Jay Summers founded J. Christopher in 1996 and served as winemaker for many years, but since stepping down in 2019 he has devoted himself entirely to this personal project.
He currently continues to make wine at vineyards in the Dundee Hills area of the Willamette Valley that he has worked on for decades, and says he would like to limit production to around 1,500 cases, much less than before.
A Chardonnay made in the style of the great Chablis wines.
It has aromas of citrus, pear and minerals, a rounded, elegant mouthfeel and energetic acidity that finishes with even a slight saltiness.
I love Chardonnay and have been making it since 2000.
I'm thrilled to see this variety recently resurrected in popularity in the Willamette Valley.
For many years, most of the Chardonnay produced here was of poor quality.
People blame it on bad clonal selection, but the real reason for the sea change is that we have become better winemakers and wine growers.
Dijon clone Chardonnay is excellent, but older clones like 108, Draper and Wente also need to be grown correctly.
Just ask Cameron's John Paul on this one.
Collin Vineyards (formerly Olenick) is owned by a friend of mine in Cooper Mountain and is converting 0.4 hectares of Dijon clones to organic and biodynamic farming methods.
The grapes are harvested based on pH and acidity and then gently pressed at a maximum of 0.75 bar to give the final wine the right balance and natural acidity.
Fermented and aged for 10 months in 600L French oak barrels.
No malolactic fermentation is carried out.
100 cases produced. Sadly, this was our last vintage.
JC Summers is a collaboration between Jay Christopher Summers and his longtime partner and wife, Rhonda Newell Summers.
The label features a new moon, signifying a new phase in their winemaking adventure.
Owner and native Oregonian Jay Summers has been making wine in the Willamette Valley for over 30 years and launched the J. Christopher brand in 1996.
Jay Summers, who gained winemaking experience under great winemakers such as his mentor John Paul and Adelsheim of Cameron Winery and Dry River in New Zealand, produces small-lot, handcrafted wines using only the best grapes from the Willamette Valley's finest vineyards.
JC Summers’ philosophy is to make Old World style wines – ones that emphasize focus, length and balance.
Jay says, "We don't make fruit bombs.
I want to create wines that have a perfect balance of fruit, acidity and texture.
We want to create a complete wine that goes beyond an explosive mid-palate flavor.
The key is not to rush it and let the wine develop naturally.
To allow the wines to develop at their own pace, human intervention must be kept to a minimum.
" He takes inspiration from Old World wines and applies it to the Willamette Valley terroir.
When Jay isn't busy making wine, he can be found playing guitar and writing new songs for his band, Portland Cement.
Be sure to check out their new album, "The Road to El Groove."