Cristom Vineyards was established by visionary founder, Paul Gerrie and his wife Eileen in 1992, who each possess a deep-rooted respect for the land, the natural winemaking process, and Pinot Noir. More than 25 years later, second-generation winegrower and owner Tom Gerrie leads winemaker Steve Doerner and the tenured viticulture team in tending the Estate vineyards, and producing elegant, dynamic wines, recognizable by our hallmark style of whole-cluster fermentation by native yeasts.
Their winemaking philosophy begins with respect for the land and estate vines. They are proud to be Certified Sustainable by Low Input Viticulture & Enology (LIVE), both in the winery and in the fields.
The four estate Pinot Noir vineyards - Eileen, Jessie, Louise and Marjorie, named for Gerrie family matriarchs - each possess natural variances in soil, elevation and exposition. With minimal intervention during the winemaking process, Tom, Steve and team strive to craft wines that are an honest recording of both the vineyard and the vintage, producing the ultimate expressions of the stellar fruit. Recognized globally as a leading producer in our beloved Willamette Valley, their wines continue to be a unique blend of tradition, modernity and finesse.
"The Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir is another stunning wine from Cristom. As it begins to unwind in the glass it reveals pretty aromas of fresh red fruits that mingle with earthy tones. On the palate, the weight and mouth-watering acidity impresses, as does the beautiful red and dark fruit flavors. Overall, this is a gorgeous Pinot Noir which should continue to evolve beautifully over the next decade plus." 92 points, International Wine Report
"Pale to medium ruby with a hint of purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard has a bright, lively nose of red cherry and licorice with accents of charcuterie, dried leaves, fir, cola and dusty soil. Light to medium-bodied, it offers layers of black and red cherry and berry flavors in the mouth with a soft frame of baking spice and earthy notes. It's held together with firm, slightly fuzzy tannins and great juicy acidity, finishing long with sweet, ripe red fruits." 92+ pts, Erin Brooks, WA