When I was first introduced to Bow & Arrow around 2011, Scott Frank and Bow & Arrow Wines’ calling card was a narrow selection of low-alcohol, light-bodied reds that paid understated homage to France’s Loire Valley. From day one, Scott had a gift for bottling wines in this satisfying, table-ready style and I’m confident he could have enjoyed a long and comfortable career if he’d stayed in the same one lane forever. Still, in just a few years, Scott has branched out and proven his talents can both transcend style and evolve dramatically. He is currently hitting the bullseye with an impressive breadth of styles—a masculine Bordeaux blend; a richly lees-aged Sauvignon Blanc; and pristine Muscadet clones, to name a few. Scott is bottling proudly distinct and impressive wines across the board, headlined by today’s “Hughes Hollow” Pinot Noir from the warm and highly regarded 2015 vintage.

Scott Frank lives with his wife, Dana, and daughter, Orly, in Portland, Oregon. By day, Scott and Dana (arguably Portland’s most respected Italian-specialized sommelier) operate a small “cottage” wine distributorship that sells some of the finest European wines in the market while distributing Scott’s own local wines. Scott told me that “Hughes Hollow,” the vineyard behind today’s outstanding Pinot Noir, enjoys an unusual, north-facing aspect. Thirty years ago when the vineyard was planted, this probably meant that the parcel was neglected by the sun and therefore produced underripe fruit in cooler vintages and maybe less-than-stellar fruit in warmer ones. But today, Hughes Hollow is ideally situated for growing Pinot Noir—even in record-setting warm vintages like 2014 and 2015. Despite the intense heat, this vineyard makes Pinot that speaks with perfect definition, electricity, and refreshing 12.5% alcohol. Of course, north-facing aspect alone doesn’t account for this wine’s stunning beauty. The Hughes Hollow vineyard is planted to what Scott believes is the top Pinot Noir clone for his region: Pommard. Furthermore, the same vines that produce this wine have been maturing in this vineyard for 30 years without ever receiving one drop of irrigation. That means root systems are continually digging deeper every year, drawing more from the vineyard’s mineral-rich subsoil—and if you believe in the concept of terroir as firmly as I do, then you understand how crucial this is. 

The 2015 Bow & Arrow Pinot Noir “Hughes Hollow” growls in the glass with dark fruit that strikes a perfect balance between the instant gratification of classic Oregon Pinot and the savory precision of Morey Saint Denis. Dark cherry and currant fruit meet wet earth, wild herbs, and the pipe-tobacco kiss of French oak. As with many of Scott’s finest reds, there is a pronounced meatiness and savor. This is not a sticky sweet, “modern” Oregon Pinot—it has much more in common with Oregon Pinot from the 1980’s and 90’s, or even its Loire Valley contemporaries. This wine delivers right out of the bottle but it will not be harmed by a brief rest in a decanter before serving in large Burgundy stems at 60 degrees. Also, no need to overthink the table companion for this wine—it’s all about instant gratification and doesn’t demand a perfect dish to show its stuff. I’m enjoying this bottle with a grilled, medium rare lamb burger. Add a little melted Vermont cheddar and aioli and you can’t go wrong!