When you think of Oregon wine you likely think of Willamette Valley’s delicious Pinots and Chardonnays. However, there is more going on in Oregon these days than just the outstanding wines coming out of Willamette Valley. Troon Vineyards is located in Oregon’s Applegate Valley. It has not taken long for wine industry wizard Craig Camp’s influence to be felt in the wines produced by Troon. Today I have a wine to share with you that will curl your toes.

The Wine:

Troon Vineyard’s 2016 vintage is feeling the full influence of Craig Camp. It will be a bit longer before we can taste the reds, but the whites are impressive. The 2016 Whole Grape Fermented Riesling is in a word, killer. For those of you who have never tasted an “orange” wine I will tell you they can be tricky. They do not taste like your “typical” white wine as they are produced in a manner more similar to red wine, with skins intact during fermentation. If you are intrigued by this ancient wine making process, this wine is a delicious place to start your orange wine journey.

2016 Troon Vineyards Whole Grape Fermented Riesling Applegate Valley USA ($20): 100% Riesling, pale amber with orange hues; medium+ aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruit, orange blossom, marzipan, nutmeg, dried orange peel and apricots, hint of trailing cedar; dry on palate, medium+ acidity, great weight and texture on the palate; nutty with dried orange rind, apricots and figs;  mouth-coating with a hint of tannins, medium body, long finish with a touch of spicy zest; unique and fun, but honestly just an overall well-made wine with balance, great structure and super food friendly. Sure it is different then what you likely drink everyday, but who wouldn’t want to drink this wine? Click here to purchase this wine.

The Food:

I have had this wine for many months. I was unsure of its flavor profile and texture so I have been waiting for the perfect pairing. Finally, I got tired of my own hesitation and literally just spontaneously opened it one night when I was preparing an underwhelming healthy dinner. After tasting the wine with dinner I now know I could have opened and drank this wine many times over through the course of the summer. This wine will pair with truly just about anything!

My Choice:

I prepared this meal the week before I was heading out of the country for three weeks on wine press trips in Italy and Portugal. For many weeks leading up to this trip I was strictly policing my food and wine intake. Therefore this dinner was all about health and speed while still embracing flavor. I am a big fan of eating whole foods so when I cook lean I cook real foods. Dinner consisted of farro, rotisserie chicken breast seasoned with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper, squash, zucchini, haricot verts, onion, garlic, and grape tomatoes sautéed on the stove in EVOO, and 2% Fage Greek yogurt mixed with 1T tahini, juice of ½ lemon, cumin, salt and pepper, all sprinkled with some fresh chopped oregano. Simple, quick, no recipe dinner that was filling, healthy, and delicious.

The Results:

As I said going in the Troon Whole Grape Fermented Riesling will pair with just about anything. It paired very well with our dinner, I particularly enjoyed the wine with the yogurt sauce that contained the tahini. It lead me to believe this wine would have paired well with lamb meatball dish I made prior, as well as any meal including North African, Indian, and Mediterranean spices. The wine is crafted of Riesling, which produced in a dry white style is a super food friendly wine. I will tell you one thing, it sure made our first official empty nester dinner memorable in a very good way.

A friend recently asked me to make her a list of value priced wines she should be drinking. I asked her if she is willing to order wines from online retailers or direct from wineries and she said yes. This Troon Vineyards Whole Grape Fermented Riesling is going on her list!

*Disclaimer: This wine was  a media sample, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Song Selection:

As I said this wine is killer. This reminds me of the band The Killers, an American band from Las Vegas who I believe produces unique and relevant music. Their latest radio single, “I’m the Man” is very intriguing; however, I thought I would select a Killer’s classic.

Get your own bottle of Troon Vineyards Whole Grape Fermented Riesling and let me know what song you pair with it. Cheers!