J. Christopher
J. Christopher is owned by Ernst “Erni” Loosen, the internationally acclaimed winemaker behind Germany’s Dr. Loosen and Villa Wolf estates. Erni has a lifelong passion for Pinot Noir, and he recognized in the early 1990s that there was something very special going on here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. He became an avid collector of Oregon Pinot Noir, visiting the state often and establishing his U.S. import company here in 2003.
Erni was particularly drawn to the wines of J. Christopher. Here, he saw, was a New World wine made in the unhurried Old World style with finesse, a clear expression of terroir, and excellent aging potential. A collaboration soon followed with a finely selected, high-end Pinot that Erni named Appassionata, after the Beethoven piano sonata. A few vintages later, Erni cemented his investment in Oregon by purchasing 40 acres on Chehalem Mountain in Newberg, planting the Appassionata Vineyard, and building the winery where we continue to produce Appassionata and J. Christopher wines today.
| Website | www.jchristopherwines.com/ |
|---|---|
| Country | America |
| Region | Oregon |
| Appellation | Eola-Amity, Willamette Valley, Oregon, Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Mount Pisgah Polk County, Oregon, Yamhill-Carlton |
From this Winery
We had another very warm and dry year in 2018, the eighth hottest on record. But it was not as hot as the previous two years, and there were no extreme temperature spikes. This made for a balanced growing season with much less heat stress. As in 2017, cooler weather and a bit of cleansing rain came to us in September, which helped slow down the ripening, while retaining freshening acidity. The wines are characterized by fruit that is rich and dense, but not overripe, supported by juicy acidity and a fine, ripe tannins.
Named in tribute to Django Rheinhart’s “Nuages,” one of winemaker Jay’s favorite gypsy jazz tunes, the Nuages Pinot Noir is selected from the winery’s neighboring vineyards in the Chehalem
Mountains AVA. The name “Nuages,” which is French for “clouds,” also pays homage to the moderating influence of
Oregon’s autumn cloud cover, which slows ripening to allow for the long hang time that creates fully developed flavors.
Über-Sauvignon is a barrel-fermented, single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from our own Appassionata estate vineyard, which surrounds our winery in the Chehalem Mountains. It is fermented and matured in large (600-liter) acacia barrels, which add complexity and a refined texture to its mineral-driven aromas and bracing acidity. A small portion is fermented in a concrete egg, which also adds depth and texture. Although not widely planted in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, we believe that Sauvignon Blanc is ideal for this climate and makes fantastic wine here.
A special barrel-selection Pinot Noir that captures the firml structured character of the Eola-Amity Hills appellation.
The Eola-Amity Hills AVA lies about 15 miles southwest of the winery, where a notch through the Coast Range allows cool ocean winds to flow in from the west, dropping temperatures dramatically during late summer afternoons. This helps to retain firm acidity in the fruit. The 2018 Lumière is a blend of selected barrels from two vineyards: Bieze, in the heart of the Eola Hills, and En Gedi, which is in the northern Walnut Hill area of the appellation.
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The Volcanique cuvée is a selection of outstanding barrels from vineyards we work with in the Dundee Hills. The wine showcases the savory quality, the fruit purity, and the fine-grained texture that characterizes the deep, red volcanic clay of these hills. The 2017, a blend of Pommard and Wädenswil clones from La Colina vineyard, is a perfect example, with its elegant red fruit aromas, delicate structure and seamless length.