Cristom Vineyards named 2023 Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery of the Year

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Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery of the Year: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012

Profiled in Ray Isle’s book, The World in a Wineglass: The Insider’s Guide to Artisinal, Sustainable Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now

Jeb Dunnuck, Top 100 Wines of 2023, 2021 Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir

Wine Enthusiast, Top 100 Cellar Selections of the Year, 2021 Louise Vineyard Chardonnay

Decanter, One of the Top 5 Chardonnays of Willamette Valley’s 2021 Vintage, 2021 Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay

JancisRobinson.com Featured Wine of the Week, December 8, 2023, 2021 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir

Wine Spectator, Top 100 Wines of 2019, Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir

Wine & Spirits, #1 OREGON PINOT NOIR IN AMERICA’S TOP RESTAURANTS: 2019, 2018,
2017, 2016

Wine & Spirits, Top 50 Pinot Noirs, 2022

Wine & Spirits, Top 50 Wine Brands in America’s Top Restaurants: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Extraordinary Winery of the Year Nominee, 2020 Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Best Oregon Winery Nominee, 2017

Food & Wine Magazine, Best Oregon Wineries to Visit, 2016

Wine & Spirits, Years Best Chardonnay, 2020

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WINE SCORES & ACCLAIM


Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

2022 Vintage

95 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, November 2023
“Created by tasting each individual barrel and wanting to showcase the best of Eola-Amity Hills, the 2022 Mt Jefferson Cuvee Pinot Noir was aged for 10 months in 22% new French oak barrels. 52% whole cluster is used during fermentation, which gives it some added structure and tannins. Sporting a glimmering light to medium core with a light pink rim, this stunning Pinot Noir pops with notes of black cherries, red plum, anise, grated orange peel, sweet baking spice, and dried rose petals. Balanced texture across the palate, but the wine is very young, so give it 1-2 years in the bottle before enjoying. 2025-2035”

93 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

17+ “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Savoury rockiness with tactile elevated tannin…Brightness and elevated acidity. Long… 2024-2034 (SCJ)”

2021 Vintage

97 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, November 2022
I’m incredibly impressed with the 2021’s coming from the Cristom Estate, and this one is a perfect example of the phenomenal wines from the vintage. The Mt. Jefferson (Cuvée) Pinot Noir was just recently released, but it feels ready to drink now with impeccable balance, structure, and length. Notes of wild huckleberry, toasted anise, perfumed flowers, spiced red plum, and a hint of tangerine zest combine beautifully on the tongue. Delivering perfect balance, mouthwatering acidity, and rounded tannins, this will be a fun wine to watch over the next ten years to see how it evolves with age. Highly recommended. 2022-2032

93 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“…this is Cristom’s appellation wine, and it more than delivers, as they take the same approach they do with their single-vineyard bottlings…2023 – 2030″

92 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2023
“Warm and generous, Mt. Jeff is Cristom’s appellation wine, drawing largely from…” — P.J.C., 2/23

Gold Medal, 2023 TEXSOM Awards

2019 Vintage

97 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“This is very seductive on the nose with ripe strawberry, spice…”

95 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“The caliber of the 2019 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir, Cristom’s…” – Erin Brooks

93 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2022
The 2019 Mt. Jefferson Pinot Noir was a nice surprise for me because it way over-delivers for the price point. A fruit-forward nose of wild blueberry, mountain huckleberry, and a hint of dried hay – it’s a tad richer on the nose than some of the other Cristom Pinots. The fantastic palate brings flavors of blue fruit alongside notes of freshly tilled earth, a hint of toasted pine nuts, and just a spec of ground chocolate bar. Acidity is elevated, tannins are crunchy, and the medium body helps complete this outstanding wine. 11,000 cases were made. Best Buy.  2022-2030

92 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Brilliant ruby-red. Spice-accented red and blue fruits, candied rose and baking spices…”

92 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
Despite the obvious coolness of the vintage, the 2019 ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvée’ is not short on weight. With plenty of freshness, tons of astringent red fruits greet you, with hints of blood orange zest, pine needles and suggestions of loamy soils on the palate. The nice dusting of salinity adds to the enjoyment as this beautiful bottling is great to enjoy in its youth and surely will cellar well for another eight plus years. What a wine for the price! Drink 2021-2029

91 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt 
“… tight, herbal, steely wine with compact cranberry and wild raspberry fruit…” – Paul Gregutt, December 2021

90 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremey Young
Fruit that comes from 22 of the Cristom vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley, the Mt. Jefferson Cuvée is the most produced Pinot Noir from the estate at 9,655 cases and only ($40). It sees 40% whole cluster fermentation and rests for 11 months in 30% new French oak. Dominating the nose are aromas of red cherry, cranberry, blueberry, and lovely woodsy characteristic like a freshly shaved pencil. A lean but vibrant palate produced flavors of red raspberry and cranberry, ending with an herbaceous note on the mid-palate. It’s a lovely wine for the price point. 2022-2028

2018 Vintage

91 Points – The Wine Enthusiast
“An outstanding vintage for this entry-level Pinot, it opens with scents…” – Paul Gregutt

92 Points – Vinous
“Vivid ruby. Vibrant red currant, boysenberry and cherry aromas…” – Josh Raynolds

91 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“The 2018 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir is the first…” – Erin Brooks

94 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“A very spicy and fresh array of blueberries, ripe darker cherries…”

2017 Vintage

91 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, it’s scented of red and black cherries…” – Erin Brooks

92 Points – The Wine Spectator
“Expressive strawberry blossom and raspberry aromas open to elegantly structured…” – #73 of the Top 100 of 2019

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“An attractive array of rich red to dark cherries that delivers…”

2016 Vintage

93 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby…” – Erin Brooks

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“Seductively floral red-fruit and sweet-spice complexity to this cleverly styled…”

2015 Vintage

91 Points- Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Bright red. Fresh red berry and candied rose scents show…”

95 Points- JAMESSUCKLING.com
“The nose is fresh and shows great depth with raspberry crumble…”

91 Points- “Editor’s Choice”, The Wine Enthusiast 
“Mt. Jefferson Cuvée is a blend of the Cristom estate Pinot Noir…”

2014 Vintage

94 Points – JAMESSUCKLING.COM
“Aromas of walnuts, berries and spices with hints of orange peel…”

91 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous 
“Bright red. Forward, spice-accented aromas of fresh red berries, cola and lavender…”

90 points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“Has a lively, wild strawberry and candied orange peel scented…”


Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills

2021 Vintage

97 Points & Editor’s Choice –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2023
“Glistening medium ruby core with a shimmering bluish rim in the glass, the 2021 Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir is a masterclass of winemaking. About 45% whole cluster was used during fermentation to give it some added structure and tannin, while the aging takes place in 35% new French oak barrels, which deliver fantastic baking spice tones. The vineyard is at the very top of the hill, where winds are constantly buffeting the vines, creating grapes with very thick skins. Gorgeous aromas of lilac flowers, blue plums, cedary herbs, lemon verbena, and a touch of melted milk chocolate keep you coming back for more. Acidity is elevated alongside the crunchy and complex tannins that keep everything tied together. Better in 2024. 792 cases made. Highly recommended and editor’s choice. 2024-2038”

96 Points & #88 Top Wines of 2023 – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
“Full-bodied with a weightless feel, ripe, well-structured tannins, and a tension-packed, ripe core…”

96 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

95 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“…The resulting wine is a study in Eola-Amity terroir, a combination of soil diversity and those famed winds that make this place possible…2023 – 2035”

95 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com

92 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

92 Points – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

16.5 “Distinguished” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Tactile, lightly sandy tannin and high acid…Lavender, floral character to the finish. 2024-2030”

2019 Vintage

96 Points –Jamessuckling.com
“Dried-strawberry, rose-stem and wet-earth aromas follow through…”

96 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 
“Medium ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard is pure, delicate…” – Erin Brooks

96 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Saturated garnet. Vibrant red fruit, floral and exotic spice qualities…”

94 Points – Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2022
Presenting medium neon ruby with a purple rim in the glass, this age-worthy Pinot Noir from the Eilleen Vineyard should age wonderfully for the next 15 years or more with proper cellaring. Satiny smooth with flavors and aromas of mountain blueberry, wild huckleberry, crushed white peppercorn, powdered graphite, and a touch of hoisin sauce, it ends long and spicey on the back palate. 750 cases made.  2022-2037

94 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
My favorite of all the Cristom Pinot Noirs, this stunning wine comes from one of their coolest vineyards and delivers fresh and lively, complex notes of wild strawberry, toasted anise, black tea, wet autumn leaves, milk chocolate, and Mexican lime pith. The palate is wonderfully balanced between the racy acidity, medium tannins, and exquisite structure and finish. Secondary characteristics of burnt orange and dried thyme complete the wine. The wine does see 43% new French oak aging but it’s not as noticeable as that number makes it out to be.  It’s absolutely delicious. 749 cases produced.  2022-2030

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
The ‘Eileen Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is an homage to Cristom’s co-founder, Eileen Gerrie. Planted in 1997 this site encompasses 16.61 acres of Pinot Noir plantings.  Aromatically quite intense this moves from red fruits into dark fruits with baking spices, particularly cardamom taking center stage.  The palate is silky and refined with soft tannins that line a core of pretty red fruits, alongside Satsuma orange zest and peat moss tones. Salty and savory, with bright acidity, this beautiful wine has yet to fully hit its stride, but has massive potential.  Drink 2021-2035

93 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt
“The tight raspberry and cherry fruit is showcased with a dusting of cocoa…” – December 2021

92 points – Wine Spectator, Tim Fish
“Sinewy and coiled up with tension, this red offers brooding…”

2018 Vintage

95 Points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Deep scarlet. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes spice-tinged raspberry liqueur, cherry and potpourri, along with a deeper cola nuance and a hint of smoky minerality. Velvety and seamless on the palate, offering expansive red and blue fruit, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Shows impressive delineation and finishes extremely long and spicy, with polished tannins and resonating floral and cherry notes.

95 Points – JAMESSUCKLING.com
A complex nose with sappy, foresty notes framing ripe blueberries, red cherries and sultry, gently herbal, bunchy influence. The palate has impressive power and drive, packed with fresh red-cherry and boysenberry flavors. The acidity is a feature and holds a very long, supple and lively finish.

92 Points – Erin Brooks, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, December 2020
The 2018 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard was made with 48% whole clusters and aged 17 months in 57% new French oak. It has a medium ruby color and savory prosciutto and aniseed-laced rhubarb and cranberries plus loads of latent spices. The medium-bodied palate is fresh and silky, its juicy uplift is an excellent foil for its broody, spicy fruits, and it finishes long.

92 Points – P.J.C. (Wine & Spirits)
From the top end of the Cristom property, where the vines are the most exposed to the Van Duzer winds, this wine is spicy and tightly wound when first poured. The dark plum fruit is steeped in licorice-root notes, with a lovely concentration that lingers. It has the tannic backbone and the whole-cluster grip to match duck sausages.

2017 Vintage

95 Points – Wine & Spirits P.J.C.
This pinot, from the top elevations of Cristom’s property, topping out at 720 feet, dramatizes a tension between savory whole-cluster scents and luminous lean-fruit expression. It’s aromatically seductive, with its scents of clove and thyme, lavender and autumn leaves leading into dark cherry flavors. What’s most impressive, though, is the texture, firm but lively, with an acid-tannin matrix that drives the wine with firm, silky intensity.

94 Points – JAMESSUCKLING.com
This has a very bright array of rich red cherries, together with a herbal accent and a thread of rose-like perfume, as well as autumnal leaves and sweet, woody spices. The palate has very assertive red cherries with elegant tannins that are paper-fine, but have combined length and strength. Great detail here.

2016 Vintage

95 Points – JAMESSUCKLING.com
Very alluring, spice-laced, ripe red and black cherries, making a complex statement on the nose. The succulent and focused palate has a very considered feel with impressive balance and a long and focused, cherry core that delivers detailed textural allure.

2015 Vintage

95 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Lurid red. Intense, highly expressive aromas of raspberry preserves, cherry cola, Asian spices and incense carry a sexy floral overtone. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering sweet Chambord, rose pastille and five-spice powder flavors that become more energetic with air. Closes sappy, spicy and extremely long, delivering emphatic red fruit thrust, lingering florality and talc-y tannins that merge effortlessly into the energetic fruit.” Drinking Window 2021-2028

94+ points – Lisa Perotti Brown, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir Eileen gives bold raspberry preserves and red currant jelly notes with suggestions of chargrill meat, truffles, forest floor and cedar. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a solid backbone of grainy tannins and loads of freshness supporting the generous, muscular fruit, finishing with great persistence.” Drink Date 2017-2025

94 points – JAMESSUCKLING.COM
“A very refined and elegant nose but one that jumps out with orange zest, cranberries, citrus, slate, sour cherries, herbs and even pink grapefruit. Medium to full body, a firm yet structured, dusty tannins backbone, really fresh acidity and a long, zippy finish. Delicious now but better in 2019.”

2014 Vintage

95 points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
“Perhaps the best thing to be said about this wine is how much it compelled us to want to drink more of it. Grown at Cristom’s highest-elevation vineyard, this is captivating from start to finish, by turns propulsive and generous, light and penetrating, invigorating in its earthy lavender scents, its wisp of bergamot and cherry. Fully ripe, it maintains a light tone, propelled by vigorous acidity and suspended by a pulsing, mineral grip.”

