The 2021 Archery Summit Dundee Hills Pinot Noir pulled off something quite special in earning 97 points and “Best of Show” in the Decanter World Wine Awards: not only was it only the third Oregon Pinot to win this honor (along with two top $150+ bottlings from Domaine Serene in 2016 and 2012…it beat out EVERYTHING (including nine Domaine Serenes – including their best Everstad Reserve ever and seven more expensive special bottlings!)
They said:
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.
And the Wine Spectator just rated this not only the top Archery Summit Dundee Hills ever, but higher than all of their special $100, $125 and $150 Pinots going back to 2014! (And also higher than Kosta-Browne.) They said:
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.
They priced it at $65.