Always excited to expand our horizons, we occasionally source grapes from other organically farmed vineyards that share our philosophy. This wine was crafted by our winemaking team, using the same minimalist winemaking approach to capture the place it was grown- in this case, the Columbia Gorge east of Portland. It is a blend of classic white Rhône varieties – 43% marsanne, 41% roussanne, and 16% clairette blanche, which are also varieties we grow here on our estate in the Applegate Valley. The wind-swept silt-loam soils on the cliffs above the Columbia River define this organically farmed vineyard’s character. Each variety brings its own personality to this blend, with marsanne bringing richness and honeysuckle aromatics, roussanne adding structure, and clairette blanche lifting the wine with freshness and bright fruit flavors. A perfect match for fresh Columbia River Steelhead!

As with all wines from Troon, no additives, acid or sugar adjustments, enzymes, or sulfur additions are used at crush. Primary fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous/native yeasts and bacteria. The barrels and concrete fermenters in our cellar are cool and slow, typically taking several months to complete their primary fermentation, finally finishing when the cellar starts warming up in the spring. During this time, malolactic fermentation also occurs spontaneously. Typically, 100% of the malic acid is converted to lactic acid, resulting in wines with a richer, rounder mouthfeel, which is further enhanced by the extended time spent on their primary lees. After roughly ten months in barrel, this wine was racked to a tank for blending and bottling, receiving a small sulfur addition before bottling.