94 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Brilliant red. Highly frangrant, expansive scents of ripe red berries, Asian spices, blood orange and candied rose; a smoky mineral element builds in the glass. Silky and seamless in texture, offering palate-staining raspberry and floral pastille flavors that show a striking interplay of depth and vivacity. Closes sweet, gently tannic and impressively long, delivering lingering notes of emphatic red berry, spice and floral pastille.”

94 points – JAMESSUCKLING.COM
“Subtle aromas of cedar, dark berries, tea and orange peel follow through to a full to medium body, compacted fruit and a fine tannin backbone. Excellent acidity as well. Drink in 2019.”


Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills

2021 Vintage

96 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2023

95 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“Winemaker (and vineyard manager) Daniel Estrin refers to the Jessie Pinot as a velvet sledgehammer, saying ‘this site has power and intensity with smooth edges.’…2023 – 2033”

94 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

94 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com

93 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

91 Points – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

17.5 “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Incredibly elegant nose…Structured and spicy palate with velvety tannin…2023-2033”

2019 Vintage

96 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“The aromas are pretty amazing here with dried flowers, pure fruit…”

96 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 
“The 2019 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard offers notable layering and purity this vintage…” – Erin Brooks

95 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Dark garnet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits…”

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
Planted back in 1994 ‘Jessie Vineyard’ is a steep, east-facing hillside site that was named after winegrower-owner Tom Gerrie’s great-grandmother Jessie Sommers. The aromas coming from the glass are quite literally a spice rack, as pretty guava and Yakima cherry tones collide with the spicy under currents.  The palate is refined with a beautiful texture and good length. Layers of red fruits and citrus rind combine with damp earth and stony undertones on the palate. Finishing very long, this glorious effort is great to savor right now and will provide drinking enjoyment over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Drink 2021-2036

93 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
Red raspberry, wet earth, Earl Gray tea dominate the nose of this gorgeous Pinot Noir from Cristom that sees 45% whole cluster fermentation and is aged in 42% new French oak barrels. An expressive palate of black raspberry, black cherry, brown mushroom, mocha powder, and a touch of saline melds well with the medium-plus tannin and medium-high acidity, and lengthy finish.  769 cases produced.  2022-2030

92 points – Wine Spectator, Tim Fish
“Dense yet refined, with multilayered dark berry, sandalwood and black tea…”

92 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt
“A light touch of compost adds texture and detail to this wine…”

2018 Vintage

99 Points – Jamessuckling.com
This dramatically steep site delivers a wine of real personality and distinctiveness. The nose has a very layered mix of red cherries and berries with some plums, leaves, dry stones, forest wood and a wealth of sweetly fragrant spices. The palate holds such intensity and concentrated flavor with striking focus and drive. Mouthwateringly fresh red-cherry flavors are delivered in essence-like mode and hold long, on a super vibrant, explosive finish. The star of 2018 at Cristom and indeed for Willamette Valley pinot per se.

94 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
The 2018 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard was made with 46% whole clusters and aged 17 months in 51% new French oak. Medium ruby, it has an incredible perfume of broody earth, licorice and lilac with concentrated blueberry and cranberry fruit. The medium-bodied palate is silky and expansive, offering loads of perfume and powerful fruit in a seamless, feathery frame, finishing very long. What a beauty! 859 cases produced. – 30 December 2020

93 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
Limpid ruby-red. Ripe red berries, cherry cola, exotic spices and a hint of potpourri on the deeply perfumed nose. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering spice-tinged black raspberry, cherry liqueur and rose pastille flavors complemented by subtle licorice and mocha nuances. A smoky quality builds with air and carries through a long, youthfully tannic finish that echoes the cherry note.

93 Points – P.J.C. Wine & Spirits
Named for Paul Gerrie’s grandmother, Jessie is an 11-acre vineyard that’s among the Willamette’s steepest. In 2018, the wine leads with a smoky, austere expression of those shallow soils, viewed through a lens of cluster spice. But bright, warm cherry flavor comes bursting through the austere frame, mouthfilling and delicious. This is still far from peak expression; cellar it.

2017 Vintage

97 Points Jamessuckling.com
A very distinctive nose with a wild array of red berries and cherries and a thread of blue fruit, too. There’s a dried wild-rose perfume and a violet-like thread with subtle, herbal-based notes. It’s a moving target in the glass with incredible complexity. This has a gift of revelation. The palate has a very assertive edge with a powerful core of intense tannins that carry a spicy thread of rich dark cherries and dark plums in a defined, savory and athletic stance. A star of the vintage. Drink over the next decade or more.

92 Points – P.J.C Wine & Spirits
Like a Highland single malt, this leads with scents of peat and pepper. The flavors fall deftly between plum, black cherry and savor, with a suave texture that belies a granular intensity, succulent and energetic for veal marsala.

2016 Vintage

94 Points –Jamessuckling.com
There’s a sense of resolve from the get-go here with very pure red and darker cherries making a youthful impression. The palate has a succulent and finely detailed array of well-judged tannins that frame the finish very neatly. Good depth and detail here.

93 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
The 2016 Jessie comes from Cristom’s steepest vineyard, an east-facing slope planted in 1994. It’s so attractive that, at first, you may miss its complexity. Sure, it has the Earl Grey tea character that’s typical of the winery’s whole-cluster style, but it’s surrounded by a bright dark-berry flavor, gentle and clean, lightly propelled by savory spice.

2015 Vintage

94 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Vivid red. Ripe red fruits, potpourri and a hint of blood orange on the assertively perfumed nose, lifted by a vibrant mineral quality. Silky and precise on the palate, offering alluringly sweet, spice-tinged cherry and raspberry liqueur flavors and a hint of five-spice powder. Becomes richer with air, with no loss of vibrancy, and finishes with powerful, spicy thrust, fine-grained tannins and an exotic floral pastille note that lingers with serious tenacity.” Drinking Window 2021-2027

94 points – Lisa Perotti Brown, The Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard is scented of kirsch, mulberries and raspberry tart with underlying Chinese five spice, hoisin and mossy bark hints. Medium-bodied, there’s a very seductive mid-palate of red berry and exotic spice flavors, supported by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with spicy layers.” Drink Date 2017-2024

92 points – JAMESSUCKLING.COM
“Aromas of plums, raspberries and orange skin to this pinot noir. Light to medium body, firm tannins and a pretty finish. Drink now or hold.”

2014 Vintage

94 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Deep red. Ripe black raspberry and cherry cola scents are complemented by suggestions of exotic floral oils, Indian spices and woodsmoke. Plush, sweet and sappy on the palate, offering concentrated red and dark berry and cherry liqueur flavors that become more lively with aeration. In a rich but decidedly vibrant style, thanks to a spine of juicy acidity. Finishes smooth, focused and extremely long, with building spiciness and smooth, gently gripping tannins.”

