Cowhorn's Spirl 36 "one of Oregon's finest dry white wines"

The Oregonian's Matt Kramer recently wrote an article titled, "Two blends go far beyond the average" featuring Cowhorn Winery's Spiral 36 White Blend. Here is an excerpt from the piece:

When you talk to winemakers, many of them -- most, even -- love making blended wines. It allows them to exercise, if not artistry (it is just wine, after all), then a certain amount of exacting craft. Not surprisingly, many are called to the business of blending, but relatively few are among the chosen who can pull it off to a high luster.

The two wines to follow achieve such a blending standard.
Cowhorn Spiral 36 White Table Wine "Applegate Valley" 2009 -- You can make a pretty strong case that the hardest wines to find -- at a palatable price, anyway -- are distinctive dry white wines. We're awash in too many dry white wines that are, well, stupid.

This is why when you taste a dry white that might be described as "intelligent," you're delighted. Cowhorn Spiral 36 White Table Wine 2009 from southern Oregon's Applegate Valley is more than intelligent -- it's in the near-genius category.

What Cowhorn Spiral 36 White Table Wine 2009 has that makes it so exceptional is a successful melding of three grape varieties into a dry white wine of distinctive character and superb finesse.


A Rhône-inspired blend of viognier (34 percent), marsanne (33 percent) and roussanne (33 percent), the first thing that strikes you is the color: It's pale lemon with a slightly greenish cast.
When you stick your nose in the glass what wafts up is a come-hither array of scents that includes minerals, hay, citrus, peaches, mango, melon and a subtle spiciness. That last note is from the viognier grape, famous for its spicy scent.


This blend is seamless, a rare accomplishment. All of the grape varieties were fermented together, and the wine saw no malolactic fermentation, which insures a bright, refreshing acidity. Although the wine has some oak aging (23 percent new French oak), there's no apparent oakiness. This is very deft winemaking.


Cowhorn Spiral 36 White Table Wine 2009 is a dense, substantial, beautifully balanced dry white wine (from biodynamically grown grapes, by the way) that is characterful enough to serve with white meats such as pork or poultry, as well as grilled salmon and ripe, strong cheeses. Only 400 cases were made. Bottom line: This is one of Oregon's finest dry white wines, bar none. Get it while you can. $21.95. (Distributor is Casa Bruno.)