Troon Vineyard Pioneers Two Varietals

Southern Oregon has over 36 grape varietals growing in its soil. When you ask growers’ which grape they think Southern Oregon grows best, you will most likely hear answers like Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Viognier. If you ask Chris Martin about the direction of his vineyards, you’ll hear Tannat and Vermentino. Not familiar with these varietals? Read on.

Vermentino cluster

Chris first tried Vermentino ten years ago while on vacation in Italy. The origins of the Vermentino vine are not entirely clear. One version it that it is native to Spain, while another claims it is a variant of Malvasia which migrated from the island of Madeira. In either case it is widely planted along the Mediterranean coasts of France and Italy. The flavors, food friendliness and relatively low-alcohol intrigued Chris enough that years later, after he had jumped into the wine industry purchasing Troon Vineyard, he grafted over a few rows of Chardonnay. But, not before he did some homework with Vermentino winegrowers in southern California. 

The 2007 vintage saw the first cases of Vermentino- a whole 48. Chris states, “The wine was impressive, garnering recognition from several prominent wine writers.” As Chris developed a production plan for the winery, it became apparent to him that this varietal should have a significant place in Troon Vineyard’s future. Three vintages after its inaugural release, an additional 2 acres of vines have been dedicated to the varietal. If all goes as planned, Troon will be producing 600+ cases of Vermentino annually five years from now- making them the largest producer of Vermentino in North America and currently the only producer in Oregon (although, Chris thinks that will change soon).

Tannat ready for harvest

Tannat is another varietal Chris tasted during his travels. It originates in the Madiran region of southwest France- a hot, dry place that turns out wines that are so high in tannins they are often undrinkable for ten years. This grape has also found a home in Central and South America. It is the national grape of Uruguay and is being widely planted in Brazil. Chris was fascinated by its reputation as being the most tannic grape varietal in the world and thought it might be an interesting challenge in Southern Oregon.

Chris purchased cuttings in 2006 (the same year as the Vermentino) and grafted one row of Chardonnay to Tannat. The grape clusters were large and plentiful and in 2007, Troon fermented their first bit of Tannat. “The wine expressed a flavor profile unlike anything any of us at Troon had ever tasted from this area,” Chris explains, “making all of us quite excited.” It did not exhibit the hugely tannic varietal that he expected, perhaps due to the Applegate Valley’s milder climate. It wasn’t until 2008 that there were enough grapes to make a barrel of Tannat. The release of this small production (23 cases) to Troon’s high-end Wine Club sold-out in a matter of days. Chris believes this varietal will produce a reasonable amount of tonnage per acre and ripen consistently here. He has committed 4 further acres in 2010 to Tannat, so that over the next five years, you will see their case output grow to 500+ cases annually.

So, why are Vermentino and Tannat good varietals for Southern Oregon? Chris says, “I am planting Vermentino and Tannat because they can ripen at reasonable tonnages, even in the most challenging years to produce exceptional wines- wines that retail at reasonable prices, $15 or under for whites and $20 or under for reds. I've evaluated varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec- to name a few- and found stunning examples of these wines can be made here. The problem I found is that they are not consistent. Add to that crop loads that often dip below 2 tons/acre and you find a regionally, nationally, and internationally uncompetitive set of wines. I’m not saying that we won’t make these wines- we will. We will make them in small amounts, and only in the best vintages.”

Troon Vineyard

“There are many reasons to embrace Vermentino and Tannat rather than just focus on our more mainstream varietals,” Chris explains. “One is the uniqueness. We need to be providing a unique and compelling reason for visitors to frequent our winery and the wineries of Southern Oregon. Trying varietals that they have never experienced is great for the consumer. In addition, the response from restaurant and retail staff has been enthusiastic and positive. Having something different gets the juices flowing for those wine stewards that have just tasted their 7^th Bordeaux blend of the day. There is no doubt that more work is required in education the public when you introduce a new varietal, but to me that is the fun of it.”

“It is always exciting to know, that despite making some great wines here historically, our best wines are still in front of us.” 

Cheers to that!