Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

I’m always excited to taste lesser-known European grape varieties that brave men and women have decided to plant here in the US. That’s why I was happy to open a bottle of Arneis from Limited Addition wines in Oregon. Arneis is the bracing white wine from the Roero region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. This one was very nice, but perhaps could have used slightly more sulfur in the winemaking for my tastes, though it lived up to its brand name for all that. Those appreciative of wines on the natural spectrum will probably enjoy it a lot.

Arneis isn’t common in Oregon, and Grüner Veltliner isn’t common in Lodi, which is why I was also happy to taste Markus Wine Co.’s rendition named “Pitch” this week as well. To my taste, it had a bit too much of an oak signature, which got in the way of me enjoying the varietal character of the wine, but I’d be interested to taste it again in a couple of years to see how that might have changed.

Troon Vineyard in Oregon is a familiar name to many readers. This week I’m reviewing their three amphora-fermented and aged wines all of which I enjoyed a lot. The “Amphora Amber” is a lovely skin-contact rendition of Vermentino, while the Mourvèdre offers a stony, earthy version of that grape, and the Grenache, a lovely earthy and fruit expression. All are Regenerative Organic Gold certified and biodynamically produced.

Lastly, I was also treated to a few wines from Bodega 202 in Spain’s Rioja Alavesa region. Bodega 202 is a new project, begun in 2014 by two Americans, Francis and Kathleen Rooney, who fell in love with the region after walking the Camino de Santiago. The winery is managed by their son, Michael, and their winemake,r Luis Güemes. Their focus on older vineyards has doubtless helped these debut wines come across as competent and assured, as well as brimming with energy. It will be interesting to see how this project progresses. I enjoyed both the 2016 wines a lot, as well as the 2017 Ansa, which is the latest release.

Tasting Notes

2023 Limited Addition Arneis, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pale gold in the glass with a slight haze, this wine smells of apples, white flowers, and warm hay. In the mouth, bright apple, pear skin, and a hint of crushed nuts and vanilla have a nice snap thanks to excellent acidity. There’s a creamy, nutty, yogurty note that lingers in the finish that makes me wish for a bit more sulfur used. 13% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2024 Markus Wine Co. “Pitch” Grüner Veltliner, Lodi, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of crushed nuts and vanilla mixed with pear. In the mouth, pear and citrus pith flavors mix with oak and a faint bitterness of nut skin. Decent acidity. Whole-cluster crushed and fermented with commercial yeasts. Then aged for 10 weeks in a combination of 10% new French oak and 90% stainless steel. Malolactic inhibited. 13.3% alcohol. 200 cases made. Packaged in a heavier-than-necessary bottle weighing 1.56 kg when full. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $25. click to buy.

2023 Troon Vineyard “Amphora Amber” Skin-contact Vermentino, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Medium gold in the glass with a hint of bronze, this wine smells of poached pears, citrus peel, and cream soda. In the mouth, pear and cream soda flavors have a very nice powdery texture and excellent acidity as notes of citrus peel and Asian pear linger in the finish. 12.1% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified. Demeter certified biodynamic. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $55.

2024 Troon Vineyard “Amphora” Mourvèdre, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Medium garnet with a faint haze, this wine smells of orange peel, blood oranges, berries, and wet pavement. In the mouth, bright huckleberry and blueberry notes mix with orange peel, dried herbs, and a hint of licorice root. Faint, fine-grained tannins, wet pavement minerality, and excellent acidity round out a crunchy, refreshing mouthful. 12.9% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified. Demeter certified biodynamic. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $65.

2024 Troon Vineyard “Amphora” Grenache, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of strawberry jam and wet earth. In the mouth, juicy and bright flavors of macerated strawberries, herbs, and citrus peel have a faint powdery texture and lovely stony quality. Excellent acidity. The tannins seem to solidify out of a haze and gradually add weight to the wine.14.2% alcohol. Regenerative Organic Gold certified. Demeter certified biodynamic. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $55.

2016 Bodega 202 “Aistear” Tempranillo, Rioja, La Rioja, Spain
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of black cherries, nicoise olives, and herbs. In the mouth, black cherry and herb flavors also have a hint of black olive and licorice as excellent acidity keeps things bright. Light, powdery tannins coat the mouth as this balanced wine finishes with a hint of plum skin. 14% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $35 suggested retail but available for $15! in Texas –> click to buy.

2016 Bodega 202 “Ansa” Tempranillo, Rioja, La Rioja, Spain
Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of flowers, black cherries, aromatic herbs, and a hint of spice. In the mouth, extremely juicy flavors of black cherry, flowers, and a touch of licorice are surrounded by a powdery cloud of tannins that coats the mouth. Very pretty. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $49.

2017 Bodega 202 “Ansa” Tempranillo, Rioja, La Rioja, Spain
Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of floral cherries, a hint of mocha, and licorice. In the mouth, muscular tannins wrap around a core of black cherry, licorice, espresso, and earth. Excellent acidity keeps things juicy and fresh, as the tannins stiffen slightly with time. Notes of roasted nuts and espresso in the finish. The wood is well-integrated here. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $49.