Take a quick trip down the 99 from Portland and you'll find a storybook land consumed in gorgeous green hillsides. Accessible only by a maze of dirt paths, acres upon acres of carefully tended vines glow in the sunshine. This is pinot country.
Our summer of estate tastings began at Archery Summit, whose wonderfully dry Vireton pinot noir rosé instantly relaxed all senses with a lush yet airy mouthfeel. I found the '07 premier cuvée pleasingly seductive over both the single vineyard and reserve pinot (which one should allow time to reach optimum drinkability) featured in the flight.
I admit I was taken aback by De Ponte Cellars. It's as if French winemaker, Isabelle Dutarte, waved her magic finger to create other worldly, Burgundian style pinot noir which gave rise to De Ponte's premier vintage merely ten years ago. After sampling and discussing with some of the Baldwin relatives, we merrily left with several bottles of unexpectedly affordable wines including luminescent watermelon-esque rosé, and near mythical 2006 pinot noir (which may just pop up on my crave list).
Archery and De Ponte are two top notch wineries, indeed. I anxiously await new vintage releases... in the mean time, further vineyard tastings are sure to inspire and excite!
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