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 from Pinot Noir grapes from vineyards in the Dundee Hills region of the Willamette Valley that he has known for decades, and says he would like to limit production to around 1,500 cases, much less than before.
Nouvelle Luna (New Moon) is a blend of grapes from some of our favorite parcels of Pinot Noir in the Dundee Hills AVA.
Working with Abbey Ridge, La Collina and Nicholas Family (formerly Bella Vida) vineyards, they create this exceptional and elegant, terroir-driven Pinot Noir.
Wines and Vineyards JC Summers Vintners produces wines from grapes grown in outstanding, sustainably farmed vineyards in the Willamette Valley and surrounding area.
As the saying goes, wine is made in the vineyard; this is true.
I have spent over 30 years searching out special places that consistently produce wines of exceptional quality.
50% Abbey Ridge Vineyards I had the opportunity to use grapes from Abbey Ridge in 1993 when I worked at Adelsheim and in 1994 when I was at Cameron Winery.
In 2001, I was fortunate enough to be given some Abbey Ridge Pinot Noir, and I have been making wine from these grapes ever since.
Abbey Ridge is the cornerstone of our Pinot Noir program and we believe it is the best Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley.
Owned by my friends Bill and Julia Wayne, this vineyard represents the epitome of Dundee Hills AVA elegance.
1ha Corey Clone Pinot Noir La Collina Vineyard 40% La Collina Vineyard is what I always call my "secret source."
When I was previously making a blend of Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, each year I would sacrifice barrels that were selected to make the single vineyard "La Collina Pinot Noir" for the blend.
This was a compelling choice as this grape would positively enhance the wine blend.
The vineyard is classic Dundee Hills and is managed by my friend George Hilbery.
I was fortunate that George had a small block left over when I began this new project, which complemented my other Dundee Hills Pinot Noir wines beautifully.
0.4ha Pommard clone 10% Nicolas Family Vineyard (formerly Bella Vida Vineyard) One of the special vineyards in the Dundee Hills, I have been using grapes from this vineyard since 2001.
The 14.6ha Bella Vida Vineyard, which Steve Whiteside has managed with meticulous care and dedication, was purchased by the Nicholas family in January 2021 and continues to produce the same excellent grapes.
Clones: Pommard Waedenswil, Dijon 777 2021 was a very warm vintage for Pinot Noir, so harvesting in mid-September kept the alcohol content moderate.
The wine was left in the fermentation tank with the skins for 21 days, with fermentation starting after 5 to 6 days.
Fermentation was started and completed with one very gentle punchdown (0.25 bar) per day.
Aging takes place for 18 months in medium to medium-light toasted barrels (25% new, 25% 2-year-old, 50% neutral).
Bottling is scheduled for April 2023.
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."