Archery Summit was one of our top favorites during our Willamette Valley tour of 2022. Their location in the Dundee Hills offers 2 amazing tasting venues: In the Cave, and on the Terrace. Naturally, we chose the Cave!
If you couldn't guess, Archery Summit specializes in Pinot Noir, like most of the Willamette Valley vineyards. They source from four of the AVAs in the region: Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, and Ribbon Ridge.
We were greeted by our wine server Mark, an unassuming, friendly guy dressed casually in jeans and a cap. We were offered:
2020 Dundee Hills Chardonnay ($65) - enjoyed it because it didn't taste like the buttery chardonnay we tend to dislike. Crisp, nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.
2020 Archer's Edge Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($90) - I detected raw green peppers, spicy and freshness (carmenere like?)
2019 Archer's Crest Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($90) - more rounded with vanilla notes, less peppery than the edge
2019 Red Hills Vineyard Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($125) - tasted young, more vibrant and acidic.
We were blown away by their Pinot. All my false pretenses about Pinot Noir fell to the wayside. We also soon realized Mark was actually a true expert, with behind the scenes knowledge on the vineyard, the winemaking process, and of course, the wines. He was patient, and informative, pointing out the differences between each seemingly similar Pinot to the unacquainted. We also discovered the interesting flavor profiles that can be achieved by the whole cluster fermentation process.
As we continued our conversation with Mark, we were unexpectedly, and graciously offered some samples of additional vintages. We're talking some 10y+ Pinot! I didn't even know Pinot could age in such a way! I was quickly proven wrong. Needless to say we were tremendously impressed, and forever grateful to have that rare tasting experience.
Overall, Archery Summit wines are indeed A+. The ambience also gets an A+, assuming you're in the cave. The service we received from Mark was impeccable. While their wines can be on the pricier side, it is easy to understand why. It is a truly delicate, and finessed Pinot they are creating. The tasting experience and education alone is worth the visit, even if you do not purchase.
