A much better showing for this split compared to the previous one opened a year ago. Clear ruby/magenta in color. On the nose, perfumed five spice, candied red cherries & raspberries, dried florals that over time turns more savory/earthy. Medium bodied palate shows sweet-sour crushed red berries, hint of savory brown stock, dark tea leaves, good acidity and a long perfumed finish.
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From split. Medium ruby-magenta in color. Initially fragrant aromas of crushed red fruits and spice fades away to a more muted nose that shows a hint of savory, earthy aromas. Palate shows a mix of red currants, sour cherries, savory brown spices, good acidity and a clipped earthy finish. Meh.., this bottle.
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Very fragrant nose of dark cherry and wild raspberries, and red currants. Very fresh and electric on the palate which is a nice surprise at 9 years of age. Cherries, raspberry, a touch of cough syrup. Tannins completely gone with juice juice left over. Delicate finish of rose water.
Cherry fruit with earth, floral and iron notes. Good acidic spine and fresh finish. This seems plenty young but interestingly did not change over three hours.
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From a split. Garnet ruby red in color. Lifted red berries, hint of allspice, florals, cola and earthy hummus scents. The palate from this split was ho-hum and not showing the sappy berries it did two years ago, but is framed with good acidity and an earthy medium finish.
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Medium garnet color, clearing at the edges. Rich red fruits on the nose - fig, cherry, pomegranate, with integrated saddle leather, mushroom, sandalwood, tea leaves and five spice powder. Similar red fruits on the palate, expressive and richly layered with clove & cedar, anise, lavender and damp forest notes. Dense and firm through the palate, with smooth elegant structure and well-integrated flavors. Bright and succulent acidity, with fine tannins, closing with moderately long length of rich fruit and spices. Early secondary-still with a little baby fat, but shows very well.
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Easy drinking with a beautiful aroma. I agree with the prior review that you could feel the rose petals in addition to earth, spice, red fruits, and lots of acidities to make you salivate with soft silky tannins. My prior experiences have felt often as too much hype for Cristom and I don't enjoy pinot noir as much as I used to and gravitate to cabernet or other full-bodied wines but this is just an easy smooth drinking wine to forget your worries. Agree this is how a Pinot Noir should be. Alas, my only bottle it seems.
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From a split. Gentle and perfumed aromas of florals, bright red berries, mix of baking spices and menthol/camphor. Medium bodied palate shows sweet and tart crushed red raspberries with allspice, good acidity, hint of oak and a long perfumed finish. This is so easy to polish off and the balance belies the power of the wine.
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Maybe it was my mood, but this is everything an Oregon Pinot should be. The Eola Hills fruit of Cristom is some of the best fruit of Willamette Valley, in my opinion, and Steve sure knows how to get the best out of it. Fantastic!
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Tasted alongside a 2013 Beau Freres. Red and some black cherry along with just a touch of spice on the nose. A touch firm to start (PNP) but opened in the glass. Medium bodied with great acidity, pretty red cherry and forest floor. Nice finish. Drinking well but has plenty of time and maybe some upside. Solid 91 points.
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The 2014 Cristom Pinot Noir Estate at age six is still an infant, and will be best 2022-2030. It didn’t open up until about four hours after decanting. It has classic Willamette color and transparency, a light+ body, great structure and sappy acidity. After those four hours of air it was redolent of flowers, spice and red fruits, and it got much heftier and sweeter. It has gentle, silky tannins and a very long, sappy, bittersweet finish. This is an elegant and very satisfying wine, with lots more to give.
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Pours light and transparent, just a touch cloudy, red to the rim. The nose is medium intensity of red cherry, rose petals, toasted coconut shavings, fresh split oak, hints of blood orange, and a touch of sassafras. The palate has lots of juicy ripe red cherry fruit, with hints of the citrusy blood orange, and slightly elevated alcohol. Medium minus tannin and medium acid. The finish is medium built on red cherry, toasted coconut shavings, and sassafras.
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From a split. Red ruby. Expansive aromas of dark raspberries and cherries, dark florals, spice and hint of earth. Youngish pinot palate shows candied dark red berry fruits, hint of pleasant bitterness, good acidity and a long floral and spice tinged finish. Best to wait on this one.
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I was so looking forward to this bottle of wine but am somewhat disappointed. Dried cherry notes on palate but nose was not that interesting. Minerally finish with soft tannins. Hope the other 2 bottles I have improve over next few years.
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Popped and poured. Color was dull ruby showing slight hints of browning with slow legs. On the nose crushed berry and cherry cola and mild woodiness. The palate had cherry and sour fruit reds laced with bacon fat along with stewed maraschino cherries. The finish was suave and supple, lithe with rose petal, and briar patch style fruits and generous tannins and structure. some well defined mineral components on the finish.
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This wine sings of everything Willamette pinot should be. Rose petals, cranberry, black cherry, damp earth, a hint of baking spice...wish I had bought more.
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Willamette Valley Trip - June 2018; 6/8/2018-6/11/2018: A blend of the 4 estate vineyards. 18 months in barrel, 50% new oak. This comes across as bigger and a big heavy. The oak shows through too much for me on this one.
