Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/49694
Most Focused Archery Summit 2008 Premier Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($48) There's a reason the folks at Archery Summit focus primarily on primo Pinot Noir produc- tion: They're really, really good at it. With a handful of estates across the Willamette Valley, Archery Summit personifi es the best of Oregon's signature varietal, relying on hands-on vineyard management and precise winemaking techniques (the winery is the state's fi rst 100% gravity-fl ow operation) to consistently craft intriguing and complex Pinots. Practice gives way to perfection with Archery Summit's Premier Cuvée Pinot Noir, made from selected grapes from fi ve estate vineyards that marry in elegant harmony with arrow-like precision. Silky and smooth with bright cherry fruit and a fi rm acid structure; fresh and balanced with pleasant notes of wood, earth and spice; long and elegant, clean and Burgundian in style. WWW.ARCHERYSUMMIT.COM Bravest Breakout Nolet's Silver Dry Gin, Netherlands ($50) When your family has been distilling for 300 years, it takes some serious guts for 10th- and 11th-generation family members to decide that the gin category is ripe for a change— and to initiate that makeover with their own brand. Leading the gin-vo-lution is Nolet's, a Dutch gin specially-created to refl ect the way modern drinkers enjoy gin—in cocktails. With lovely botanicals and fl avors including Turkish rose, white peach and raspberry, Nolet's Silver is a versatile base that has mixologists rolling up their sleeves to play with the spirit's complex fl avors in a variety of cocktails. With fl oral sweetness balanced by a touch of botani- cal bitterness, it's not bad stirred in a Martini either, and the Nolet family tradition is sure to carry on. NOLET SPIRITS The Boatman's Call by Justin Burrows from Haven in Houston, TX ◗ 1½ oz. Nolet's Silver Dry Gin ◗ 1½ oz. Vergano Americano ◗ ¼ oz. John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum ◗ 2 dashes of Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters ◗ Stir and strain into a coupe; garnish with a lemon twist. Most Dramatic Peregrine 2008 Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand ($32) With snow-capped mountains dominating the landscape of Central Otago's Gibbston region eight months of the year and an award-winning architectural winemaking facility, New Zealand's boutique Peregrine Winery is a visually dramatic operation that's producing equally dramatic wines. Founded in 1998, the winery's prime focus is on crafting elegant Pinot Noir and white varieties, using sustainable farming practices, with an increasing percentage of vineyards farmed organically, and modern winemaking techniques at the state-of- the-art winery—a gorgeous utilitarian-looking edifi ce rising from the earth in stark contrast to the area's natural beauty. Peregrine's 2008 Pinot Noir is drama in a bottle, with ripe fl avors and nuanced character that sets a lovely scene now, and will unfold into a veritable oeuvre with in-bottle aging. Bright and racy with snappy, fresh cherry and lively acidity; lean and pure with lovely structure and style; no fat, just pure Pinot from one of the most exciting wine regions in the world. VINEYARD BRANDS 118 / the tasting panel / december 201 1 Most Inspired ROKA Caramel Liqueur, USA ($30) Returning from a vacation can be depressing. You're tired, you've got to get back into the daily grind and all you have left of your time spent in an exotic locale is a crappy snow-globe memento. But for brothers Ryan and Brent Elam, a trip to Marbella, Spain came with an incredible souvenir: While exploring the Mediterranean resort town, they were introduced to a chilled shot of caramel liqueur that changed their lives by inspiring the creation of their innovative product, ROKA Caramel Liqueur. The brand is spreading inspiration today, by stirring the creative juices of mixologists as well. "We cover the spectrum for mixolo- gists," says Ryan. "Caramel liqueur has not been done yet at this level, and the creative possibilities are endless." To see these creative juices fl owing in action, check out our "Cocktails for Geeks" story on page 84, where Phil Adler plays with both the ROKA Caramel and ROKA Apple expressions (all fl avors are 30% alcohol). ROKABEV INC.