J. Christopher Pinot Noir Basalt 2018
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.
| Country | America |
|---|---|
| Region | Oregon |
| Appellation | Willamette Valley |
| Winery | J. Christopher |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Color | Red |
| Varietal(s) | 100% Pinot Noir |
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.
| Country | America |
|---|---|
| Region | Oregon |
| Appellation | Willamette Valley |
| Winery | J. Christopher |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Color | Red |
| Varietal(s) | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Closure | Natural Cork |
|---|---|
| Volume | 750ml |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
| Product Code | 2096818 |
| UPC | 8-10404-02052-4 |
Winery Description
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.