Cristom - Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Mt. Jefferson Cuvée 2022
Price: $55.99
Sale Price: $42.99
Producer | Cristom |
Country | United States |
Region | Oregon |
Subregion | Willamette Valley |
Varietal | Pinot Noir |
Vintage | 2022 |
Sku | 00065 |
Size | 750ml |
“The nose is fresh and shows great depth with raspberry crumble, dried wild strawberries, orange peel and milk chocolate shavings. Medium- to full-bodied with lots of spicy, crunchy red fruit, tangy acidity, firm tannins and a long finish.” JS
One of our top performers from the most recent Pinot Noir showdown in Chapel Hill, Cristom Vineyards has become a real benchmark producer in the Willamette Valley over the last 20+ years. They rely on whole-cluster fermentation with natural yeasts for their Pinot Noirs. They also prefer an unfiltered style of wine that leaves you with that ever-so-slight velvety texture, which I love (as did most everyone at our Pinot tasting)!
The Mt. Jefferson cuvee is a blend of their four Estate vineyards (Eileen, Jessie, Louise and Marjorie), supplemented by a small amount of fruit from other local vineyards that have been selected for their unique characteristics, allowing the winemaking team to consistently create a wine that is truly the “Ultimate Expression”, as they put it, of the entire Willamette Valley.
Compared with it’s Estate Vineyard “big brothers”, this is a wine that is very approachable at a young age. After fermentation, it rests in French oak for a full year, only 12% new though, which leaves it feeling as fresh as the day it was picked.
Vintage note from the winery on 2015- “Much like a twin to the 2014 vintage, 2015 will be remembered as a warm year that produced extremely high-quality fruit of great intensity -- and also like 2014, the 2015 wines will likely one day be remembered among the better vintages in Willamette Valley winegrowing history. In 2015, the Pinot Noir vines got off to a warm and dry start with the earliest budbreak (March!) ever recorded at our estate – a full 3 weeks earlier than our twenty-five-year average.”
My ideal food pairing for this wine is a mushroom risotto with seared duck breast. If you want to go vegetarian or you’re intimidated by the idea of pan searing duck breasts, feel free to leave it out and maybe add some asparagus or fresh peas. I prefer shitakes or morels if you can find them. When the risotto is just about done throw the fresh mushrooms in a really hot skillet with a dab of butter and get a good quick sear on them without cooking them through and making them too soggy. Top the plated risotto with the shrooms instead of mixing it all together, again so they don’t get too soggy!
Jeb Dunnuck: 94 Points
"The 2022 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard Mt. Jefferson Cuvee is gorgeous out of the gate, offering a floral and fresh profile revealing notes of incense and ripe wild raspberries. Medium-bodied and elegant but structured, it has a mouth-filling, rich texture, with ripe tannins and great energy. The acidity is even and ripe, but there’s still vibrant energy to it."
Vinous Media: 93 Points
“Wildly exotic, the 2022 Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee captivates with its seductive blend of dried flowers, incense, rosemary and dried strawberries. This is wonderfully fresh, nearly crunchy in feel, with stimulating acidity offsetting its tart red fruits and hints of sour red citrus that pucker the cheeks. The 2022 finishes with youthful tension, lightly structured yet cooling and fresh, leaving suggestions of tart raspberry. About 52% whole cluster fermentation.”
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