93 points – Rusty Gaffney M.D., The Prince of Pinot
“Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. The aromas are varied and include cherry, rose petal, spice, earth and oak. Noticeable vigor in a mid weight styled wine with flavors of cherry, raspberry, spice and floral goodness. A little more masculine and “grounded” than the Marjorie with a little more structural tannins and perhaps a little less exuberant. The texture is refined and polished and there is noticeable intensity on the finish.”

2013 Vintage

93 points –  The Wine Enthusiast 
“Bright and brambly, this dense and textural wine brings strawberry and cherry fruit goodness front and center. It remains powerfully focused deep into a long finish, nuanced with cured meat and barrel toast.”

92 points – Wine Spectator Magazine
“Ruby-red. Highly perfumed scents of dark berries, cola and rose oil. Fleshy, expansive black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors display a suave blend of richness and energy, picking up a spicy character with air. Finishes juicy and very long, with lingering dark fruit flavors and slow-building tannins. Drinking window: 2019-2024.”


Louise Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills

2021 Vintage

95 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“…This site has a lot of geological complexity, and this structured Pinot will go the distance. 2023 – 2034”

95 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com

94 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

94 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2023

93 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

92 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

92 Points – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

17.5+ “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Darker fruit on the nose…Warming with brown-spice notes. Structurally very firm and tight…Very long. Brooding. 2025-2035”

2019 Vintage

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“I like the richness and freshness on the nose with strawberry…”

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
“…of the older Pinot Noir sites in the Willamette Valley, the ’Louise Vineyard’ was planted back in 1993, and was named after Cristom winegrower and owner Tom Gerrie’s great-grandmother, Louise Dinkelspiel. Once on the nose this takes on pretty red florals alongside Bing cherry and hints of wintergreen. Showing plenty of depth, concentration and length, the wine is a beautiful joyride spanning a range of red fruits woven together with smoky minerals, citrus rind and damp earthy tones. Finishing very long this beautiful 2019 Pinot Noir will surely cellar well for another fifteen years or more.  Drink 2021-2035

94 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Deep, vivid red. Vibrant red and blue fruit, floral and incense scents…”

94 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks 
“The 2019 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard has a medium ruby color…”

93 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
This stunning Pinot Noir from Cristom comes from their oldest vineyard which now is over 25 years old. The wine sees 45% whole cluster fermentation (which I can pick up a bit more in this wine than the others) and 37% new French oak barrels. Red and blue plum, cedary herbs, toasted cinnamon, and a touch of tar explode from the glass. More tart than ripe on the palate, you are greeted with red and black cherry, wet tilled earth, and a hint of toasted baking spice. It’s a nicely balanced wine, with ample acidity and tannin, that will improve over the next year or two and should age for a solid decade. 746 cases produced.  2022-2032

92 Points, Cellar Selection – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt 
“The first planted estate vines comprise this block, yielding a bright…”

91 points – Wine Spectator, Tim Fish
“Dense and a bit tight now, with concentrated blueberry and…”

2018 Vintage

96 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Very attractively vivid raspberry, strawberry and red-cherry aromas on offer here. This is really bathed in ripe fruit and expressed in a very pure mode. The palate has intensity of flavor and piercing depth. The red cherries and plums run so deep and crescendo into an explosive, upbeat finish. Wow factor is high.

95 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
Brilliant garnet. Assertive red berry preserve, cherry and floral aromas are complemented by sexy Asian spice, incense and smoky mineral accents. Shows impressive depth and sharp delineation on the palate, offering spice-tinged red and blue fruit liqueur, cola and spicecake flavors that pick up candied rose and blood orange nuances with air. Finishes extremely long and pure, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip to lingering black raspberry and five-spice powder notes.

93 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
The 2018 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1993-1995. This iteration was made with 49% whole clusters and was aged 17 months in 55% new French oak. The nose offers concentrated cranberries and rhubarb, blood orange and violet with accents of tobacco and prosciutto. Medium-bodied, the palate is powerful, concentrated, firmly framed and fresh, and it finishes very long and flavorful. It’s enjoyable now if you love a fully fruited Pinot, or it will age well in the cellar over the next 3-5+ years. 814 cases produced. – 30 December 2020

92 Points – P.J.C Wine & Spirits
From blocks mostly planted on Jory soils in 1993, this has a subtly smoky whole-cluster scent, along with a fair bit of oak, but the fruit has a rhubarb lift, tart, pretty and suave, with fine mineral tannins. For cumin-spiced pork.

2017 Vintage

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
This cuvée has a very energetic and intense feel with a wealth of fresh and attractive red cherries and raspberries, plenty of florals and subtle herbal, forest-wood and light-chocolate notes. There’s a very keenly articulated feel to the palate with a plush, very fleshy and assertively long, detailed finish. Deep fruit presence here. Drink across the next decade.

94 Points – P.J.C Wine & Spirits
Louise is one of Cristom’s warmer, low-elevation sites, with both Jory soils and flood deposits on its lower slopes. The wine is sleek and warm, with scents of tar and black cherries, and bright flavors of cherry and red plum delivered with polished tannins. It could age for years; then serve with quail.

2016 Vintage

96 Points – Jamessuckling.com
This delivers an ethereal and fragrant impression on the nose with a bright, red-fruit theme that is framed in sweet spices and flowers. The palate has a strong array of ripe red cherries with sappy complexity and crisply defined tannins. Impressive tension here. Needs time. Try from 2021.

92 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
The 2016 Louise is at once earthier and more fruit-driven than the 2016 Jessie Vineyard (also recommended in this issue). Leading with floral notes, it’s deeply flavored yet precise, the tannins holding the wine in a demonstrative grip, lasting with a sous bois scent.

2015 Vintage

94 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Deep red. Expansive, spice-accented red fruit and spicecake aromas show excellent clarity and pick up suggestions of cola and sandalwood with air. Juicy, focused and appealingly sweet, offering intense black raspberry, cherry pie and five-spice powder flavors that tighten up steadily on the back half. Shows outstanding energy and clarity and finishes sappy and impressively long, featuring discreet tannins and an emphatic echo of juicy red fruit.” Drinking Window 2021-2028

94 points – Lisa Perotti Brown, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard has a savory, almost meaty nose over a core of Black Forest cake, red currants, mulberries, cardamom and fenugreek with a touch of potpourri. Medium-bodied, the palate has exquisitely fine tannins and a lively line of acidity supporting generous, multi-layered red berry preserves and spice, finishing with impressive persistence and depth.” Drink Date 2017-2024

93 points – JAMESSUCKLING.COM
“This pinot noir shows light tobacco, raspberries and orange skin. Hints of cedar, too. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a vibrant finish. Drink from 2020.”

