Cristom

1999 “Willamette Valley”
Reserve Pinot Noir
cristom It’s easy to get two bottles down at dinner, just give it a try.

When Pinot drinkers are drooling over the thought of an exceptional bottle of Pinot Noir from the great Northwest, there are about 15 wineries that are on the “must get my hands on” list. Cristom Vineyards is one of them. Small production, handcrafted and consistently “freakin’ great”. Some of the vineyard designate releases are made in small amounts ranging from 300 cases to a bit over 500, and the Reserve usually comes in at twice that depending on the harvest. This release of the Reserve came in at about 1150 cases. That’s enough for some of us to get our hands on it.

The 1999 vintage provided a nice cool and surprisingly dry spring and a mild and warm summer. This follows two very good vintages in 1997 and 1998, and gives fans of Willamette Valley wines something to cheer about. Cristom has taken advantage of this like they should, and they keep releasing killer Pinot’s.

The Reserve is pulled from some of the winemakers’ favorite lots from the harvest and sees some extended time in the barrel. This release has a nice hearty structure and is really able to hit the cellar for 3-5 years right now. It’s one of those drink now or later wines. I think it will be perfect either way, toss a coin. This Pinot is unfiltered and shows a ruby-red/garnet color in the glass, with some good full earthy aromas backed up by some distinct cherry notes and some darker fruits coming into play. The aromas are mild, but pretty easy to get drawn into.

Full flavors come across tight, focused and very deep. Deep cherry and hints of ripe plum work on the slight oakiness very well. The tannins are mild to medium and the acids are balanced well. Some spiciness comes across early then takes off only to return on the finish. The finish is nice and elegant. There is a dusty kind of spice that lingers in the mouth between sips and actually starts to develop more in the mouth as the tasting goes on. There is a lot going on here and the complexity is one of the benefits of drinking an excellent Pinot, from a very good vintage, produced by an all-star winery like Cristom.You will get your monies worth out of every bottle that comes out of Cristom and pair it up with a nice entree and you are livin’ the good life.

The ‘99’ Reserve is an awesome wine that I had while feasting on a Pork Tenderloin with a Mushroom/Orange Glaze and the second bottle was just as delicious as the first. It’s easy to get two bottles down at dinner, just give it a try.

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