Varner-Traul Vineyard was established near the Southern Oregon town of Central Point in 2007, and Lena Varner and David Traul have reshaped what was one of the state’s first 100-acre orchards in 1902. Despite their earliest budbreak of April 3, Varner’s viticulture team managed this lot of Sauvignon Blanc beautifully, picking it at 23.8 Brix on Sept. 15. Their seven months of fermenting in predominantly stainless steel allows for a classic nose of gooseberry, wet stone and Key Lime pie with just a faint whiff of tomcat. The 15% fermentation with neutral French oak frames the structure of bright grapefruit and lime juice with mouthwatering acidity and a nibble of pear skin tannin. Its lemony finish with fresh-cut celery bodes well for suggested pairings such as Chicken Coconut Soup.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 144 cases
Alcohol: 13.4%
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