“On Your Own” is a fanciful name for a seriously delicious wine. With only 50 cases made, this King Estate wine is truly one of a kind: The 2017 bottling is the only one made exclusively with fruit from Block 2B, one of the oldest blocks on the estate located at the southern end of the King Estate vineyard. The wine is certified Biodynamic. The name is a nod to the fact that the vines are “own rooted.” That means that a cutting was planted directly into the soil, not grafted onto an existing vine. The vines, which likely came from King Estate’s own nursery stock, were planted in 1992 and first harvested two or three years later.
The fruit is one of the Dijon clones, simply called 115, that was introduced in Oregon in the 1990s. King Estate was an early pioneer of the grape, which has proved to be well suited to Oregon’s climate and has developed a reputation for reliability. The clone is notable for its small, compact clusters. With smaller berries, there is less juice produced and it has more contact with the skins, which influences the flavor. With clone 115, yields overall are lower. While most vines produce about 3 tons per acre, clone 115 is more likely to yield 2 to 2.5 tons.
Older vines can ripen slower and thus produce high quality wines due to the additional hang time they get. In 2017, the wine produced by Block 2B was the hands-down favorite of the winemaking team. “This wine is the best representation of the clone,” says Co-CEO and Winemaker Brent Stone, adding that it is also a great expression of the estate’s unique terroir.
This wine was included in a recent King Estate Tower Club release. Click here for information on joining the club. While not available in stores, the wine may be purchased in our Tasting Room and through our website.
