Since I started this blog over thirteen years ago, I have travelled to many wine regions, visited scores of vineyards and wineries, and tasted countless wines. And while many of the above stand out, none quite match the magic of Troon Vineyard.

Troon Vineyard is a relatively small producer in Oregon, and if you are like most people, when you saw “Oregon” you likely assumed that it was in the Willamette Valley and likely produced Pinot Noir. Well, Troon is in Southern Oregon, much closer to the Northern California border than to the hipster bars of Portland. The climate is much warmer and drier in Southern Oregon, and the grapes grown tend to be Rhone varieties, as is the case at Troon.

I have visited Troon a couple of times, a few years apart. On my first visit, it was clear that Troon was in transition, converting to 100% biodynamic farming and caring for a space that had long been mistreated. On my second visit? The health and happiness of the farm was palpable. It seemed as though every square inch of the property had been transformed into a living, breathing entity and it was infectious.

And it was not only the land itself, the people at Troon exuded the ethos of the farm, they all seemed genuinely happy not only to be there, but also to work there. I know this may sound like a bunch of cumbaya b.s. and had I not visited and experienced it, I would be doubting it myself.

But the proof, as one says, is in the wines. I have been evaluating Troon wines for a while now, and this latest batch, I can say without the slightest hesitation, has been the best yet.

2023 Troon Vineyard Ascendant Rosé, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $30. Very Responsible Bottle (486g; 17.1oz). 38% Cinsault, 33% Mourvèdre, 11% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 8% Carignan. I tasted this back in May for the 8th Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Rosé and I liked it then (88 Points), but I find it even more compelling now. Good red berry fruit (cherry and wild strawberry) with a bit of funk (I love the funk) and plenty of zingy acidity. Troon claims that this is a rosé with ageing potential and while the time “aged” is not all that significant, it is certainly trending that way. Excellent. 91 Points.

2022 Troon Vineyard Grenache Blanc Extended Lees Aging, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $40. Very Responsible Bottle (471g; 16.6oz). Under DIAM5. I first tasted this on the property in Southern Oregon and it was phenomenal (94 Points). I was worried when I received this bottle that my original assessment was jaded by the magic that is Troon. No need to worry, my previous notes are pretty spot-on: “When the folks at Troon decide to do something a bit different, they really don’t “fudge” around, and this is a case in point, for sure. Straw to yellow in color, with fresh and bright tree fruit (yellow apple, fresh peach), a saline note, and perhaps a bit of crushed seashell. The palate is tart and layered with oodles of weight, resulting in an incredibly sexy mouthfeel. Whoa. The lengthy finish only adds to an already stellar wine. A whopping 17 months in neutral French oak. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2023 Troon Vineyard Grenache Glou-Glou Cowhorn Vineyard, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $30. Very Responsible Bottle (485g; 17.1oz). 62% Cinsault, 38% Grenache. Where to begin? First, of all the wineries that send me wines every year, Troon stands alone. Simply put, they do it right: they make great wines, they care for the land, they care for their people, they pay it forward. And they make great wines (wait, I think I already mentioned that…). This Glou-Glou is no exception. A brilliant ruby-red with vibrant red berry fruit (strawberry and cranberry at the fore) with that classic carbonic maceration note of, well, bubblegum. And that is a good thing. On the palate, there is that “Troon Magic” of zesty fruit, a tangy acidity, and lengthy finish. Look, even if you don’t know the story behind the winery, this is fantastic, but once you delve deeper into that “Troon Magic”? This quickly becomes a favorite wine. Excellent. 92 Points.

2023 Troon Vineyard Druid’s White, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $25. Very Responsible Bottle (471g; 16.6oz). Under DIAM10. 35% Grenache Blanc, 35% Marsanne, 25% Vermentino, and 5% Roussanne. I have been a big fan of Troon for a while now and with each vintage, every visit, even the slightest interaction, that admiration grows. While researching this wine, I noticed that Troon not only published the bottle weight (which I have never seen before), they also mention that the label is “tree free”. All of this, of course, in addition to the fact that the farm is 100% Demeter certified biodynamic and Regenerative Organic Certified®. Yowza. And it shows in both the people and the wine. This Druid’s White is gorgeous on the nose with green apple and tropical fruits billowing over the rim. The palate leans more tropical with guava and mango performing a lovely pas-à-deux, with a zingy tartness keeping everything in line from the start. This is, once again, the best Druid’s white thus far; I say that every year because it just keeps getting better. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2023 Troon Vineyard Druid’s Red, Applegate Valley, OR: Retail $25. Very Responsible bottle (471g; 16.6oz). Under Diam10. 30% Syrah, 27% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 19% Mourvèdre, 4% Carignan. Another fantastic iteration of Druid’s Red with oodles of fruit (boysenberry, plum, blackberry, and raspberry) both on the nose and the palate. Like the 2022, it certainly has a Beaujolais/carbonic maceration vibe going on (although no such indication on the website), which makes this wonderfully quaffable and thoroughly enjoyable. I am repeating myself, but Troon seems to be doing everything right in the vineyard, on the farm, and in the winery. And it shows in the wines. Excellent. 92 Points.