2014 Vintage

95 points – Rusty Gaffney M.D.,  The Prince of Pinot
“Light cherry red color in the glass. The aromas of crushed cherry, spice, rose petal, pine sap and vanilla oil draw your nose into the glass. A perfectly ripe core of dark red cherry essence fills every nook and cranny in the mouth and really clings to the finish. There are nuances galore, including accents of cardamom spice, boysenberry juice and subtle oak spices. The wine has noticeable energy and enough tannin for the long haul. Even more giving when tasting the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle exhibiting dreamy balance.”

93 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous 
“Dark red. Ripe dark berry, cherry, incense and floral pastille scents are accented by a strong note of smoky Indian spices. Sappy and seamless in texture, offering juicy, densley packed black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn sweeter with air. Shows impressive depth as well as vivacity, finishing with powerful, spicy thrust, gentle tannic grip and striking persistence. This was the richest wine of my tasting of Doerner’s ’14s and looks to be a solid cellar candidate.”

93 points – JAMESSUCKLING.com
“Aromas of toffee, ripe fruit and chocolate follow through to a full body, soft tannins and walnut/hazelnut undertones. Soft-textured. Delicious finish.”

91 points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
“Scents of cedar and warm leather suggest an oak-driven wine, but with air a dark, mineral-inflected black plum flavor comes to the fore, accented by savory stem spice. Give this time in the cellar to knit and then serve with tea-smoked duck.”

2013 Vintage

94 points – “Cellar Selection”, The Wine Enthusiast 
“Set at the top of Cristom’s excellent lineup, this lush, round and seducive wine is built upon ripe black-cherry fruit. It plays out broadly across the palate, open and smooth, wih nuances of cola, sandalwood and spice. Crisp, natural acidity keeps it lifted and lively.”

94 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous 
“Deep red. Hugely aromatic bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, incense and Asian spices, along with a bright mineral overtone. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering sweet raspberry preserve, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and elegance, finishing with harmonious tannins and remarkable clarity and length.”

91 points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
“Pretty and austere, this quiet pinot has a core of fruit held at some remove by its structure. The wine’s acidiy is elegant and pleasing, framing dusty cranberry flavors and a whole-cluster breadth to the texture.”


Marjorie Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills

2021 Vintage

96 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2023

95 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

95 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

94 Points & Editor’s Choice – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

94 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

94 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“Planted in 1982, the estate’s oldest vines, this is a site that gives structure and length year in and year out… 2023 – 2035”

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com

93 Points – Karen MacNeil, WineSpeed

17.5+ “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Very dark on the palate with plum-skin texture and high, vibrant acid…brooding fruit, juicy sweetness and warming spiciness. 2026-2035”

2019 Vintage

96 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Bright ruby-red. Assertive red berry, cherry, lavender and incense…”

96 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks 
“Medium ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard offers scents of raspberry…”

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“There’s purity of fruit to this pinot with strawberry and floral aromas…”

94 Points, Editor’s Choice – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt
“This wine is from the estate’s oldest vines. Somehow, those…”

93 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
Really good even so young, the outstanding 2019 ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous effort by (the Cristom Team).   Light smoky and flinty tones combine with baking spices, bright red fruits and red rose petals on the nose. The palate shows plenty of sour red fruits alongside orange rind, tobacco and freshly tilled soils. Finishing long, this outstanding effort really needs an hour in the decanter if enjoying in its youth.  Drink 2021-2035

93 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
My second favorite from the Cristom line-up, this Pinot Noir sees 50% whole cluster fermentation and 48% new French oak barrels. Notes of red cherry, huckleberry, lemon oil, dried cedary herbs, and just a hint of sassafras, make up a complex and interesting Pinot Noir that is a joy to experience in the glass. It’s a touch leaner than its siblings and doesn’t hit you over the head with its luster. Crunchy red fruits and black tea flavors dominate the palate and ends with fresh acidity, medium tannins, and a wonderful finish.  519 cases produced.  2022-2030

92 points – Wine Spectator, Tim Fish
“Deeply structured yet light-footed, with slightly brooding blueberry and…”

2018 Vintage

96 Points – Jamessuckling.com
This has attractive red and blue-floral tones to the nose with fresh blueberry and cassis notes too. So much fragrance here. The palate holds a very plush and fleshy stance with ripe red cherry, dressed in sleek oak spice and tannin. Impressive clarity and depth here.

94+ Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
The 2018 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard is a lovely wine, opening slowly to rhubarb, blueberries and cured meats with earthy accents. The palate explodes with unexpected flavor, bowling me over with its concentrated layers of fruit, earth and spice. It has a silky, fresh frame and finishes long and layered. This was made with 48% whole clusters and aged 17 months in 67% new French oak and should age very well in the cellar. 513 cases were made.- 30 December 2020

94 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
Vivid magenta. Potent cherry, black raspberry and allspice aromas carry a sexy potpourri overtone. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated red and dark berry flavors that show excellent clarity and become more lively as the wine stretches out. In a rich yet energetic style, showing outstanding clarity and mineral lift on a long, seamless, floral-dominated finish.

91 Points – Wine & Spirits
Marjorie is one of Cristom’s oldest vineyards. Named for Paul Gerrie’s mother, this wine smells of bright cherry and cinnamon, the flavors full and firm, the whole-cluster elements and the oak combining for a guided, wood-driven finish.

2017 Vintage

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
An earthy thread here with more savory, herbal and gently spicy notes, as well as graphite. Latent red cherries, too. The palate has a very sleek and succulent feel with evenly cast, sturdy tannins that harness great length and depth. Powerful yet measured and all about the earth.

93 Points – Wine & Spirits
This wine starts out aromatically wild, with scents of crushed, dried violet petals and smoke. After a day it becomes elegant, with flavors of crushed plums infused with soft oak spice, lasting with a fine savor.

2016 Vintage

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Such impressive depth and grace here with a graphite-like, woody thread and abundant, rich, red-cherry and dark-berry aromas. Wild-herb nuances, too. The palate has a very concentrated core of ripe, smoothly rendered tannins with good density and exceptional balance. Approachable now, but will age well over the next eight to ten years.

95 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
Cristom wines usually reflect some sort of tension between smoky, whole-cluster spice flavors and firmly expressed, finely wrought fruit. This 2016, from Marjorie, an 8.5-acre site on the lower slopes of the property, reflects a generous vintage with a smoky, Volnay-like suppleness, a velvety texture and gentle persistence, like waves lapping on a lakeshore. It lasts like this for days after opening, the flavors delicate and complex as it mingles with air.

2015 Vintage

95 points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Brilliant red. Powerful red berry liqueur, Asian spice and incense aromas are brightened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds steadily in the glass. Sappy, sweet and penetrating in the mouth, offering vibrant raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors joined by lively five-spice powder and white pepper accents. Spicy and seamless on the finish, showing silky, harmonious tannins and superb, floral-dominated persistence.” Drink Window 2021-2028

94 points – Jamessuckling.com
“A wealth of flowers on the nose of this pinot noir such as roses, peonies and violets as well as red fruits in the red cherry and ripe cranberry spectrum. On the attack the beautiful acidity really surrounds the full-bodied palate with tangy fruit, but then the firm yet encompassing tannins come into play and ensure this finishes not just bright but really dense and structured. Delicious now but better in 2019.”

