International Wine Report - (96 Points)
A blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46%
Merlot make up the 2021 Archimage Reserve from Sleight of Hand. Aged in about 40% new French oak, it offers up bountiful amounts of dark plum, boysenberries, cassis, forest herbs, and dusty country road aromas.
Tannins are in check and are sweet and rounded, helped out by the lush acidity and the herbaceous finish. 676 cases made. Highly recommended. 2024-2034
Sean P Sullivan NW Wine Report - (93 Points)
Cabernet Franc (54%) takes the lead on this wine, followed by Merlot, with fruit coming from the winery's estate blocks at Red Mountain and Blue Mountain vineyards. Aged 20 months in French oak (41% new), the aromas offer notes of flower, fresh savory herb, cherry compote, graphite, dried tobacco, licorice, and Red Vines, still quite locked up but offering plentiful complexity. Plump-feeling but still soft, refined blue and red fruit flavors follow. There's impressive tannic structure behind it all. The finish just won't quit. Best from 2027 to 2036. 14.7 % alcohol.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - (94-96 Points)
Tasted as a barrel sample, the 2021 The Archimage is aging in just over 40% new oak. Juicy, fresh and ripe with healthy, polished dark red and black fruit aromas, the wine is softly herbal with delightfully dusty florals. Medium to full-bodied, it will be a blockbuster when released and will have no trouble filling its shoes. Get in line for this ripe, juicy and pure expression of The Archimage. It is set to be bottled this June and then should be released in spring 2024.
Owen Bargreen - (94 Points)
The Right Bank-inspired 2021 Sleight of Hand "The Archimage Reserve Red Wine is a silky blend of 54% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Merlot mostly sourced from the Binaural Block at the Blue Mountain Vineyard. This is very seamless once in the mouth, with a great sense of texture, weight and bright underlying acidity. Salty accents combine with pure red fruits, menthol, and red bell pepper flavors on the palate. Dense and heady in its youth, give this an hour in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2024-2040
Jeb Dunnuck - (93+ Points)
The 2021 Archimage Reserve Red Wine (54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot) has a gorgeous bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, damp flowers, iron, and some gamey, underbrush, meaty nuances. Medium-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced, it has a focused, fresh, firmer style that will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age. It will have 15 years of overall longevity. There were 675 cases produced.
Vinous - (94 Points)
The 2021 Red Wine The Archimage Reserve is simply stunning, with a bouquet that blends sweet dark florals and exotic spices with dried black cherries and mentholated herbs. It's elegant and seductive on the palate, with textures of pure silk and ripe red and blue fruits all perfectly offset by a core of vibrant acidity. Tactile minerals add grip toward the close. The 2021 tapers off dramatically long and spicy, leaving a gentle tug of edgy tannins and leaving the mouth watering for more. The Archimage is showing beautifully, but patience is recommended.
