Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
According to Christom’s Randy Ford, the 3.7ha Louise vineyard is first and last to have its grapes picked, depending on the vines’ altitude and position on the lower or upper bench. The difference in picking date could be as much as five weeks. Biodynamically farmed and aged in 50% new oak, the Louise Pinot has Cristom’s hallmark floral, potpourri character on the nose and palate. Gorgeously refined red and black fruits combine with a dash of Asian spice notes to give a linear, medium-bodied red with some tannic heft and spine-tingling acidity. Stunningly good.
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Robert Parker's 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.
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James Suckling
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.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Running north to south, adjacent to the Willamette River, the Eola-Amity Hills AVA has shallow and well-drained soils created from ancient lava flows (called Jory), marine sediments, rocks and alluvial deposits. These soils force vine roots to dig deep, producing small grapes with great concentration.
Like in the McMinnville sub-AVA, cold Pacific air streams in via the Van Duzer Corridor and assists the maintenance of higher acidity in its grapes. This great concentration, combined with marked acidity, give the Eola-Amity Hills wines—namely Pinot noir—their distinct character. While the region covers 40,000 acres, no more than 1,400 acres are covered in vine.