The Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir is dark ruby colored and displays a wild (verging on gamey) nose of cinnamon, clove, and juniper berry-laced black fruits. This powerful wine is broad-shouldered, masculine, medium-to-full-bodied, and packed with sweet cherry, blackberry, and metallic flavors. Projected maturity: 2000-2005.
According to Andrus, Archery Summit's tightly spaced Pinot Noir vineyards yielded 1.46 tons per acre in 1996, with the harvest starting on September 26 and ending as the rains began on October 2. This estate's 1996s are extremely good, expressing the vintage's dark fruit character, but not suffering from 1996's firm tannins.
Tel. (503) 864-4300.