Archery Summit Winery- Dundee, OR
Willamette Valley has an obscene amount of picturesque wineries. As it would be impossible to visit them all, at least in one trip, you are unfortunately forced to pick and choose, winnowing your list down to a select few. There is certainly no time to be wasted on mediocre wine, unfriendly tasting rooms, or an overly corporate experience. Rest assured, Archery Summit belongs on your short list, no matter how short that list is. It is the perfect combination of winning wine, an intimate tasting room, and amazing scenery. And they have a wine cave, which everyone should have.
Founded in 1993, Archery Summit is younger than some of Willamette’s earliest vineyards, such as Elk Cove, but it has sufficient age to know what works. Their six Dundee vineyards produce some of the regions most outstanding Pinot Noirs; each location yielding a unique grape, bearing the hallmarks of their growing conditions. The southern exposure of the vines closest to the tasting room, the winery’s oldest, produce a bold, intense wine. Alternatively, Renegade Ridge’s cooler eastern facing slope produces grapes with thinner skins, increased acidity, and greater flavor concentration. Different profiles for sure, but all excellent. A visit to their tasting room can help you discover your favorite.
Although their tasting room in a lovely, intimate space, what really makes the winery stand apart from the pack, aside from excellent wine, are their wine caves. They are the only winery in Oregon to have natural caves, hewn from the volcanic rock under the estate. The caves, modeled after the underground caverns of Burgundy’s Cote d’Or, naturally maintain optimal conditions for storing wine while it matures in the barrel. The high 50s that works so well for maturing grapes is a bit chilly for the rest of us, so bring a sweater if you are taking a tour. However, on a blazing hot summer day, the dark coolness is an absolute delight.
The unique configuration of the winery, over five levels, led to the development of a gravity flow system, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps, preventing unnecessary stress on the wine. All of these elements combine to produce a fantastic wine. And a very interesting tour. It will absolutely be a tasting highlight, regardless of your other stops. It was definitively at the top of my list. Be forewarned however, it is impossible to leave empty handed. Well, unless you have awful taste, and a penchant for anything produced by Barefoot or Yellow Tail. But everyone else will leave a cellar stash that will not last nearly as long as you’ll want it to. Ours didn’t even make it home.
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