Rose & Arrow Estate 2018

Rose & Arrow Estate is a collaborative effort between Mark Tarlov (who started Evening Lands) and Louis-Michel Comte Liger-Belair of the eponymous domaine in Vosne-Romanée that began only in 2012, looking to produce the best expression of Oregon pinot noir through a fastidious in-depth (literally!) study of the Basalt soils of the Willamette Valley by uncovering the best plots within plots. While they own or farm over 60 hectares of land there, less than 4 percent of the harvest goes into the prestigious Rose & Arrow cuvées. Each of these is site-specific and they tend to be derived from east-facing volcanic soils from the mid-slopes. The estate’s oenological practices take their cue from Burgundy; they even use the same coopers and barrels as those in Vosne-Romanée, which are flown over each year.

The notes below are based on a tasting conducted by Simon Littler, a partner of the estate, at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 28 April 2022. The wines impress with their purity and refinement, while there are sufficient differences in the restrained minerality between them for one to appreciate the singularity of each specific terroir. If that can be achieved in winemaking, then the very essence has been grasped (photo by Rose & Arrow Estate).

Photo by Rose & Arrow Estate

2018 Rose & Arrow Worden Hill Pinot Noir. Beautiful intense pinot tint. Rosy fragrance of red fruits. Medium-bodied, glowing with a clean structured presence, imbued with a trace of sweetness in its tannins. Rather feminine. Good balance. Very elegant. Doesn’t shout. From the sub-region of Dundee Hills, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Black Walnut Pinot Noir. Intense pinot tint. Restrained warm gravel hues. Medium-bodied. More minerally and layered, underpinned by red fruits and raspberries with fine acidity. Lovely ripeness. Good focus and detail. From the sub-region of Dundee Hills, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Red Dust Pinot Noir. Intense pinot tint. Tinge of persimmon on the nose. Medium-bodied. Softly contoured with a distinct feminine grace and elegance. Seamlessly integrated with good purity and understated acidity, finishing with lingering persistence. From the sub-region of Dundee Hills, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Yamhill Close Pinot Noir. Intense pinot tint. Shy. Medium-bodied. Highly supple with a fleshy warmth of predominant red fruits. Quite ample. Seamlessly integrated with a poised feminine charm. Elegant. From the sub-region of Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Highland Close Pinot Noir. Darker shade of pinot. Reticent on the nose though the palate is distinctly darker, imbued with ripe raspberries and dark cherries that yield supple definition with excellent tensile presence and refined intensity. Finished well. Very Vosne-like. From the sub-region of Chehalem Mountain, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Hopewell Hills Pinot Noir. Darker shade of pinot. Highly subtle perfumed lift of balsam. Medium-bodied, underpinned by a deeper vein of red fruit that teased with a focused fleeting intensity. Lovely purity. Good length. From the sub-region of Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Gathered Stones 1st Expression Pinot Noir. Shy rosy fragrance. Open with soft feminine characteristics that impart excellent fleeting verve with a tight focused intensity. Settled down with fine balance, more poised and backward, showing fine linearity with great purity. From the sub-region of Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Stonecreek 1st Expression. Intense deep purple. Restrained nose of currants, dark roses and black cherries. Medium-full. Exudes a delicious velvety warmth on a bed of lithe sexy tannins, seamlessly integrated with refined minerals and sleek acidity with a tinge of salinity throughout its length. Successfully combines lovely precision and subtle power with elegant ease. Superb. From the sub-region of Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon.