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DAYTON, Ore., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Archery Summit, the acclaimed Dundee Hills winery known for crafting exceptional estate grown Pinot Noir, is pleased to introduce a new general manager/winemaker, Christopher Mazepink.  Beginning in April, Mazepink will manage all vineyard and winemaking operations, working with long time director of vineyard operations Leigh Bartholomew.  This includes the oversight of six estate vineyards across 120 acres in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

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"Christopher Mazepink's extensive Oregon winegrowing expertise and familiarity with the unique terroir of the Willamette Valley make him a natural fit," said Erle Martin, CEO, Crimson Wine Group.  "He brings with him an impressive pedigree, having consistently received 90-point scores for his wines in outlets including Wine Spectator, The Wine Advocate, and Pinot Report, and has had multiple wines included in the "Top 100" lists of Wine Spectator and Wine & Spirits."

After Mazepink's graduate studies in Fermentation Science at Oregon State University, he began his impressive career as an assistant winemaker at Lemelson Vineyards, an ultra-premium winery located in Carlton, Ore, in 2002.  From there, he went on to become the assistant winemaker at Shea Wine Cellars in Newberg, Ore., known for producing small production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  There, he was promptly promoted to winemaker in 2004, within the first year of his hire.  In 2008, he took the reigns as director of winemaking and viticulture at Benton Lane Winery in Monroe, Ore., where he oversaw all vineyard and winemaking operations for the 26,000-case production winery, including a 145-acre estate vineyard.

At Archery Summit, Mazepink's focus will be on expanding the winery's impressive Pinot Noir program, which already has a reputation among the finest of new world Pinot Noir, as well as raising the profile of the winery's Pinot Gris production.  Previously only producing small batches of the varietal, Archery Summit is releasing its first nationally distributed Pinot Gris, sourced from a small collection of Willamette Valley vineyards, this spring.

"This is a dream job for a winemaker who specializes in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris," said Mazepink. "I firmly believe that the best wines in Oregon are made from the Dundee Hills and Ribbon Ridge AVAs.  With Archery Summit's six estate vineyards planted in these regions, we have all the ingredients to build upon the winery's past successes.  I am thrilled to join this established team, in both the winery and vineyard, and look forward to leading the company forward in its 20^th anniversary year."

Mazepink replaces long-term winemaker Anna Matzinger, who has been with the winery since 1999.  After playing an instrumental role in hand-selecting Mazepink as her successor, she will be leaving her full-time position at the end of March and will remain as a consultant through the end of 2013.

For more information regarding Archery Summit, visit www.archerysummit.com.

About Archery Summit

Since its inception in 1993, Archery Summit has been devoted to crafting exceptional Pinot Noir from its 120 acres across six estate vineyards.  Inspired by the remarkable growing conditions provided by the Willamette Valley, Archery Summit approaches each step of the winemaking process with particular thoughtfulness and care.  This rich tradition has driven an international reputation that is among the finest of new world Pinot Noir.

Modeled after the subterranean cellars of the Côte d'Or, and hewn from the natural volcanic rock found beneath the estate, Archery Summit's underground caves provide ideal aging conditions for Pinot Noir.  Visitors may explore this amazing underground labyrinth with a tour of the winery, and see first-hand how the architecture is critical to the production of Archery Summit's world-class wines.

Archery Summit is open for tastings Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The winery also hosts both exclusive wine club events and consumer events throughout the year, including private wine tastings, gourmet food and wine pairings, winemaker dinners and club pick-up parties.

www.archerysummit.com

SOURCE Archery Summit