2021 Troon 'Frugal Farmer Fizz' Piquette

Region: Applegate Valley > Oregon

Grapes: 74% Riesling, 16% Vermentino, 10% Viognier

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Certified regenerative organic (2020) and Demeter-certified biodynamic (2018), heavy focus on regenerative agriculture; each variety was vinified separately and spent about 3 weeks on skins. Second press of rose/white pomace then pressed to barrel; skins stay in a tank overnight with a water addition to rehydrate, and then are pressed off (again) and moved to another tank the next morning. The process repeats throughout harvest as more white and red fruit is pressed. The Piquette fermentation is completed in bottle, trapping bubbles; bottled unfined/unfiltered with zero added So2; 9% ABV; 250 cases

Winemaker: Nate Wall

Troon Vineyard is an amazing Oregon project dedicated to regenerative agriculture, and biodynamics, which they say stems from "our quest to put back more than we take from our plants and soils. We believe the only route to memorable wines, that reflect the terroir of where they were grown, is to be found in the healthy soils and vines that are the foundation of biodynamic agriculture".  They're both Demeter Biodynamic® Certified and Regenerative Organic Certified™️ (there are only 120 of these in the whole world!)

Piquette is normally made by adding water to the press cake, consisting mostly of grape skin and seeds, that remains after a wine is finished fermentation and gets pressed off to barrel. Here Nate uses only the pomace of white and rosé wines to make his piquette. Since that pressing is done before fermentation, the skins retain some grape sugar, so nothing extra is needed to kick off fermentation.  

The result is coppery pink, slightly cloudy fizz that smells fruity, stony, and herbaceous all at once, the fruit mostly apple and wild strawberry, the herbs minty and grassy. The fizzy texture is existential, as there is little body or alcohol here, and the lean red fruit and grapefruit feels feels light and healthy, like kombucha.  Sort of like that, but more linear, less yeasty.