2013 Bow & Arrow, Rhinestones, Pinot Noir/Gamay, Oregon.
Bow & Arrow are one of the more interesting additions to the Orgeon wine scene in recent years, they are inspired by the natural and organic wines of the Loire Valley of France, from Muscadet, sea influenced dry whites, as in their Melon, to the mineral infused and fruity wines of Cheverny where Pinot Noir and Gamay meet in a wonderful marriage of fruit and acidity. Going their own way has paid off here and the Bow & Arrow wines are all lovely, pure, fun and super reasonably priced. I especially love the latest Rhinestones, a mostly Willamette red blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, and yes Gamay has gone native in Oregon and it thrives here, much as it does in Beaujolais, Burgundy and parts of the Loire, in fact the biodynamic Gamay of Brickhouse (famed Willamette Pinot producer) are highly prized and sell out almost instantly on release. Bow & Arrow also do a straight Gamay which is also worth getting, it is more than just good it is wildly delicious, but the Rhinestones really hits all the right cords and appealed to me with structure, balance and flowing harmony, it has layers of cherry, plum, strawberry and cranberry fruit, stony/mineral notes, bright acidity and refined tannins. Background details include fig, walnut/cedar, salted licorice, minty herbs, flinty/saline and tangy black currants. There is classy fruity and savory interchanges throughout and the low alcohol and medium weight add to the pleasure, drink from 2014 to 2018.
($24 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
