J Christopher Basalte Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Gracefully structured, with a vibrant beam of cherry and raspberry flavors accented by stony minerality and dusky spices.  Builds richness toward refined tannins.

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

Attractively savory nose of mushrooms, sea urchins, cherries, slate and green strawberries.  It’s sleek, savory and mineral, with a medium body, fine-grained tannins and a more stony finish.  Unfiltered.

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

An aroma pleasingly similar to a grape popsicle collides with notes of wet granite, rose petals and clove.  Bright red raspberry and cranberry flavors are joined by dark chocolate and coriander.  Gentle acidity and soft tannins make for easy sipping.

 

J. Christopher Wines

 

Produced in Oregon’s Northern Willamette Valley, the range of J. Christopher Wines follows a patient winemaking approach that clearly expresses the unique character of their cool-climate roots.  Owned by the renowned Mosel winegrower, Ernst “Erni” Loosen (of Dr. Loosen), the wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the finest sustainably-managed vineyards in the area.

 

The goal of J. Christopher Wines is to showcase the Old World finesse and elegance that Erni has always pursued in his German wines.  As he puts it, “We want to make wines that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture, while expressing their individual origins.”  The key to this is unhurried winemaking, which allows the wines to evolve at their own pace, with a minimum of intervention.

 

J Christopher Basalte Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019

 

The Basalte Pinot Noir is our bedrock bottling from the Willamette Valley.  It is sourced from vineyards that have fairly thin volcanic clay topsoil over fractured basalt.  This type of very rocky soil lends itself to muscular, firmly structured wines, with persistent length.  The Basalte captures this expressive character of the soil, with deep red fruit and a fine tannic structure that maintains elegant style.

 

 

J. Christopher Wines

 

Old World Patience.  New World Curiosity

 

J. Christopher has been named a Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100 Winery 

four times in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

 

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.

 

Over the last decade, J. Christopher has earned international acclaim and has been named a Wine & Spirits World Top 100 Winery in multiple years.  Today, under the experienced hand of winemaker Timothy Malone, our Pinot Noirs, Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, Rosés and Rieslings continue to showcase the Old-World style that first attracted Erni to J. Christopher – a style that Erni has always maintained in his German wines.  It’s a patient 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 tasting room and garden patio to enjoy a glass or two.

 

At J. Christopher Wines, Sustainability isn’t just a way of business, it’s a way of life.

 

Like any responsible winegrower, we recognize that our livelihood depends on our proactive efforts to maintain healthy soil, healthy vines and a healthy relationship with the earth.  This responsibility guided us in our choice of sites, design and materials for the J. Christopher Winery, and it continues to guide our practices in the vineyards and cellar.

 

Our Appassionata Vineyard was thoughtfully planned to minimize the impact on the land and to foster a biodiverse ecosystem.  We preserved many of the property’s magnificent oak trees, and left a wooded area and wetlands untouched to maintain an active wildlife corridor.

 

When we discovered a huge honeybee colony living in a tree that did need to be removed, we relocated that section of the tree to another part of the property, where the hive continued to thrive for many years.  Other trees that were removed provided the wood for the bars and tables throughout our tasting room, the colorful flooring in the loft, and even our coat rack.

 

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Gracefully structured, with a vibrant beam of cherry and raspberry flavors accented by stony minerality and dusky spices.  Builds richness toward refined tannins.

 

 

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

An aroma pleasingly similar to a grape popsicle collides with notes of wet granite, rose petals and clove.  Bright red raspberry and cranberry flavors are joined by dark chocolate and coriander.  Gentle acidity and soft tannins make for easy sipping.