Troon Vineyards “Longue Carabine”
WHO: Troon Vineyards
WHAT: Vermentino 38.5%, Viognier 33%, Marsanne 27%, and Roussanne 1.5%
WHERE: Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
WHEN: 2015
HOW MUCH: $29
92 points, National Wine Review: Named in tribute to the pioneers who settled the Oregon Territory in the 1800s, Troon Vineyard’s Longue Carabine (“Long Rifle”) is a distinctive and delectable blend of Vermentino (38.5%), Viognier (33%), Marsanne (33%), and Roussanne (1.5%) sourced from the winery’s estate vineyards in the Applegate Valley of southern Oregon. This is a captivating white wine, with delicate aromas of ripe peach, citrus blossom, and seaspray layered with vivid flavors of Rainier cherry, apricot, and praline — all interlaced with dashes of candied ginger and lemon zest over a long, spicy finish. It is dry and medium-bodied, with zesty acidity and no pronounced oak. The wine spent eight months in neutral oak, on the lees. Troon is doing what too few winemakers do, in our opinion — co-fermenting different grape varieties from the onset as an alternative to blending finished wines afterfermentation and aging — and we admire them for taking this approach. For the Longue Carabine, Vermentino and Viognier were co-fermented, as were the Marsanne and Roussanne; then the two lots of co-fermented juice were blended into the finished wine. The result is remarkable depth of fruit and flavor in a balanced, richly textured, and refreshingly different white wine. Enjoy it with such dishes as soft, creamy cheeses, steamed mussels, Thai curry, seared Ahi tuna, and fruit salad.