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Layne Vineyard 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Calistoga to the Applegate
They took a detour, pulling off of the brand new I5 freeway, and traveling down a side road through a little known Valley called the Applegate. As Roger and Barrie Layne drove down Kubli Rd., they saw a young Dick Troon hanging a sign in front of a new vineyard that read “Troon Vineyard, fine wines since 1976.” “Can you grow grapes here?” asked Roger. “Oh yes! Absolutely!” replied Dick. “Know of any plots for sale?” asked Roger. “Well, I know of one…” replied Dick. And that’s how the story began.
Roger and Barrie Layne were true Oregon Wine pioneers. Not only did they plant one of Southern Oregon’s first vineyards, they cleared the land, peeled and treated the logs that would make the endposts, fabricated some of their own vineyard equipment, and raised a family along the way.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Layne Vineyard, Grants Pass, Oregon
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
I first met the Laynes shortly after I started at Troon in 2004. I remember the day I first visited the vineyard, which sat at the end of a long driveway, following the Caris Creek draw back into the hills above the Valley. Like many sites in the Applegate, you would never know that the vineyard existed, and yet, there it was, 35 acres of old vines, some of the very first planted in Southern Oregon.
Roger and Barrie Layne moved to the Applegate from California in the early 1970’s. Barrie hailed from Napa, but her family owned a dairy there, not grapevines. However, on their first visit to the Applegate, they met Dick Troon, who, in 1972, had already planted 10 acres of grapevines. They decided to follow suit, and planted some of their own the following year, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Southern Oregon’s first Merlot vines.
As a winemaker at Troon, we made some of our very best and most popular wines from the Layne Vineyard, including the “Old Vine Meritage”, a Bordeaux blend from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In working with these lots, I found that Applegate Cabernet Sauvignon had a very unique profile. The wine is highly structured, not as fruit driven as California versions. Instead, it has classic notes of cola nut, mint, and dark black currant.
A rare Applegate Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from 50 year old vines. Structured, ageable, with notes of cedar and sandlewood. Layne Cabernet Sauvigon is highly ageable. The extremely low vineyard yields create a concentrated wine with ample tannin. We used tight grain French Oak to better integrate with these tannins to create a wine made to be enjoyed over time.
Great story about Roger & how this Cabernet Sauvignon captured the attention of winemaking legends.
A Cellar 503 selection in September 2026, Say Cheese! Applegate Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon