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Willamette Valley Weekend Visit; 5/26/2018-5/27/2018: Black and red cherry aromas and flavors with good structure and weight. Starts out slightly firm, giving it a one dimensional character, but then expanding and opening on long finish, just hinting at its potential. Cellar. Upside.
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The second selection from the four ladies blended together. Held back an extra year. Lots of cherry spice on the nose, delicious fruit character, showing its stem inclusion right now. Very nice that vintage.
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3/12/2024 - devraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
A much better showing for this split compared to the previous one opened a year ago. Clear ruby/magenta in color. On the nose, perfumed five spice, candied red cherries & raspberries, dried florals that over time turns more savory/earthy. Medium bodied palate shows sweet-sour crushed red berries, hint of savory brown stock, dark tea leaves, good acidity and a long perfumed finish.
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11/6/2023 - devraj Likes this wine: 89 Points
From split. Medium ruby-magenta in color. Initially fragrant aromas of crushed red fruits and spice fades away to a more muted nose that shows a hint of savory, earthy aromas. Palate shows a mix of red currants, sour cherries, savory brown spices, good acidity and a clipped earthy finish. Meh.., this bottle.
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10/5/2023 - pkoster6000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very fragrant nose of dark cherry and wild raspberries, and red currants. Very fresh and electric on the palate which is a nice surprise at 9 years of age. Cherries, raspberry, a touch of cough syrup. Tannins completely gone with juice juice left over. Delicate finish of rose water.
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7/30/2023 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Cherry fruit with earth, floral and iron notes. Good acidic spine and fresh finish. This seems plenty young but interestingly did not change over three hours.
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6/17/2023 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good quality mid weight Pinot. Nice mix of strawberry fruit and earthy, forest floor flavors.
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3/25/2023 - devraj Likes this wine: 90 Points
From a split. Garnet ruby red in color. Lifted red berries, hint of allspice, florals, cola and earthy hummus scents. The palate from this split was ho-hum and not showing the sappy berries it did two years ago, but is framed with good acidity and an earthy medium finish.
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7/3/2022 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium garnet color, clearing at the edges. Rich red fruits on the nose - fig, cherry, pomegranate, with integrated saddle leather, mushroom, sandalwood, tea leaves and five spice powder. Similar red fruits on the palate, expressive and richly layered with clove & cedar, anise, lavender and damp forest notes. Dense and firm through the palate, with smooth elegant structure and well-integrated flavors. Bright and succulent acidity, with fine tannins, closing with moderately long length of rich fruit and spices. Early secondary-still with a little baby fat, but shows very well.
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1/3/2022 - Dr. Wine MD PhD ;) Likes this wine: 91 Points
Easy drinking with a beautiful aroma. I agree with the prior review that you could feel the rose petals in addition to earth, spice, red fruits, and lots of acidities to make you salivate with soft silky tannins. My prior experiences have felt often as too much hype for Cristom and I don't enjoy pinot noir as much as I used to and gravitate to cabernet or other full-bodied wines but this is just an easy smooth drinking wine to forget your worries. Agree this is how a Pinot Noir should be. Alas, my only bottle it seems.
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9/26/2021 - devraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a split. Gentle and perfumed aromas of florals, bright red berries, mix of baking spices and menthol/camphor. Medium bodied palate shows sweet and tart crushed red raspberries with allspice, good acidity, hint of oak and a long perfumed finish. This is so easy to polish off and the balance belies the power of the wine.
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7/25/2021 - Duderino Likes this wine: 96 Points
Maybe it was my mood, but this is everything an Oregon Pinot should be. The Eola Hills fruit of Cristom is some of the best fruit of Willamette Valley, in my opinion, and Steve sure knows how to get the best out of it. Fantastic!
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6/6/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red fruit, herbal notes, cola, tobacco, acidity, finishes with Smokey oak. Good complexity and depth. A-
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3/14/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red fruit, blue fruit, spice, herbal notes hints of cola, finishes with some leather and tobacco. A-/A
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2/26/2021 - sastewart wrote: 91 Points
Tasted alongside a 2013 Beau Freres. Red and some black cherry along with just a touch of spice on the nose. A touch firm to start (PNP) but opened in the glass. Medium bodied with great acidity, pretty red cherry and forest floor. Nice finish. Drinking well but has plenty of time and maybe some upside. Solid 91 points.
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9/28/2020 - aperper Likes this wine: 93 Points
My favorite pinot and it went so well with a Wagyu rib eye. Bursting with stone fruit flavors, some tannins, and a strong finish.
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9/4/2020 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark nd full bodied, probably could have been aged a bit more. Strawberry jam, earthy with a long acidic finish
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4/24/2020 - Bmathews Likes this wine:
Drinking very nicely right now.
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4/11/2020 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 2014 Cristom Pinot Noir Estate at age six is still an infant, and will be best 2022-2030. It didn’t open up until about four hours after decanting. It has classic Willamette color and transparency, a light+ body, great structure and sappy acidity. After those four hours of air it was redolent of flowers, spice and red fruits, and it got much heftier and sweeter. It has gentle, silky tannins and a very long, sappy, bittersweet finish. This is an elegant and very satisfying wine, with lots more to give.
