Winemaker Notes
Ripe, richly fruity, and with a fine tannin structure, J.J is a juicy introduction to the world of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. This second-label wine is a blend of barrels that did not fit well stylistically with the regular J. Christopher bottlings. The winemaking and fruit sources are the same for all of the wines, but this is typically a blend of barrels that are more fruit-forward. The barrel selection process starts with the single-vineyard wines, the special cuvées, and then the two elemental cuvées: Basalte and Volcanique. What remains goes into the J.J Pinot Noir.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 J. Christopher Wines J. J. Pinot Noir is textured and layered on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of savory spices, black fruits, and dried earth. Try it with pork adobo. (Tasted: January 22, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Located in Oregon’s Northern Willamette Valley, J. Christopher Wines is a boutique winery that specializes in Pinot Noir made in the traditional style of Burgundy, and in Sauvignon Blanc modeled after the superlative wines of Sancerre. The winery is owned by world renowned Ernst Loosen, of Weingut Dr. Loosen in Germany. Erni’s lifetime passion for the wines of Burgundy has led to a philosophy to produce elegant, nuanced wines in a distinctly Old World style with an emphasis on lower alcohol and a modest amount of oak. The wines have garnered an international reputation for their purity, balance and food-friendly drinkability.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.