94 points – Lisa Perotti Brown, The Wine Advocate
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard leaps from the glass with notes of cherry cordial, violets, rose hip tea and chocolate box plus wafts of forest floor and black pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is tautly structured with firm, grippy tannins and a great backbone of lively acidity, finishing with lingering earthy notes.” Drink Date 2018-2015

2014 Vintage

96 Points – The Pinot File
“Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. The nose offers a whole cluster delight of back cherry, rose petal, cinnmon, and exotic spice aromas. The whole cluster also embellishes the palate that features a mid-weight core of succulet, well-spiced cherry fruit that is flat-out delicious. Welcome balance with silky tannins and juicy acidity, finishing with a lengthy stream of spiced cherry and raspberry fruits. Even better the following day when tasted from a previously opened and re-corked bottle showing more power and depth and an even more gorgeous finish.”

94 Points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Vivid red. Sexy, intensely perfumed cherry, boysenberry and floral pastille scents are complemented by hints of cola, rhubarb and Asian spices.”

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“Lovely richness and decadence to this on the nose with plum, cholocate and violet charachter plus hints of violets. Medium to full bod, silky tannins and a savory finish. Hints of hazelnuts.”

91 Points – Paul Gregutt, The Wine Enthusiast
“This matches deep purple fruits to aggressive herb and stem flavors. The impression is that some percentage of whole clusters were included in the ferment. This definitely needs extra bottle age- put it away until 2020.”

2013 Vintage

93 Points – Paul Gregutt, The Wine Enthusiast
“This complex wine shows a whiff of stem from 37% whole-cluster fermentation, and quickly moves into a soft center, loaded with strawberry preserves. It coats the mouth, smooth and textural with graphite highlights. The tannins are substantial and suggest it’s worth tucking into the cellar for a few more years. Drink through 2020.”

93 Points — Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Brilliant ruby-red. Exotic, highly expressive aromas of raspberry liqueur, Asian spices, cola and smoky minerals, with a swave floral overtone building in the glass. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering intense red and dark berry and spicecake flavors given spine by juicy acidity. A distinctly elegant, seamless Pinot Noir with superb finishing energy; the gentle tannins are quickly absorbed by the wine’s vibrant fruit. A standout of its vintage. Drinking window: 2019-2024.”


Paul Gerrie Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills

2021 Vintage

96 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

96 Points –  Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2023

95 Points – Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com

94+ Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

94 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

93 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“…The palate has a mouthwatering juiciness, with blue fruits, clove, cola and a minerality that turns between stoniness and spice. 2023 – 2035″

17.5+ “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Warm oak spice…Black cherry and black plum…Balanced, elevated acidity…Quite a bit of power here. 2025-2035”

2019 Vintage

97 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks 
“Paul Gerrie is the newest vineyard at Cristom, planted from…”

95 Points – Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2022
The Paul Gerrie Pinot Noir from Cristom comes from one of their younger estate plantings with vines that are close to 10 years old now. This will be a wine to watch for in the years to come from this outstanding vineyard. Scintillating notes of ripe black cherry, red raspberry candy, pencil shavings, wet tilled earth, clove, bergamot, and dried lavender flower leap from the glass. It’s velvety smooth and wonderfully integrated on the palate. A beautiful wine and one of the top two from my tasting with Cristom. Only 225 cases produced.  2022-2037

95 Points – Jamessuckling.com
“A perfumed nose of violets, wild raspberries, lemon zest, red tea,…”

94 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
“This outstanding 2019 Pinot Noir was named after Paul Gerrie, as…”

93 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
“Limpid ruby-red. Mineral-inflected red and blue fruits on the perfumed…”

91 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
This Pinot Noir sees 46% whole cluster and is aged in 25% new French oak barrels. Ripe wild strawberry, huckleberry, blood orange peel, dusty country road, and a touch of chard oak spill from the glass. Medium-bodied with lovely acidity and tannins, the mouthfeel is elegant and luscious. Red plum and blueberry dominate the palate with secondary flavors of lemon peel and dried herbs playing backup. A lovely wine.  201 cases produced.  2022-2029

90 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt
“This expressive cuvée captures the ebullience of wine made from young vines…”

2018 Vintage

94 Points – Jamessuckling.com
This has some earthy aromas, as well as dried red flowers, lightly leafy tones and a gently herbal edge. Complex pinot. The fruit aromas and flavors sit in the ripe red-cherry and red-plum zone. Smoothly rendered tannins and fresh acidity to keep the red fruit fresh across the finish.

93 Points – Vinous, Josh Raynolds
Bright magenta. Cherry, black raspberry, boysenberry and candied flowers on the smoke- and spice-accented nose. Pliant red and blue fruit, spicecake and cola flavors show very good depth as well as energy and back-end lift. The floral note repeats emphatically on a long, youthfully tannic finish that leaves cherry compote and allspice notes behind.

92 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
The 2018 Pinot Noir Paul Gerrie Vineyard comes from the youngest vines at Cristom, planted in 2014 and dry farmed. It was made with 46% whole clusters and aged in 50% new French oak for 17 months. Pale ruby, it offers bright licorice and spice on the nose with savory blackberry and rhubarb fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, savory and firm, with just enough soft freshness to lift the spicy finish. 189 cases were made. – 30 December 2020

2017 Vintage

94 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
Paul Gerrie is the latest vineyard to join the pantheon of what Cristom calls “the four ladies,” its estate vineyards. The wine is impressively complex for such a youngster: Steve Doerner’s whole-cluster regimen adds a turfy note and lush, resinous tannins to a resolutely red-plum-and-cherry mélange of fruit. Elegant and fine; for salmon.

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
An attractively fragrant nose with ripe dark cherries, cinnamon and orange rind, as well as some stony notes. Very focused palate that establishes good volume with ample dark cherries and fine, layered tannins. Drink over the next six to eight years.

