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Troon Vineyard is located in the Applegate Valley in southwest Oregon, surrounded by the Siskiyou mountains

Troon Vineyard is located in the Applegate Valley in the far southwestern corner of Oregon, a bit off the normal Oregon wine touring path. I made it my first stop in my trip to Oregon and Washington last fall, on my way out to the Wine Media Conference in Walla Walla, and I wrote about my visit here. Troon is in the middle of an extensive biodynamic conversion with a scientific twist. Craig Camp, the managing director at the winery is chronicling the effort in his Wine Camp blog; bookmark it to watch the process and the transformation of the land over the next several years.

Kubli Bench Blanc is a cofermented blend of Marsanne and Viognier. Grapes traditionally from the Rhone find the Applegate Valley a perfect home.

Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc 2017 ($28 from the winery via mail order) 11.8% abv
52% Marsanne, 48% Viognier from the estate vineyard in Applegate Valley. The grapes are harvested simultaneously and co-fermented.
Eye: Clear, medium lemon. Slow to form legs
Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity. Bright fresh pears with significant herbal influence – tarragon. Wet cement, hints of white flowers.
Mouth: Dry, medium intensity flavors. Bright refreshing medium+ acidity. Medium body, medium alcohol with a lean texture. Flavors match the nose with pears, tarragon, wet cement and hints of white flowers. Medium+ finish of pears and tarragon.

Pan-fried Walleye is a Minnesota classic, perfectly complemented by Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc

Pan-Fried Walleye with Kubli Bench Blanc
Pan-fried Walleye is the quintessential fish dish in Minnesota. Walleye filets are mild with a delicate texture, and the fish are found in many of the 10,000 lakes in our state. Pan frying is simple: the filets are dipped in egg wash, dredged in panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried quickly. Dinner comes together in just a few minutes. We served ours with a quinoa/cucumber/watermelon grain salad along with fresh corn on the cob. The crunchy coating gives the fish a bit more body, making it perfect for a medium bodied white wine. Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc has the body to pair nicely with the fish as well as the refreshing acidity to cleanse the palate after every bite. Give it a try with your favorite fish preparation!