Wine Article
2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée
Last edited on 11/14/2009 by fries
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This wine comes from a blend of seventeen different vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley, including fruit from our four estate vineyards. The Mt Jefferson Cuvee is the first of our six Pinot Noir to be released each year and has been produced at Cristom since 1994. It is named after Mt Jefferson (10,501 ft) in the Cascade Range that is due east of Cristom and dramatically visible from our tasting room.
* Origin: 86% Eola-Amity Hills, 11.3% Willamette Foothills, 1.7 %Dundee Hills, 5% Chehalem Mountain, 5% Yamhill Carlton District (23% Estate fruit)
* Clones: Dijon (113, 114, 115, 667, 777 and 828); Pommard & Wädensvil
* Appellation: Willamette Valley
* Fermentation: Although this wine is made from many individual lots, they were generally fermented with 30% whole clusters. Native yeasts were used exclusively in fermenters ranging in size from one to twelve tons.
* Aging: Twelve months in French cooperage, 10% new oak
* Bottling: Blended and bottled unfiltered in September 2007
* Alcohol: 13.9%
* Total Acidity: 5.1 g/l
* pH at bottling: 3.70
* Production: 5570 cases produced
* Winery Notes: Light ruby color. The 2006 Mt Jefferson Cuvee displays crushed raspberry, strawberry and red currant aromas. There are higher tones of tomato leaf and cola berry along with some brambly notes. It follows through on the palate with a core of ripe red fruits and notes of spicy complexity (cinnamon, allspice). Lower octave flavors of truffle and forest floor are forming as the wine rounds out in the finish. The 2006 Mt Jeff is built like a ‘café racer’, with fine lines and an elegant balance. It is showing well now and will continue to evolve in the bottle for 5-6 years. It would make a memorable accompaniment to some Wild Sockeye Salmon off the grill.
* Origin: 86% Eola-Amity Hills, 11.3% Willamette Foothills, 1.7 %Dundee Hills, 5% Chehalem Mountain, 5% Yamhill Carlton District (23% Estate fruit)
* Clones: Dijon (113, 114, 115, 667, 777 and 828); Pommard & Wädensvil
* Appellation: Willamette Valley
* Fermentation: Although this wine is made from many individual lots, they were generally fermented with 30% whole clusters. Native yeasts were used exclusively in fermenters ranging in size from one to twelve tons.
* Aging: Twelve months in French cooperage, 10% new oak
* Bottling: Blended and bottled unfiltered in September 2007
* Alcohol: 13.9%
* Total Acidity: 5.1 g/l
* pH at bottling: 3.70
* Production: 5570 cases produced
* Winery Notes: Light ruby color. The 2006 Mt Jefferson Cuvee displays crushed raspberry, strawberry and red currant aromas. There are higher tones of tomato leaf and cola berry along with some brambly notes. It follows through on the palate with a core of ripe red fruits and notes of spicy complexity (cinnamon, allspice). Lower octave flavors of truffle and forest floor are forming as the wine rounds out in the finish. The 2006 Mt Jeff is built like a ‘café racer’, with fine lines and an elegant balance. It is showing well now and will continue to evolve in the bottle for 5-6 years. It would make a memorable accompaniment to some Wild Sockeye Salmon off the grill.