2015 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills

Acclaimed Pinot From An Oregon Powerhouse

The plaudits achieved by Cristom Vineyards could fill a book. Decanter has titled them “Top Oregon Pinot.” The wines have made five appearances on the Wine Spectator Top 100 in the last decade. In its annual restaurant poll, Wine & Spirits found that Cristom was the “#1 Pinot Noir on restaurant wine lists in America.” Demand is off the charts.

In 2015, owner Tom Gerrie and winemaker Steve Doerner outdid themselves with one of their finest jewels yet, pulling down dual 94-point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Vinous. Giving up exuberant ripe red fruit and spice and silky tannins, this bottle hails from the legendary Jessie Vineyard, among the steepest in Oregon, and blessed with gorgeous fruit in the historically great 2015 vintage. $65 on release. $54.99 only at Wine Access—a savings of 15% percent. An incredible value from what many consider to be Oregon’s all-time greatest Pinot house.

Tom Gerrie, the owner and winegrower of Cristom Vineyards, was raised on the Willamette Valley estate from the age of 8, working the land and absorbing the lessons of his father, Paul. The elder Gerrie purchased the property in 1992, with one site in particular catching his eye: an 11-acre plot situated on a steep, wooded hillside, reaching up to 550 feet in elevation. He began planting Pommard and Dijon clones there in 1994, naming the site after his paternal grandmother, Jessie Summers. Today, the Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir is among the brightest lights in Cristom’s all-star line-up, characterized by rich purple and blue floral aromas, stony minerality, and dark, velvety texture.

A number of variables align to make this site so special. High vine density forces roots to spider deep into the shallow, Columbia River basalt soils at the top of the hill, making for smaller clusters whose berries are packed with concentration. The climate is a study in moderation with warm days balanced by cool nights, and gusting 25 mph Pacific Ocean winds helping to even out hotter summer temperatures, resulting in fruit with bright acidity and superb structure and length. Farming follows biodynamic and non-interventionist principles.

Across Oregon, 2015 was a game-changing vintage, with Wine Spectator writing that it “could be the state’s most extraordinary vintage,” and pinning on 95-points. At Cristom, Gerrie and Doerner met with the earliest budbreak in estate history thanks to a warm, dry start to the growing season that continued into May. Ideal conditions made for a rare occurrence: a large fruit set with exceptionally high quality, combining elegance and power. By leaving more clusters on the vine, the team managed a longer hang-time for the grapes, allowing ripeness and sugars to accumulate incrementally. The result is this critical darling, loaded with rich fruit and spice. We wish we had more to go around—as with past Cristom offers, it will likely sell out fast.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 14.00%
• Enjoy right away
• Drink Up
• % Pinot Noir
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork