Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Estate 04: This wine opens with vibrant aromas of blue fruits, violets, black cherries and bacon fat. The palate soars with focused flavors of cherry, currant and cassis, and the natural acidity along with integrated tannin serve to support this wine's abundant personality. Expressive, stylish and complex, the 2004 Arcus Estate will benefit from three to five years of proper cellaring.
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Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
Prior Vintage Notes
Wine Spectator rating 92 points for 2002 vintage: "Dark and focused, with a brightly glowing core of currant, plum, and blueberry flavors, wrapped in firm tannins that just need time to let it all show. Best from 2008-2012." H.S.
2003 vintage will be released in December, 2005.
Highly recommended by Avalon, one of the best Pinot noirs from the vintage. Not to be missed. -jy
Wine Spectator (93 points) says of the 2001 vintage: "Another wine from a steep Red Hills vineyard, this one launches a blast of juicy, ripe blackberry and peppery, floral flavors without the hard edge of the estate vineyard bottling. It's rich and distinctive, almost aggressive at this point. Tannins are nicely submerged. Given time to soften, it should be a beauty. Best from 2006 through 2011.-H.S."
ORIGIN: Arcus, meaning "bow" in Latin, describes our estate vineyard that wraps around both sides of a small valley in the Red Hills of Dundee. Capturing the distinctive terroir, this single vineyard wine rewards Pinot Noir devotees with an expansive nose, elegant finish, and superior expression of true Pinot Noir crafted in Burgundian tradition.
VINEYARD: The vines at Arcus Estate are planted on a very steep slope that complicates farming, but produces intensely flavored, rich fruit. This wine was made from 1978 and 1986 plantings of self-rooted Pommard clones blended with Dijon clones 114 and 777 grown on South, Southwest and West facing slopes. The grapes in Arcus Estate were harvested in mid to late September of 2001. Moderate temperatures throughout the growing season helped achieve flavor ripeness while warmer October days brought sugar ripeness to perfection, producing very balanced fruit. The 2001 vintage wines show tremendous grace and elegance.WINEMAKING: A unique finesse was achieved by the delicate and gentle handling of grapes throughout the winemaking process in our 100% gravity flow facility. The fermentation for the 2002 Arcus Estate was conducted in the traditional Archery Summit style. Using 25% whole clusters, the fruit was soaked cold for five days before primary fermentation was allowed to proceed. Primary fermentation was conducted in tank entirely by indigenous yeasts, during which time tanks were manually punched down up to four times per day. After primary fermentation the wine was sent to barrel by gravity and then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 10 months prior to bottling in September 2003.
TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas of blackberry, black cherry, violet and anise seed. The palate bursts with flavors of red currant, bright cherry, dried blue fruits, cocoa and earth. The mid palate is layering of complex floral and fruit flavors enveloping a singular core of minerality. The tannins and aok are well integrated and lend power and depth to this compelling and fruit driven wine. The finish is long and persists with notes of cherry and rose hips creating a powerful and complex whole which is ready to be enjoyed now and for the next five to ten years.