92 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
This is a new cuvée from Cristom, from new vines planted in 2014. It was made with 54% whole clusters and aged 18 months in 64% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Paul Gerrie Vineyard has a nose of dusty earth, charcuterie, crushed black cherries, licorice and rhubarb with notes of turned earth and a spicy undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied and über silky with restrained fruits, a grainy frame and seamless freshness on the spicy finish. 261 cases produced. – 23 April 2020


EOLA-AMITY HILLS CHARDONNAY

2021 Vintage

93 Points –  JamesSuckling.com
“What a pretty nose…Excellent texture and complexity…”

93 Points OwenBargreen.com
“Coming from a host of great vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, this 2021 Chardonnay opens with salted cashew nut with peach and stony undertones on the nose. The palate is soft and is filled with lemon zest, brioche and wonderful tension that frames this outstanding value. Enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031”

93 Points – Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“Winemaker Daniel Estrin calls this wine on of tension and generosity…The palate is honeyed and shows that tension as well… 2023 – 2030”

92 Points – Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, April 2023
A lovely light to medium lemon core with a water rim in the glass. Spiced apples, fresh yellow flowers, sea breeze salinity, and toasted hazelnuts merge together wonderfully on the nose. Racy acidity and a lemony-herbal finish present themselves over the palate wonderfully.
2023-2030

91 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

91 Points – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

91 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

91 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

17.5+ “Superior” – Florencia Gomez, JancisRobinson.com

2020 Vintage

93 Points – Jermey Young, International Wine Report, September 2022
Starting off a bit flinty and reductive on the nose, which I adore in my Chardonnays, it displays a lovely medium lemon with a golden core in the glass. The nose pops with lemon-lime and fresh floral notes, while the palate brings flavors of yellow apple, ripe peach, and dried sage. I loved the mineral and fresh stone aspects on the mid-palate. It’s medium to full-bodied and features wonderful acidity and an interesting herbal aspect on the back of the palate. About 2000 cases were made. 2022-2030

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Inviting aromas of chamomile, fresh lemon and fresh herbs.  Medium-bodied with bright acidity.  Fresh and vibrant with a lot of energy and longevity.  Drink or hold.

2019 Vintage

94 Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
“The 2019 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills is characterized by broad, intense flavors foiled by tangy acidity. It offers aromas of apple pie, honeycomb, toast and white blossoms and is intensely flavored, ripe and textural, finishing with energetic freshness.”

93 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
A wonderful Chardonnay for the price point that spends 7 months in 20% new French oak and 4 months in tank, it explodes from the glass with aromas of yellow pear, lemon curd, grilled pineapple, and hints of freshly struck flint. Mouthwatering acidity, medium body, and a finish that goes on for ages make you come back for more. It has this wonderful herbal character on the back palate that made the wine (is) more interesting than I imagined it would be.  (1,340) cases produced. 2022-2028

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Pretty aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, lemon tart and flint. It’s full-bodied, yet bright, with tangy acidity. Textured and fleshy. Some spice and hay notes to close.

92 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
Soft and generous on the mouth, this unveils ripe honeydew melon flavors alongside copious minerals and lighter pear, and green papaya tones. Finishing long, with a bright sense of salinity, savor in the short-term while the brightness impresses. Drink 2021-2026

92 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt 
“Wonderfully floral on the nose, sappy and rich on the palate, this expressive wine is packed with flavorful fruits perfectly set against tangy acidity. White peach, Asian pear and a touch of lime combine on a full-bodied midpalate. The juicy fruit flavors energize the wine and set the taster up for sip after sip.”  – December 2021

Patrick J Comiskey – Wine & Spirits Magazine
Toasty with a lean oak frame, this smoky chardonnay’s aromas are mildly oaked at first. But the flavors are refreshing, lean and balanced, with an oyster-shell duskiness that suggests a pairing with shellfish, particularly seared scallops. – October 2021

2018 Vintage

92 Points – Erin Brooks, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills, aged 12 months in 31% new French oak, offers fresh orchard fruits with touches of almonds, white flowers and baker’s yeast. The palate is light-bodied but surprising with its depth of fruit, with soft freshness and a long, delicate finish. 956 cases produced. – December 2020

Best Buys from Year’s Best Oregon Chardonnays – Wine & Spirits Magazine
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91 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine
Restrained and delicate, this cool chardonnay leads with dry lemon-lime scents. With its tart green-apple flavor, lemon-rind lift and talc-like mineral tang, it’s a Chablis-like chardonnay for oysters.


LOUISE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY

2021 Vintage

95 Points – Clive PursehouseDecanter
“An opulent and showy Chardonnay even in its youth…plenty of texture and depth…real sophistication… 2023 – 2032”

95 Points – OwenBargreen.com
“The exceedingly good 2021 Cristom Vineyards ‘Louise Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a stunning effort from this warm vintage in the Willamette Valley. Chardonnay was planted in the lower part of this site which was first planted back in 1993. It is nicely concentrated but also very nicely poised. Kumquat rind, Japanese pear and honeydew melon flavors combine with shades of hazelnut topped shortbread on the palate. Only 100 cases made of this brilliant Chardonnay. Drink 2023-2035”

95 Points – Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, April 2023
“Shimmering lemony gold in the glass, this Louise Vineyard Chardonnay from Cristom is scintillating on the nose – think notes of baked pear, lemon curd, dried herbs, allspice, and wet white clay. Tangy and tart on the palate and the finish, give this another year in the bottle before enjoying it as it’s still a baby. 2024-2032”

94 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

94 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

94 Points – JamesSuckling.com “Very pretty nose…with elegant and light-footed layers…”

94 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

93 Points & #83 Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2023 – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

Gold Medal, 2023 TEXSOM Awards

2020 Vintage

94 Points – Jeremy Young, International Wine Report, September 2022
A dead-ringer for a lovely Premier Cru Chablis, the 2020 Louise Vineyard Chardonnay from Cristom opens with aromas and flavors of ripe yellow peach, yellow wildflowers, and dried sage, then moves to additional components of dried lime zest, freshly struck flint and blanched hazelnuts. Mouthwatering acidity, a medium body, and a lovely citrus finish complete the wine. Yellow wildflowers, ripe yellow apple, flint, a hint of lime zest, dried sage. Enjoy this one over the next decade. 2022-2032

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Aromas of hazelnut, baked lemon and fresh thyme.  Medium-bodied with apple puree on the palate.  Hints of straw and nutmeg.  Tight, creamy texture.  Drink now.

2019 Vintage

94+ Points – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Erin Brooks
“The 2019 Chardonnay Louise Vineyard is scented of white peaches, spring honey and hazelnuts, which seem in 2019 to capture the alluring essence of just-ripe Willamette Valley Chardonnay, tinged with tones of graphite and mushroom powder. The palate is youthfully citrusy and tangy, gaining volume and depth on the extended, honeyed finish. That racy acidity will help this age gracefully, and it will benefit from 2-3 more years in bottle.”

93 Points – Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
I have never tasted this single vineyard bottling from this site that was first planted back in 1993. Nutmeg dusted brioche and roasted hazelnut with earthy tones all fill the nose. The palate is fresh with gobs of lip-smacking acidity. Layers of salted French bread, lemon zest and kumquat rind all combine with lighter damp earthy accents on the palate. Finishing long, this is a sensational and bright style of Chardonnay that will cellar well over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2029

93 Points – Jamessuckling.com
Aromas of apple pie, ripe apricots, yellow nectarines, salted butter and butterscotch. It’s full-bodied with lively acidity and concentrated, textured layers. Bright and firm finish.

