A new vineyard was acquired in 2012 when founder Paul Gerry retired. Current owner Tom named the vineyard after his father, the founder. The 11.7ha vineyard faces southeast and slopes steeply downward from an elevation of 164-224m, the same height as Irene. The soil is deep and highly water-retentive, and is rich in iron and reddish volcanic Jolly, Saum, Nikia, etc. The vineyard enjoys the morning sun and is cool from the cold winds, but as it backs onto a hill, only the top is directly exposed to the wind (it's not too cool and the grapes ripen well).
Christom specializes in single vineyard winemaking that brings out the characteristics of the terroir.
Vintage Information
2021 was a very dry year throughout the year, but rain during flowering affected pollination, resulting in small clusters and low yields, but the fruit was concentrated, making this a vintage that produced grapes of the highest quality in the last 10 years.
Although it was a dry year, a little rain in July midway through was a big help to the young vines and to the older vines in the rocky vineyards with little topsoil.
There were several hot days in August, but thanks to the efforts of the cultivation team, no major damage was caused, and the cool weather that followed from August to September allowed the grapes to ripen sufficiently, resulting in well-balanced grapes that did not lose their acidity.
Technical information
Clones: Pommard, Dijon (113, 114, 115, 667, 777)
Brewing method: 40% whole bunch fermentation, fermented only with natural yeast in 1.5-5 ton open fermentation tanks. Punch down 1-3 times a day, gently squeeze, transfer to French barrels (Francois Frères and several others) by gravity, aged in barrels for 18 months (45% new barrels), clarified only with egg whites, no filtering
Tasting Comments
Although the vines are only 10 years old, the vineyard has great potential thanks to the full know-how of Crystom, and it has already shown its characteristics and has a distinct personality. The red fruits, elegant acidity, and spicy taste from whole-cluster fermentation are pleasant. The saltiness and umami elements are clearly present, and it will be exciting to see how the wine will mature in the future. The lively fruitiness, black cherry, tobacco, crumble, rose hip, and clove nuances overflow in the mouth, and elegance and strength coexist. The long finish is pleasant.
Field Information
As Cristom's wines have been highly praised, so has the terroir of its own vineyards, and since 2000, large companies and Burgundy capital have acquired vineyards surrounding Cristom. Most of them are Argyle, Tancarella (Petaluma Winery in Sonoma), Temperance Hill, Witness Tree, etc. Cristom also acquired new vineyards in 2012 when founder Paul Gerry retired.
The current owner, Tom, named the vineyard after his father, the founder, making it the first single vineyard at Christom to be named after a man.
Planted since 2014. Facing southeast, the 11.7ha site is on a steep slope that slopes downward from the same height as Irene, at 164-224m above sea level. The soil is deep and highly water-retentive, and contains iron and is reddish volcanic Jolie, Saum, Nikia, etc. The vineyard enjoys the morning sun and is cool due to the cold winds that blow in from the gaps in the Coastal Range, but because it has a hill at its back, it is not directly exposed to the wind except at the top (it is not too cool and the grapes ripen well). 9ha of Pinot Noir, 2ha of Chardonnay, a small amount of Gamay, and Cristom are all being cultivated over the past 30 years. All of the know-how of cultivation and brewing that has been cultivated over the past 30 years is poured into this vineyard for the next generation.
Vintage: 2021
Capacity: 750ml
Type: Red wine
Taste: Medium bodied
Main variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: Oregon
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Vineyard: Paul Gerrie Vineyard
Winemaker: Steve Doerner
Winemaking: 40% whole bunch fermentation, fermented in 1.5-5 ton open fermentation tanks using only natural yeasts
Aging: 18 months in French barrels (François Frères and several other types) (38% new barrels)
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 13.5%
JAN: 851573001471