2021 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard
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The 2021 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard was fermented with 52% whole clusters, and the wine was matured for 18 months in 38% new French oak. It features layered scents of raspberry, pomegranate, tea leaves, prosciutto and earth, offering additional nuances with each return to the glass. The medium-bodied palate offers complex layers of fruit, earth and spice. It has a seamless frame of dusty tannins and vibrant acidity and a long, fragrant finish. 781 cases were made.
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Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
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The 2021 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard opens with a dusty bouquet of rich autumnal spices, hints of ginger and crushed raspberry. This sweeps across the palate with a wave of ripe wild berries guided by zesty acidity, taking on a distinct savoriness toward the close. Hints of blood orange and bitter dark chocolate linger long as the 2021 tapers off with youthful tension and a layer of grippy tannins that frame the experience beautifully. The Jessie is the most wildly appealing of the Cristom single vineyards, presenting a little of something for everyone.
Hand-harvested, 52% whole-cluster fermented. Ambient-yeast fermentation. One to three punchdowns daily with occasional pumpovers in 1.5- to 5-ton open-top fermenters. Pressed to tank, settled overnight and moved to barrel. Unfined and unfiltered. 18 months on lees in 38% new French oak barrels. Pale ruby. Cola and sassafras on the nose. Crushed vanilla blossom and light oak spice. Incredibly elegant nose. Cranberry, cherry, red plum. Structured and spicy palate with velvety tannin. Elevated, balanced acidity. Lush red-fruited finish. Brighter than the Louise. (SCJ)
Lush with notes of dusty earth, the deep ruby-colored 2021 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard is rosy and pure, with wild raspberry liqueur, anise, and orange. Medium-bodied with a focused feel, while retaining ripe red fruit, it offers fine tannins and fresh acidity throughout. It has a bit of texture that I think comes from stem tannins, but they’re ripe and well-integrated. It’s going to benefit from a few more years of bottle age. Drink 2025-2037. The wines for this report were tasted at the winery, where I toured the vineyards with winemaker Daniel Estrin in the Eola-Amity Hills. Daniel joined the team in 2019, following his work with Ted Lemon at Littorai, where he began as an intern and worked his way up to assistant winemaker. Although he has certainly taken a page from Ted’s farming and biodynamic practices, the estate is not certified, and they prefer not to work within the proscriptive confines for certification.