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3/4/2020 - peeno wrote: 89 Points
May have peaked. Some acidity on presentation. Not as much fruit as others experienced. Needs to breathe some.
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1/16/2020 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really pleasant surprise. Approachable, refreshing red-fruited pinot noir.
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1/13/2020 - EvanRose wrote: 90 Points
Light and crisp with very subtle red cherry, strawberry and good acid. Medium finish.
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1/5/2020 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light and floral with bright red fruit. Very nice.
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11/28/2019 - John15:5 wrote: 90 Points
Meh.
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10/27/2019 - r4Cali Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Pinot
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7/29/2019 - Halfeel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect weight and balance for a Willamette Pinot and drinking very well at this time.
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7/20/2019 - xwine wrote:
Lovely pinot, laden with spice and pure red fruit. The acidity nicely frames this elegant pinot. Very good.
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7/15/2019 - Strid3r21 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Black berries, fragrant, silky smooth mouth feel. Nice long finish. Very lovely Pinot noir.
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6/17/2019 - Wine Canuck wrote: 91 Points
Pours light and transparent, just a touch cloudy, red to the rim. The nose is medium intensity of red cherry, rose petals, toasted coconut shavings, fresh split oak, hints of blood orange, and a touch of sassafras. The palate has lots of juicy ripe red cherry fruit, with hints of the citrusy blood orange, and slightly elevated alcohol. Medium minus tannin and medium acid. The finish is medium built on red cherry, toasted coconut shavings, and sassafras.
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5/19/2019 - devraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a split. Red ruby. Expansive aromas of dark raspberries and cherries, dark florals, spice and hint of earth. Youngish pinot palate shows candied dark red berry fruits, hint of pleasant bitterness, good acidity and a long floral and spice tinged finish. Best to wait on this one.
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5/11/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit of a conundrum on the nose - almost a chemical/ petroleum aroma( or my dinner threw me off) but the wine tasted great.
Ripe crisp chrrru, medium body, good acid. Served with chicken Marsala and risotto. Great pairing.
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4/12/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That smells great. And great palate structure to it as well. Harmonious and will go longer.
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3/6/2019 - Frijole wrote:
medium cherry red, medium clarity, silvery hue
Nose: blackberry, plum, black cherry, chocolate, earth, tobacco, dust, oak
Pal: blackberry, plum, black cherry, chocolate, earth, tobacco, dust, pinot tang, minerals, oak
Feel: medium, savory, acidic
Finish: medium
T8
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2/28/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This is good notes Brian.
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2/23/2019 - ElAzul wrote: 88 Points
I was so looking forward to this bottle of wine but am somewhat disappointed. Dried cherry notes on palate but nose was not that interesting. Minerally finish with soft tannins. Hope the other 2 bottles I have improve over next few years.
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2/13/2019 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Color was dull ruby showing slight hints of browning with slow legs. On the nose crushed berry and cherry cola and mild woodiness. The palate had cherry and sour fruit reds laced with bacon fat along with stewed maraschino cherries. The finish was suave and supple, lithe with rose petal, and briar patch style fruits and generous tannins and structure. some well defined mineral components on the finish.
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1/29/2019 - Disruptsmith Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very interesting Pinot noir. Notes of spice, Smokey and earth tones. Will mature for awhile.
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12/19/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
All the ladies. Tense and fresh, and under coravin so stinks like it but very good.
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12/18/2018 - liberlibri wrote: 94 Points
This wine sings of everything Willamette pinot should be. Rose petals, cranberry, black cherry, damp earth, a hint of baking spice...wish I had bought more.
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12/13/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Crispy and crunchy.
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11/9/2018 - whatdaya wrote:
Nice with salmon
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9/2/2018 - Bathtub58 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lightly aromatic nose of red fruits. Tannins integrating with light body of cherry/red fruits, short finish. Limited complexity.
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8/30/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
On day two. And savory but in a good way.
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8/17/2018 - jmcmchi wrote:
18 months on 50% new French oak
Some earth, cherries on back of nose
Smooth texture, touches of oak up front develop into cherry acidity topped with spice. Firm tannins.
Big wine but not bulky
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6/18/2018 - Motz wrote: 91 Points
This offers an amalgam of flavors and terroir imparted by various estate vineyards. Fine quality, modest QPR.
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6/9/2018 - td1836 wrote:
Willamette Valley Trip - June 2018; 6/8/2018-6/11/2018: A blend of the 4 estate vineyards. 18 months in barrel, 50% new oak. This comes across as bigger and a big heavy. The oak shows through too much for me on this one.
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5/26/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Willamette Valley Weekend Visit; 5/26/2018-5/27/2018: Black and red cherry aromas and flavors with good structure and weight. Starts out slightly firm, giving it a one dimensional character, but then expanding and opening on long finish, just hinting at its potential. Cellar. Upside.
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11/7/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
The second selection from the four ladies blended together. Held back an extra year. Lots of cherry spice on the nose, delicious fruit character, showing its stem inclusion right now. Very nice that vintage.
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