J. Christopher Lumiere Willamette Valley Oregon, 2012, 750

J. Christopher Lumiere Willamette Valley Oregon, 2012, 750

This is a recent library release directly from the winery after aging in their cellars. It is not the "normal" 2012 release that has been sitting on somebody refrigerator since release. It is pristine and drinking stellar!

Ethereal and elegant with surprisingly fresh cherry, raspberry character, cranberry, cola, earth, baking spice and a hint of peppered cured meats and forest floor. CLASSIC Tasted 10/20/24

Produced in Oregon’s Northern Willamette Valley, the range of J. Christopher Wines follows a patient winemaking approach that clearly expresses the unique character of their cool-climate roots. Owned by the renowned Mosel winegrower, Ernst “Erni” Loosen (of Dr. Loosen), the wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the finest sustainably managed vineyards in the area.

The goal of J. Christopher Wines is to showcase the Old-World finesse and elegance that Erni has always pursued in his German wines. As he puts it, “We want to make wines that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture, while expressing their individual origins.” The key to this is unhurried winemaking, which allows the wines to evolve at their own pace, with a minimum of intervention.

Two of the predominant influences on the style of the wines from the Eola Hills are the shallow soils and the cool ocean winds that come through the Coast Range via the Van Duzer Corridor. This lowers temperatures dramatically, especially during late summer afternoons, which helps to retain firm acidity in the fruit. This cuvée is from three vineyards in the Walnut Hill area, at the northern end of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA: Dubay, Three Angels and En Gedi. The warmer, lower-elevation Dubay vineyard gives a touch of lushness to the wine, whereas the adjacent but slightly higher-elevation Three Angels vineyard gives it a firmer structure. The 2012 has a gently enveloping fruit aroma, but with a fine mineral edge. On the palate there is a nervy tension from the fruity structure that is simultaneously weighty and lifted. The finish is long and warm. 10% whole-cluster fermentation. Native yeast fermentation; 20 months in barrel.

THE 2012 VINTAGE:   A long, dry summer led to an early harvest of very ripe, healthy fruit. The wines are fleshy and fruit-dominant, with dark fruit flavors and soft, rounded tannins. The vintage is similar to 2009, but with a firmer, denser structure. The wines don’t have the fine delineation of terroir that you get in a cooler vintage, like 2011, but these are delicious wines that reflect the nature of the vintage.