first tasted Rogue Valley fruit at a winery where he was buying Pinot Noir. He fell in love with it and traded his Pinot for their Cabernet Sauvignon. It was this moment that led him to further explore the area – Oregon’s warmest and driest winegrowing region – a stark contrast to cool-climate Pinot country. His winemaking interest became a full-blown passion. With his wife’s blessing, he made the leap and became a full-time winemaker in Rogue Valley.
Scott was immediately drawn to the intricate balance of art and science in grape growing and winemaking. The work is demanding, but the pleasures that outweigh the workload, especially the people involved. He enjoys meeting folks in the industry and consumers who enjoy his wines.
After over twenty-five years of winemaking experience across a variety of viticultural areas, Rogue Valley is still his favorite. The region has great diversity of fruit, lots of sunshine and wide diurnal temperature swings that allow for slow ripening, resulting in complexity, brightness and natural acidity. He enjoys making Cabernet Sauvignon because depending on growing conditions, it can be incredibly rich or bright and food friendly. He is particularly drawn to Cabernets that show balance.
Scott’s first career was building bridges – literally. With your support, he’s making wines for you under his label, Building Bridges, to bridge the gap between Rogue Valley and Angels across the country.
Scott also has a solar project in the works that will result in more sustainable winemaking, thanks to your funding. He is excited to be part of Naked’s community of supporters.