93 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt 
“This wine is from a vineyard that sports 25-year-old Dijon clones. The flavors range from citrus to peach to pineapple, with bright natural acidity heightening the impact. It’s crystal clear, fresh and crisp, with a penetrating finish that brings a touch of wet stone.” – December 2021

92 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young
Coming from old vines planted in 1993 and aged for 11 months in 20% new French oak, this Chardonnay delivers racy acidity and notes of green apple, lemon zest, underripe pineapple, a touch of clove, and crushed stone. A wine that sees full (malolactic) fermentation but delivers a Chablis-like structure and finish. I’d give this a few more years in the bottle to allow everything to come together and then enjoy over the next 8 years. Only 5 barrels produced. 2023-2031

2018 Vintage

92 Points – Erin Brooks, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Aged in 20% new French oak for 12 months, the 2018 Chardonnay Estate has a perfume of quince and citrus with notes of dried flowers, beeswax and hazelnuts. The light-bodied palate is silky and fresh with gently honeyed fruits and an energetic, mineral-driven finish. 97 cases were made. – December 2020


Royer VINEYARD CHARDONNAY

2021 Vintage

95 Points – OwenBargreen.com 
“The ‘Royer Vineyard’ is located southwest edge of the Eola Hills. This 15 acre site is planted to Riesling and Chardonnay. This 2021 Chardonnay is a deep and concentrated wine that is irresistible in its youth. Heady, and laden with its core of starfruit, Pink Lady apple and baking spice and buttered French bread flavors, it is a stellar wine to consume right now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035”

94 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young  
“Slightly reductive on the nose with a lovely flint note to start, it quickly reveals aromas and flavors of honey-coated pear, grilled citrus, toasted tree nuts, and acacia flower. It delivers terrific acidity and tension throughout while finishing with ample stone fruit and baking spice characteristics on the front and mid-palate. 2023-2031”

93 Points & Editor’s Choice – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

93 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

93 Points – JamesSuckling.com 
“…lots of tension and texture. Vibrant acidity, too…”

91 Points – Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits

17+ “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com 
“Light and elegant oak use…High, linear acidity…”


SEVEN SPRINGS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY

2021 Vintage

96 Points & Top Five 2021 Willamette Valley Chardonnays Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“A revelatory Chardonnay… This wine has outstanding freshness and filigreed elegance that complement the depth and character of the site and the astute winemaking technique…2023 – 2037”

95 Points – Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com

95 Points – OwenBargreen.com
“The famed ‘Seven Springs Vineyard; was founded back in 1982 as this site is set on ancient volcanic soils. This is a very nervy and tension-filled Chardonnay once on the mouth, showing a delicious set of melon and citrus fruits. With more air the stony and flinty tones become more evident as this is drinking beautifully right now and will surely provide drinking enjoyment for another decade or more. Drink 2023-2035”

94 Points – JamesSuckling.com
“…Full-bodied and generous, and yet held together by a citrusy acidity…”

94 Points – International Wine Report, Jeremy Young 
“Notes of dried hay, yellow peach, baked cinnamon, and some dried tropical fruit notes make this wine, from one of my favorite Oregon vineyards, an enjoyable and scrumptious Chardonnay. A full body mouthfeel, luscious lemony acidity, and lengthy finish complete the wine. Better in 2024 and then enjoy over the next 8 years. 2024-2032”

93 Points – Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

92 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous Media, January 2024

17.5 “Superior” – Samantha Cole-Johnson, JancisRobinson.com
“…Dusty mineral nose…musky and spicy and impactful on the palate…a lingering depth of flavour and appetising saltiness. 2023-2027”

Estate Pinot Gris, Eola-Amity Hills

2019 Vintage

92 points –Wine & Spirits Magazine, Reviewed August 2020

2015 Vintage

92 points – Paul Gregutt, The Wine Enthusiast
“Lovely from the first sniff on, this is packed with mineral-drenched fruit flavors. Pear flesh and skin dominate, along with suggestions of cucumber and white melon. The leesy minerality is a great palate cleanser.”

92 points – The Pinot File
“Light golden yellow color and clear in the glass. Nicely appointed aromas of citrus, spiced pear, honey, vanilla and flint. Slightly viscous on the palate, with appealing flavors of pear, apple, lime and honeydew melon. Bright, clean and very Alsatian in character. I never get particularly excited about Pinot Gris, but this one piqued my interest.”

Estate Viognier, Eola-Amity Hills

2015 Vintage

93 points – The Pinot File
“Lightly fined and filtered. Very light platinum color in the glass. Inviting aromas of jasmine and other white flowers, pear, peach and tropical fruits. Delicious flavors of pear, apricot and pastry cream, with a hint of tropical fruit and nuts. Slightly creamy in the mouth, with impeccable balance, finishing with a lingering and refreshing presence. One of the New World’s best examples of Viognier.”

2014 Vintage

92 Points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Light green-tinged yellow. Ripe citrus and orchard fruits and violet on the highly fragrant, mineral-accented nose. Shows impressive energy and heft to the juicy pear, white peach and honey flavors; a touch of candied ginger adds back-end lift. I really like the blend of heft and vivacity that’s happening here. Closes with powerful thrust, building spiciness and excellent fruit-driven tenacity.”

92 points- Paul Gregutt, The Wine Enthusiast
“Barrel-fermented in stainless steel and neutral oak, this aromatic wine rolls into a gorgeous palate loaded with rich fruit flavors of pineapple, grapefruit and Meyer lemon. There’s a suggestion of softness to the acids, and a lick of butterscotch runs through the finish. It’s a totally engaging wine.”

Estate Syrah, Eola-Amity Hills

2014 Vintage

93 Points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Highly perfumed scents of black and blue fruits, Indian spices, pungent flowers and cola, joined by a smoky nuance that builds in the glass. Palate-staining blackberry and boysenberry flavors show very good depth, and exotic violet pastille and black pepper nuances add complexity. Finishes smooth, spicy and warm, displaying lingering notes of sweet dark berry liqueur and gentle tannins.”

92 Points – The Pinot File
“Dark reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of blackberry compote, leather and tobacco lead to a middleweight style wine that drinks like a Pinot Noir. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry are strikingly glorious and nicely spiced with a peppery note. Balanced fine tannins make for easy approachability and my only nit is a hint of alcoholic warmth on the finish. A wine like this makes you think that Oregon should be doing more with Syrah crafted in a cool climate style.”

2013 Vintage

92 Points – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Inky ruby. Spice- and mineral-accented black and blue fruits, pungent flowers, olive and minerals on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy, sweet and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that turn smokier on the back half. The dark berry and floral notes echo on a sappy, very long finish that’s given shape by dusty, slow-building tannins. There’s a good dose of Old World character here, but nothing in the way of rusticity.”


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