J. CHRISTOPHER Old World is joining New World for J. Christopher Wines in Oregon

German Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen and Oregon based Jay Somers of J. Christopher Wines formed a new partnership, Loosen Christopher Wines LLC, which will produce wines under the already-established “J. Christopher” brand. The venture has purchased a 40-acre property for a new and J. Christopher on Hillside Drive in Newberg, Oregon. Planting of the first block of will begin this spring. Barrel cellar construc- tion is planned to occur before the 2010 . As winemaker, Jay Somers will be in charge of all winery operations. Ernst Loosen sees his role as more of an investor providing Somers with a dedi- cated facility and an estate vineyard, enabling Somers to grow the J. Dr. Ernest Loosen and Jay Somers Christopher brand to meet demand in both domestic and interna- tional markets.

Loosen and Somers met some years ago and quickly realized that they share a similar taste and passion for Pinot. Their friendship was cemented in 2004 when Somers traveled to Germany to help the short-handed harvest crew at Dr. Loosen. Since then, Loosen and Somers found it only natural to work together to produce interesting Pinot Noirs that combine Old World and New World ideas. “I’m very excited about this collaboration because Jay’s wines are the most Burgundian, Old World style I’ve seen anyone make in the United States,” says Ernst Loosen. “Jay doesn’t try to replicate Germany or Burgundy in the New World, but rather to bring an Old World sensibility to the creation of the , contributing to great structure and expression of . This collaboration will allow the growth that is needed to enable these elegant wines to be enjoyed around the world.” “This is a great opportunity for us at J. Christopher to move forward to the next level and there’s no one better in the world to take on as a partner than Ernie Loosen,” says Jay Somers. “Not only is Ernie one of my favorite people in the world, he has a keen palate, is an excellent winemaker and is immensely talented at presenting wines to the market. This partnership will be much bigger than if each of us tried to make Pinot Noir on our own. We’re super excited about the new vineyard and winery, which will give us a world class space and access to fruit we wouldn’t otherwise have, enabling us to do even better wines in the future.”

Jay Somers, Winemaker, J. Christopher Wines Jay Somers has been making Pinot Noir in Oregon for more than 15 years and launched his own J. Christopher Wines in 1996. Located in Oregon’s Northern Willamette Valley, J. Christopher Wines is a small winery that special- izes in Pinot Noir made in the traditional style of Burgundy. J. Christopher Wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the best in Oregon.

Ernst Loosen, Owner, Dr. Loosen & J.L. Wolf As the owner of the Dr. Loosen and J.L. Wolf in Germany, Ernst (Ernie) Loosen is well-known in wine circles and regularly travels the globe for public appearances. Named Germany’s Winemaker of the Year in 2001, Ernie oversees the Dr. Loosen and J.L. Wolf wineries as well as joint ventures in the United States (such as his “Eroica” collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State). A lifelong Pinot Noir fanatic, Ernie has been producing Pinot at his J.L. Wolf estate since 1996.

Cream Wine Company 118 N. Peoria, Chicago 60607 312.421.1900 [email protected] www.creamwine.com

J. CHRISTOPHER WINES Old World is joining New World for J. Christopher Wines in Oregon

NEW ITEM! J. Christopher Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley - 12/750ml $300 List $280 Net / Special Pre Offer price $240 net The 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir shows a lot like a young Burgundy, and is an excellent example of Oregon’s nearly perfect 2008 . A relatively cool growing season resulted in a small crop (about 20 percent below aver- age), but long hang time - the perfect conditions for concentrated fruit. Beautiful weather during harvest was the icing on the cake, allowing growers to pick at optimal ripeness without having to rush to avoid rain. This combina- tion of conditions made it possible to produce highly concentrated wines with great structure and elegance. One sip of the J. Christopher 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir confirms the vintage buzz. The wine presents bright, focused aromas of earth, raspberry and toast, following through with dark fruit and smoky black cherries on the palate, and ending in a sweet, lingering finish. Supported by outstanding structure, the wine leaves an overall im- pression of focus, purity and elegance. The 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot was sourced from four excellent vineyard sites, primarily in the red Jory clay of the Dundee Hills AVA: La Colina, Croft, Charlie’s Vineyard, and Bella Vida. The Bella Vida Vineyard is also the primary source for the “Appassionata” Pinot Noir that Jay makes in collabora- tion with Ernst Loosen. This wine spent 16 months in barrel, with 25% new French .

J. Christopher 2006 ‘Appassionata’ Pinot Noir - 6/750ml Net $300 Appassionata is a finely selected, limited-production Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. To assemble the wine,Ernst and Jay taste through all of the barrels in the J. Christopher cellars and select a distinctive combination of clones, and cooperages to produce an elegant Pinot Noir with powerful Oregon fruit and fine Old World structure. Under the new Loosen Christopher Wines venture, Appassionata will continue to be a top of the line spe- cial bottling, eventually coming primarily from estate-grown grapes after the vines on the new vineyard are estab- lished. The 2006 vintage will be released for the first time in March 2010.

J. Christopher 2007 Pinot Noir Cuvée, Dundee Hills - 12/750ml Net $300 The 2007 vintage is a blend of the best barrels from five excellent vineyard sites in the red Jory clay of the Dundee Hills AVA. The majority of the fruit is from Le Pavillon, an older vineyard planted in 1972. Abbey Ridge, with its 25- to 30-year-old vines, and Charlie’s Vineyard, another of the great sites in the Dundee Hills, also contributed fruit. A few barrels from Bella Vida (the primary source for the “Appassionata” Pinot Noir that Jay makes in col- laboration with Ernst Loosen) and from La Colina Vineyard also went into the blend. This is a classic Dundee Hills Pinot Noir or, as Ernst calls it, “Super Pinot!” The wine spent 18 months in barrel, with 20% new French oak.

J. Christopher 2008 - 12/750ml Net $180 Sauvignon Blanc is the second largest J. Christopher production variety. Although not widely planted in Oregon’s Northern Willamette Valley, Sauvignon Blanc is ideal for the climate and makes fantastic wine here. Made in a clean, fresh style, the wine is fermented in stainless steel and does not go through . The result is a classic, highly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with perfect ripeness and excellent acidity.

Cream Wine Company 118 N. Peoria, Chicago 60607 312.421.1900 [email protected] www.creamwine.com