USA Wine

J. Christopher is owned by Ernst 'Erni' Loosen, the internationally acclaimed winemaker behind Germany's Dr. Loosen and Villa Wolf estates. Erni has a lifelong passion for Pinot Noir, and he recognized in the early 1990s that there was something very special going on here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. 

This red wine is a blend from excellent vineyards in three of the Willamette Valley's AVAs: Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountains and Eola-Amity Hills. Made with native yeast fermentations and up to 18 months of barrel time, this is classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

This Chardonnay is sourced from Californian coastal vineyards. Fermentation and ageing is completed in French and American oak barrels, lending richness and toastiness. Lees ageing adds richness, creaminess and complexity.

?Beautifully integrated tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango and papaya, with citrus notes that explode in your mouth. These flavors delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance throughout. A hint of toasted oak and butter rounds out the long, lingering finish.? - Randy Ullom, Winemaster. 

Light oak aging and fresh, balanced acidity make this chardonnay a must- have. The bouquet is soft with ripe honeydew, rich vanilla and hints of apple skin. The oak aging adds a nice complexity to the mouthfeel, layering zesty spice tones on top of crisp pear and guava flavour. On the back end, flavours of lemon peel meld with the creamy vanilla notes to create a refreshing and savoury finish.

Smooth with rustic aromatics and black cherry flavours.

Boasting concentrated flavour while retaining the delicate nature that the varietal is known for, the bouquet opens with deep, rustic notes of cigar box and wild mushroom and develops gentle highlights of cranberry as it sits. On the palate, vivid black cherry notes up front lend a nice acidity and complement warm allspice undertones with mild tannins.

This California grown Rh?ne varietal blend is focused and piquant with a smack of black pepper, lifted by the scent of dried roses. It surges with ripe Rainier cherries, a touch of dark chocolate, and a depth of black tea and liquorice, delivering both power and balance with a seemingly endless finish.

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2018 Christo is made up of 60% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 12% Petite Sirah and 4% Viognier. Vibrant ruby-purple in colour, the nose offers pure scents of crushed red, black and blue berries, tobacco, violets, tar and smoked meats. The palate is full-bodied and packed full of perfectly ripe, juicy fruit, with a grainy frame and loads of uplift on the finish. (EB)"

Chardonnay is the world's favourite white grape and makes many of the best whites on Earth, including in the Dunnigan hills in California, a little slice of winemaking paradise situated north west of Sacramento.

This is a big rich wine with full, broad aromas of ripe tropical fruits and stonefruits entwined with creamy barrel ferment characters combined with nutty lees and toasty oak flavours, which are harmoniously intermixed with subtle lemon-curd malolactic fermentation notes. 

The palate is full and mirrors the nose in terms of flavour. Drink now or keep in the cellar for two to three years and match with pork, veal and chicken dishes.

The McManis Family Vineyards Chardonnay is light golden straw in color. Bright fruit aromas of Pear, Melon and Peach are accompanied by a bouquet of Vanilla, Hazelnut, and a hint of buttered popcorn. As with previous vintages, the wine is rich, creamy and full of sweet Pear, Banana and toasty oak flavors

Durif, also known as Petit Sirah is a red wine grape variety known for making juicy, plummy, tannic wines. The McManis Petite Sirah is bright, yet deep purple colour. The nose is ripe and fruity, with aromas of blackberry, toffee and a touch of clove. On the palate the wine is rich with dark berry flavours. This is a great example of a lesser known grape variety.

Ridge produced its first chardonnay in 1962 from fully mature vines planted in the late 1940s on the Monte Bello estate vineyard. Production never exceeded ten barrels, and Monte Bello Chardonnay was sold principally at the winery. 

The grapes are whole cluster pressed, barrel fermented and aged on the lees for nine months and the wine is then aged in 80% air-dried American oak barrels and 20% French oak barrels. The French oak barrels are 15% new, 20% one year-old, 40% three years-old, and 25% five years-old.

The wine offers  aromas of citrus, stone fruits, brioche and almonds leading to a palate showing light oak, tart apple, lemon blossom and long minerality.

California Zin is one of the most satisfying big dark reds on the planet and Sebastiani's is a great example. It's dry, it's full bodied, it's spicy and it's rich in taste. What more could you ask for?

Sebastiani is a winery in Sonoma, founded by Italian immigrant Samuele Sebastiani in 1895, making cobblestones for San Francisco streets to save the money to build a winery. which became highly successful and remained in family hands until 2008 when Californian wine lover Bill Foley bought it to add to his large portfolio of companies.

This is a great full bodied, dry red with power and complexity at an affordable price. Next level Zin, here we come. 

Commercial description

Shannon Ridge High Elevation is a true celebration of our sustainably-farmed, mountain-grown fruit. Crafted in a robust, food-friendly style, these wines bring together three very special appellations within Lake County: High Valley, Red Hills and Big Valley. Here, the grapes develop the ripe, full flavours, complexity and structure that make these wines perfect for gathering together your favourite people around the table. Enjoy the rich taste of the high life.

Clusters from High Valley deliver bright red fruit and tannin, fruit from Red Hills contributes lush, ripe fruit character, and our Big Valley grapes add complexity and texture to our Cabernet Sauvignon.

Decadent blackberry and dried cranberry flavors with notes of pepper and allspice lead to a lengthy, satisfying finish marked by hints of cedar and toasted oak.

Commercial description

Shannon Ridge High Elevation is a true celebration of our sustainably-farmed, mountain-grown fruit. Crafted in a robust, food-friendly style, these wines bring together three very special appellations within Lake County: High Valley, Red Hills and Big Valley. Here, the grapes develop the ripe, full flavours, complexity and structure that make these wines perfect for gathering together your favourite people around the table. Enjoy the rich taste of the high life.

High Valley fruit adds lively citrus flavours and bright acidity, grapes from Red Hills contribute generous, ripe fruit character balanced by the grassiness and mineral tones of fruit from Big Valley

This is a rich, food friendly red wine from Sonoma County, California.

"The Crusher Petite Sirah is a deep, inky color with bold aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, and fig jam. The inviting aromas lead to a medium palate with a core of juicy fruit flavors, toasted hazelnut and baking spice notes. The wine spends 10 months in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak, giving the final blend a soft texture with fine, well-integrated tannins."

-Winemaker's note.