Arcus Estate 2011 Pinot Noir, Archery Summit, Oregon

Arcus Estate 2011 Pinot Noir, Archery Summit Dundee Hills vineyards

Arcus, meaning ‘bow’ in Latin, describes our estate vineyard that wraps around both sides of a small valley in the heart of the Dundee Hills. Capturing the distinctive terroir of this single vineyard, the 2010 Arcus Estate rewards Pinot Noir devotees with an expansive nose, compelling mid-palate, elegant finish, and a superior expression of true Pinot Noir.

Winemaking

Fruit for the 2010 Arcus Estate was hand picked between October 15th and 21st. The fruit was hand sorted and cold soaked for five to ten days, after which native yeast fermentation was allowed to proceed under temperature-controlled conditions in both stainless steel and wooden open top fermentors. During primary fermentation, tanks were punched down up to two times per day. After limited post-fermentation maceration, the wine was sent via gravity to 50% new French oak barrels and aged for 9 months prior to bottling

Tasting notes

Effusively floral, this wine opens with fragrant aromas of violets, lilac and gardenia, echoed by orange pekoe, rose petals, crushed boysenberries and licorice-like fennel. There are blueberries and red cherries on the palate that mingle with hints of cocoa powder, marzipan, crème brûlée, toasted hazelnuts and clean riverbank clay. At once expansive and expressive, yet at the same time contained and restrained, this wine reveals a dynamic tension that is both complex and captivating. The palate is broad and juicy with an intense depth of flavor and a slightly saline finish that sends the mouth watering, anxious for the next sip.