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Pfitscher Winery Tasting Room

STORY

It all started in the tasting room of the Pfitscher family’s winery in Italy’s Südtirol. Aric and Erin, Oregon natives with a shared love of cool-climate wines, were tasting the Pinot Noir being poured by winemaker Hannes Pfitscher, who himself had interned in Oregon. But in terroir of the Dolomites, these familiar grapes were something quite different. And sadly, also unavailable in the US.

So what happens when two CEOs dream and scheme from a terrace overlooking old- town Bolzano, glasses of Alpine wine in hand? A wine business, of course. The truth is that Archetyp has been manifesting for decades. Aric took a wrong turn after business school and joined a large consulting firm rather than the winery job that stole his heart. Convinced he’d taken the wrong fork in the road, he stayed close to his passion by consulting in the industry, working harvests, and volunteering for the occasional cellar rat gig. Now, together, they’ve returned to the path and founded Archetyp to share the wines and lifestyle of a region they share a passion for – the Alps.

An “Archetype” is defined as the original pattern from which copies are made, the pure forms which embody the fundamental characteristics of a thing. Spelled “Archetyp” in German, we took our name to represent our desire to introduce you to the archetypal wines of Alpine Europe – with a particular focus on artisanal wines hand-tended and hand-made by independent producers, many of whom are treading their own paths as pioneering young and diverse winemakers.

Who We Are
Purpose & Values
Social Responsibility
Partners We Support

Aric and Erin, founders of Archetyp Wines

WHO WE ARE

ARIC WOOD
ERIN GRAHAM

PURPOSE & VALUES

Archetyp’s purpose is to inspire curiosity around Alpine culture and to nurture a community celebrating Alpine wines and people behind them.

Archetyp is guided by five heartfelt values:

Inclusive Community:
We welcome everyone to discover diverse winemakers
and deepen their understanding of Alpine wine.

Learning Together:
We seek to gain and share insights about the region, its people, culture, and wines.

Collaborative Curation:
We curate and tailor our offerings for the tastes and interests of our community.

Playfulness:
We revel in new discoveries, fun, and joy.

Sustainability:
We are committed to operating as a climate-positive and conscious business, integrating environmental and social considerations into everything we do.


OUR COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Archetyp recognizes that we have a responsibility to work and cooperate with others for the welfare of the society and our environment. Specifically:

  • We have an environmental social responsibility and are committed to operating our business as a climate-positive entity that makes decisions that are friendly to our environment and work to reverse climate change.
  • We have an ethical and human rights social responsibility and will work to correct injustice and support human rights for all.
  • We have a philanthropic corporate responsibility and will share our privilege with organizations that share our values.
  • We have an economic corporate responsibility and will make all financial decisions with a commitment to making a positive impact for all of our stakeholders.
Giving back at Bergwald Projekt “Österreich Plus Montafon

PARTNERS WE SUPPORT

Archetyp supports organizations that share our values and social commitment to our community. We invite you to join us in our collaborations with these great organizations:

We support transhumance (and cheese!)

We support Alpine reforestation

Ecologi logo

We plant a tree for every order

We support equity for all

We support independent wine journalism


PRESS

There’s an Alpine Wine Revolution in Motion ( What’s in that Bottle? February 2024)

The Ascent of Alpine Wine (Wine Enthusiast: August 2023)

Portland CEOs start a niche wine business with no small ambition (Portland Business Journal: August 2023)

Alpine Wines Uncovered (Wines to Find Podcast: June 2023)

Alpine Wines Get New Scouts (Trink: May 2023)

Switzerland’s Most Exciting Wines Are Finally Coming to the U.S. (SevenFifty Daily:December 2022)

Wines with a View at Winkler-Hermaden (Trink: December 2021) 

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