2018 Trouvere Tempranillo Umpqua Valley 750 ml

Oregon’s Umpqua Valley has long been a sleepy backwater of the Oregon wine scene. That began to change in 1995, a winery called Abacela took a huge risk by planting Spain’s prized variety, Tempranillo, on their estate not far from Roseburg. By the time the vineyard reached fourth or fifth leaf, everybody in Oregon was talking about the project. 

This caught the attention of Lange Estate founders Don and Wendy Lange, who in the early 2000s embarked on their own journey south in search of exciting new terroirs outside their Dundee Hills vineyard. As huge fans of Spanish Tempranillo and French Syrah, they created the Trouvère label to explore the possibilities in Oregon beyond the Willamette Valley and Pinot Noir, using small lots of grapes to experiment and push the envelope for these varieties.

The 2018 Tempranillo is a home run, with just a scant 75 cases produced. It sailed through our tasting panel thanks to its red and purple floral aromas, with red cherry and an undeniable plum note wrapped in layers of vanilla and tobacco. The mouthfeel is juicy and powerful, unveiling silky tannins that lead to a long finish. It’s a superb example of the grape, a fitting answer to a fine Rioja reserva.

The Trouvère labels feature the artwork of Santa Barbara artist Mary Heebner. Her work has been featured in places like John Paul Getty Research Institute, The Library of Congress, The New York Public Library, The National Gallery of Art, and The British Museum. This label features a diptych titled Tango at Segesta.