Rhinestones Bow & Arrow, Scott and Dana Frank, Portland 2022

Scott and Dana Frank, Portland 

Scott Frank of Bow & Arrow beys the rule of the Loire. For him it involves sourcing the right vineyards and farmers who understand his requirements for grapes that pack fruit and acid in equal measure.

Despite Oregon’s constant comparisons to Burgundy, it’s the Loire Valley that inspires Scott Frank’s wines. He only started bottling in 2010 but has quickly earned a reputation for bringing a bit of the Loire to the Pacific Northwest. They source fruit from vineyards planted by some of Oregon’s earliest ‘wine pioneers’ that were planted with grapes like old vine Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, and Melon de Bourgogne – all typical Loire Valley grapes. These carefully sourced grapes are treated with the greatest care and minimal-intervention winemaking techniques. Their resulting wines are a breath of fresh (French) air from Oregon, lighter in style, lower in alcohol, and extremely food-friendly.

To understand Rhinestones we have to talk about the Cheverny region of France’s Loire Valley where, by law, the Pinot and Gamay fruit we source from Johan Vineyard.  The blend is determined by nature and vintage.  Aged in a mixture of concrete and old barriques, this wine is the flagship of the Bow & Arrow operation and communicates what we’re about as much as anything we make.  

A blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir from the Johan Vineyard, Rhinestones is inspired by Cheverny, a typical Loire valley red of the same blend. Ripe, juicy black cherry aromas lead to a mid-weight palate full of flavours of tart blackberries, earthy moss, and snappy acidity. 

Grapes: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Gamay

Biodynamic