January/February 2022 - 9

WINEGRAPES
crops (we are no-till) during the winter
and the hayfield after it is baled. We
also have a honeybee rewilding project. "
Growing the grapes
Smaller wine producers in Oregon
have time to focus on quality in
cultivation, growing practices and even
winemaking, Craig said. Their goal is
not always a high-alcohol, low-acidity
wine. He contrasted the Oregon growers
with colleagues in neighboring states.
" Even Oregon's largest producers are
a fraction of the size of large producers
in Washington and California, " he said.
" Oregon also certainly leads in the
percentage of vineyard average that
is certified organic and biodynamic. "
While the organic, regenerative and
sustainable growing practices - like
cover cropping and grazing sheep in
the vineyard - are not easy, they do
mean much to the consumers in the
vineyard's niche market.
" At Troon, we do not simply consider
ourselves environmentalists, rather
stewards of the planet, " White said.
" The basic principle of regenerative
farming is restoring the ecosystem
of our vineyard back to a place of
natural balance. "
Rootstocks are matched to the soil.
" For rootstocks, we are about
evenly divided between 3309c in our
gravelly soils and Schwarzmann in
our loams, which hold more water, "
Camp said. " Our red varieties include
syrah, mourvèdre, carignan, grenache,
counoise, cinsault, tannat, malbec and
negrétte. Whites include vermentino,
marsanne, roussanne, viognier,
grenache blanc and gris, clairette
blanche, bourboulenc and picpoul. "
After harvest, the winemaking process
is as distinctive as the farming is.
" The goal of biodynamic wine
growing is to produce distinctive fruit
that clearly speaks of the place where
it was grown, " Camp said. " Every
intervention you make in the cellar
takes away an element of what makes
your site unique. "
PRODUCTION
The winemaking aesthetic is a
minimalist, though not a simplistic,
process.
" Minimal ist ic does not mean
uncomplicated, " Camp said. " Harvest
happens over six weeks, as we have so
many varieties. Each fermentation is
done in small fermenters. The reds are
not treaded, as we use a high percentage
of whole cluster fruit. Some whites are
treaded before pressing if they have
thicker skins. All whites and rosé wines
are whole-cluster pressed, except for the
orange wines, which are made in the
same manner as the reds. Currently,
we do two wines in amphorae, a white
and an orange wine, but the majority
of the reds and whites are aged in
mature French oak barrels, we do not
use any new oak barrels. All wines
are fermented with native yeasts and
without additives of any kind. "
Stephen Kloosterman is the managing
editor of Organic Grower, a sister
publication of Produce Processing.
R
PROGRESSIVE
DESIGN
BUILD
PRODUCE
-
PROCESS, PACKAGE, COLD STORAGE
Since 1983, we Plan, Design, Engineer and Construct Facilities
nationwide with our in-house content experts. Engage early using
HRI's Progressive Design-Build contracting approach to optimize
scope, schedule, price & risk.
(208) 465-0200
www.hansen-rice.com
PRODUCE PROCESS ING
9
M
F
A
O
R
O
G
D
O
&
.
P
B
N
N
E
,
E
V
E
G
E
E
I
A
N
R
R
H
A
I
S
C
C
http://www.hansen-rice.com
January/February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2022
