Troon Vineyard Estate - Kubli Bench Blanc Applegate Valley 2017

The Data

Country USA

Appellation Applegate Valley

Varietal White Blend

Retail Price $25

ABV 11.8%

Score 4 Stars/91 points

In the Glass

Appearance

Brilliant, medium green/gold color.

Aromatics

The nose is moderately intense offering scents of sudachi, persimmon, and beeswax with supporting notes of slate and apricot stone.

Flavor

The palate confirms the nose delivering an eclectic fruit-driven core with flavors of quince and hay. The finish is long and lingering.

Intensity & Texture

Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced with a waxy and slightly oily texture.

Cool Factor

If red blends are a buzz now how about white blends? This is the second Kubli Bench Blanc, Troon's Rhône-inspired white blend featuring Marsanne and Viognier and it's very cool.

Value Grade

Scarcity of available bottles coupled with high quality winemaking and fruit make this lovely wine selling in the mid-twenties a value in our book.

Analysis

This is Troon's second vintage of their Kubli Bench Blanc. Like the previous vintage the 2017 Blanc is made with Marsanne (52%) and Viognier (48%). Troon has been a big proponent of co-fermenting varietals as opposed to fermenting the varieties separately and blending them together before bottling. The effect of co-fermentation is that it sort of creates a unique hybrid creating flavors not found individually in the two varietals. The grapes are crushed by foot and then allowed to ferment with native yeasts before resting in seasoned (mature) French Oak barrels for a period of six months.

How to Enjoy

Serve chilled but not too cold. Typically you would not decant a white wine but this wine does benefit from the wake-up call that decanting brings.