Terroir-focused wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley...Northern Willamette Valley, the J....
Transcript of Terroir-focused wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley...Northern Willamette Valley, the J....
jchristopherwines.com
THE J. CHRISTOPHER WINERY Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, in Oregon’s
Northern Willamette Valley, the J. Christopher winery
focuses on Pinot Noir made using the traditional methods of
the Old World. Owned by renowned Mosel winegrower,
Ernst “Erni” Loosen (owner of the Dr. Loosen estate), the
wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from
excellent and well-managed vineyards in the Willamette
Valley.
The philosophy at J. Christopher is to produce terroir-
driven wines in an Old World style that emphasizes focus,
length and balance. As Erni puts it, “We want to make wines
that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture, while
expressing their unique origins.” The key to this is patient
winemaking — it is vital not to rush things and allow the
wines to develop naturally. We want the wines to evolve at
their own pace, with a minimum of intervention.
THE APPASSIONATA VINEYARD Named for the high-end “Appassionata” cuvée that launched
Erni’s foray into Oregon Pinot Noir, the estate vineyard
surrounding the winery has been planted with various clones
of Pinot Noir. Planting of the suitable 22 acres (of a 40-acre
property) was done over a four year period, starting in 2010.
In addition to Pinot Noir, there is a one-acre block of
Sauvignon Blanc and a bit of Chardonnay.
The Appassionata vineyard is being farmed according to
sustainable, environmentally sensitive practices. No pesti-
cides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are used, only organic
soil amendments (including compost made from the winery’s
own pomace) and some biodynamic treatments for vine
health. While we practice dry farming, we do make rare
hand-watering exceptions when newly planted vines are
struggling to get established.
ERNST LOOSEN INVESTS IN OREGON
As a young man working in the family winery, Erni discovered
the wines of Burgundy and developed a deep, lifelong passion
for Pinot Noir. Later, with many friends and a wine import
business in Oregon, he recognized early on that there was
something very special going on in Oregon’s Willamette Valley,
and he wanted to be a part of it.
When he met Oregon winemaker Jay Somers, who was
making a small-production Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
called J. Christopher, Erni was immediately impressed. Here,
he thought, was a New World wine made in the Old-World
style, with great structure and expression of terroir. The two
soon began collaborating on a high-end Pinot that they
named Appassionata. In 2009, Erni cemented his investment
in Oregon by purchasing 40 acres on Chehalem Mountain in
Newberg, planting the Appassionata Vineyard, and building
an energy-efficient, eco-friendly winery where the Appas -
sionata and J. Christopher wines are produced.
Over the last decade, J. Christopher has earned interna-
tional acclaim and has been named a Wine & Spirits Top 100
Winery multiple times. Our wines, including our new GG
Riesling, continue to showcase the Old-World style that first
attracted Erni to J. Christopher – a style the Erni has always
maintained in his German wines. It’s an unhurried approach
to winemaking that gives each wine the opportunity to fully
express where it comes from, whether it’s the Old World or
the New. We hope you’ll come visit the J. Christopher tast-
ing room and garden patio to enjoy a glass or two.
Construction of the J. Christopher winery was completed in fall 2011, just in time for the harvest. The estate vineyards were planted over several years and began to produce fruit in 2013.
Terroir-focused wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley
J. CHRISTOPHER WINES ON THE MAP
jchristopherwines.com
BEDROCK WINES Cuvée Lunatique Chardonnay, Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc Basalte Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains
SPECIAL-SELECTION WINES Volcanique Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills Lumière Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills
SINGLE-VINEYARD WINES Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains Medici Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains Bella Vida Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills Bieze Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills
APPASSIONATA LATE-RELEASE WINES Appassionata Riesling GG (Grosses Gewächs style) Appassionata Pinot Noir (released 10 years after vintage)
Appassionata Vineyard & J. Christopher Winery
The Wines of J. Christopher