As our Willamette Valley wine industry expanded and matured, it became clear that we had many prime vineyard sites, mostly growing pinot noir, that were worthy of single-vineyard status. In addition, our long-held interest in tempranillo and syrah as some of the world’s best red varietals, was piqued by
the vineyards in Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley and Eastern Oregon’s rugged Columbia Gorge. We created the Trouvère label to showcase small-lot, limited production wines from these dramatic AVAs. Other unique wines include Indigene, exclusive to our Estate Vineyard, which is created from a white grape mutation of pinot gris which we have been cultivating for over two decades.
We partnered with Santa Barbara artist Mary Heebner to launch the series. The painting we chose for Indigene titled Basaltic Caves is a nod to the complex soils found in the Willamette Valley, including the basalt-based volcanic soils that define the Dundee Hills .
Growing Conditions
“The vintage came on early with warm days emerging in April and May. Bud break was on par with recent years, and on the whole the summer was warm without excessive heat spikes.
Autumn was devoid of the strong high-pressure systems we’ve been accustomed to in recent years. This compelled additional planning on the part of our winemakers and vignerons. Our harvest started on September 14th, and was focused on whites. With patience and planning, we worked our way into the rhythm of the season, confident that our experience,
and the experience of all our growers, would be manifest in sound, ripe grapes.“ — Executive Winemaker,
Don Lange
Aging
Neutral French oak puncheons and stainless steel.
Nose
Luscious aromas of d’Anjou pear, yellow apple, and buttercream frosting.
Palate
Fruit-driven and softly textured with vibrant acidity, this wine delivers flavors of baked apple, apricot, cardamom, and lemon curd.
Food Pairing
Grilled halibut or spring pea soup.