Archery Summit "Dundee Hills" Pinot Noir 2021
(Willamette Valley, Oregon) - [DM 97] [JS 94] [WS 94]

Notes from the Winemaker:
Aromatically, the wine is boisterous and full of harmony, drawing on every fetching fragrance from the volcanic Red Hills. Equal parts rhubarb, clove, graham cracker, bay leaf, rose water, and carnation sync to provide a layered nose. On the palate, the wine shows fine, cocoa-like tannins with deep, marinated black currant flavors and a savory, dramatic finish. Flexing robust flavor while still offering restraint, this wine is a telling glimpse of a remarkable 2018 vintage.

Vineyards:
To unpack this Pinot Noir is to dig through layer upon intriguing layer of the storied Dundee Hills appellation. The appellation offers the power of plurality within a single, unique place. The immaculate growing conditions bring every detail of the five select vineyard sites to life the varying blocks, soil types, vine ages, and clones resulting in a wine brimming with complexity.

97 Points - Decanter:
No one is naïve about the difficulties and challenges of growing Pinot Noir away from its home in Burgundy (even there, of course, it isn’t easy). Pinot has taken to Oregon’s Willamette Valley with remarkable success, though, and especially to the red-soiled Dundee Hills. This 2021 wine is a fine example of the charm, balance and satisfaction that fine Dundee Hills Pinot can provide. Translucent scarlet in colour, with magnetically attractive raspberry scents, once on the palate the wine is soft-contoured yet energetic, with arresting intensity of fruit. Here the raspberry shades into something more curranty and tenacious, and there are refreshing bitter notes in the finish, too, with a hint of earthiness perhaps derived from the clays of volcanic origin in which the vines grow. The warm edge of cool climate? Perhaps – and it makes for beautiful drinking.

94 Points - James Suckling:
"This is bright and red-fruited with savory herbs, cocoa powder and nut shell. Medium- to full-bodied with compact, chocolaty tannins and velvety texture. It is plush, long and polished with attractive cocoa-dusted dark cherry and spicy notes to close. Drink or hold." (Mar 2023)

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A dynamic, generous red, with expressive raspberry and strawberry flavors highlighted by rose petal and orange zest. Builds tension and richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2031. 6,000 cases made." – TF (Nov 2023)

90 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"The wine's aromas of sweet blackberries and lemon tarts are contrasted by traces of earth and thyme. Blackberry jam dominates the creamy palate, with we bits of cedar and caffè macchiato. Soft acidity, with plush tannins.” – MA (Sep 2023)