6905 Spring Valley Road NW
Salem, OR  97304

Phone:  503-375-3068     FAX:  503-391-7057       
Email:  winery@cristomwines.com     Home Page:  www.cristomwines.com

 

Winery's General Information

Winemaker:   Steve Doerner
Proprietors:  Paul & Eileen Gerrie
Vineyard Acreage, Eola Hills:  65
 
Average Annual Production: 
12,500 cases per year
 
Products and Ordering:
Pinot noir, Syrah, Pinot gris,
Chardonnay and Viognier
 
Tasting Room Hours: 
Open: April-Thanksgiving
Tues-Sun, 11-5
Open by appointment
Dec-March
Special events Check Mark

Picnic Area   Check Mark
with vineyard views     

Gift Shop  Check Mark

Large Tasting Room  Check Mark
Cellar Club  Check Mark
 
VISA  Check Mark 

Master Card  Check Mark

Tasting Fee: $5 per person
Refundable with a purchase of wine


Depth, power and finesse...
the three-part harmony of Cristom wines
     If Cristom's winemaking were music, harvest would be the trumpet fanfare, crush would be a symphony, and the final wines would be an ode to joy.  Gracefully conducting the music at Cristom Vineyards is world-acclaimed winemaker Steve Doerner whose intuitive style hallmarks his wines with harmony.

      Using natural methods, native yeast and minimal handling, Doerner uses new-world technology with old-world traditions to produce some of the Willamette Valley's finest wines... pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and viognier.  He became familiar with these techniques and traditions during 14 years of fashioning fine wines in California before he came to Cristom in the early 90s.  Today, he is known internationally as a master of the world's most challenging and most rewarding grape... pinot noir.
      "Only Pinot Noir can give you a silky finesse that also has depth and power," Steve claims. "You can't achieve that harmony with other grape varieties."

       It was the promise of great wines that first drew Paul and Eileen Gerrie to Oregon and the hills of that would be Cristom's home.  They conceived of a place where the succulent pinot noir fruit could achieve full expression, a place where  hand-crafted, complex wines would be bold, yet balanced... both powerful and elegant. 

      The abundance of soil types and sloping land in their chosen location supported the Gerries vision of world-class pinot noir.  The warm winds of summer also held promise for rich chardonnay, and the cool, sunny autumns foretold success for tart pinot gris.

     Paul and Eileen Gerrie assembled a team, and named their winemaking vision – Cristom Vineyards – for their children, Christine and Tom. 

      Cristom Vineyards is located between Salem and McMinnville in the beautiful Eola Hills of the North Willamette Valley's prime wine country.  Visitors are invited to the tasting room April 1 through Thanksgiving weekend.  A gift shop is located on the premises. 


 

    Add your name and address to Cristom's mailing list.  Write, fax or send an email to start taking advantage of news about the current vintage and new releases.

 


Featured Cristom Wines
 

The Vineyards of Cristom

       Cristom cultivates eight distinct vineyards growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah totaling 65 plantable acres. The vineyards are dry farmed with the focus on quality fruit with low yields and high density planting.  Our Pinot Vineyards are named in honor of family matriarchs.  In addition to standard 750 ml bottles of wine, Cristom also carries those known as "splits" with 375 ml of its Pinot Noirs and its Syrah.
 

2006 Estate Pinot Gris
Fermentation: Stainless Steel fermented
Order: Secure Online Store

Our estate vineyard dedicated to Pinot Gris is named Emilia.  It was planted adjacent to our winery in 1993 at high density to two different clones and two different rootstocks. 

Winemaker's Notes:  The 2006 Pinot Gris is stainless-steel fermented on the lees; 100% Malo-lactic fermentation.  It has the aroma of Asian pears, white flowers and green apples along with some mineral notes. On the palate it shows a ripeness, viscosity and concentration that give the impression of fruitiness in a decidedly dry wine. This dry style will make it an excellent accompaniment to a variety of dishes.

Origin: 100% Estate fruit, Eola-Amity Hills AVA

2006 Germaine Chardonnay
Order: Secure Online Store

Germaine is the name of our estate Chardonnay vineyard. We began planting it in 1993. It has undergone complete malo-lactic fermentation and is aged in 100% French oak barrels (25% new) for eight months.

Winemaker's Notes:  This Chardonnay is light gold in color, and has a slightly floral aroma along with white peaches, quince, pears and a bit of vanilla. The rich flavors of ripe fruit are a good counterpoint to a hint of buttered toast. This mid-weight wine has a creamy texture, while the bright acidity keeps the wine from being cloying. Although probably not a wine for long-term aging, this wine could still benefit from a few years of cellaring. ~Steve Doerner

Origin: 100% Estate fruit, Eola-Amity Hills AVA

Bottling: Bottled in May of 2007

2005 Estate Syrah
Willamette Valley
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This classic Northern Rhone variety was field grafted in 2002 using four different clones of Syrah, 174, 383, 470 , and 877. The four different clones are planted in roughly equal amounts in this 2.5 acre vineyard. They were selected primarily for producing smaller berries in the hopes that it would translate into earlier ripening.

2006 Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
Order: Secure Online Store

This wine is comprised of grapes from our four estate vineyards along with some purchased fruit. Altogether it contains fruit from 15 vineyard sites. The Reserve designation indicates a longer aged barrel selection of our favorite lots.

2006  Jessie Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir
Eola Hills, Willamette Valley
Order: Secure Online Store

This 11 acre estate vineyard is on our steepest slope. We began planting Jessie in 1994 and its long and varied slope shows the greatest range of soils and exposures at Cristom.

2006 Marjorie Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir
Eola Hills, Willamette Valley
Order: Secure Online Store

Marjorie was planted in 1982 and is the only vineyard that Cristom kept when the property was purchased in 1992. The vineyard has wider spacing then the subsequently planted vineyards and has the highest percentage of Jory soil.

2006 Eileen Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir
Eola Hills, Willamette Valley
Order: Secure Online Store

Planted in 1997, this is the youngest of our estate Pinot Noir vineyards. It starts at about 700 feet making it the highest elevation vineyard at Cristom.

 

To order any of our currently available wines
or those soon to be released:
Link to our secure online store,
or Email your order,
or FAX your order to 503-391-7057,
or Call in your order to 503-375-3068

 

Finding Cristom Vineyards

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Copyright © 1997- 2008  Susan R. O'Hara. All rights reserved.
Last revised: 11/30/2008