2021 Royer Vineyard Chardonnay
Celestial Hill Vineyard is a 52-acre vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley AVA focused on estate wines that show the uniqueness of the terroir and our personal passion for approachable Burgundian-style wines of the highest quality.
A bright wine with fresh acidity. Green apple, pear and honeysuckle floral on the nose, zingy lemon zest, pineapple and minerality on the palate.
Pairs perfectly with fresh Pacific Northwest oysters!
The grapes were harvested on September 27th by hand with a ph of 3.1 and brix at 20.8. Lightly pressed and made in our desired style of Cote-de-Beaune wine. Partial secondary fermentation (MLF) to tamp down our acidity, and use lightly toasted Burgundy wine barrels with one-third new oak to provide a little more body and texture to the mouthfeel.
The Vintage:
2020 was a warm and dry vintage with some slight rain in mid-September just prior to harvest. The clusters had big and small berries (hens and chicks!) which lead to richer and more intense flavor. The growing season was extended by reduced sun, and these grapes were harvested right at the close of September.
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Dijon 76 |
| Appellation | Eola-Amity |
| Vineyard | Anahata Vineyard |
| Harvest Date | 09/27/2020 |
| Alcohol | 13.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 08/18/2021 |
| Cases Produced | 70 |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | Oregon |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
Anahata Vineyard was planted in spring of 2015. Located at a 500 foot elevation in the heart of the Willamette Valley's Eola-Amity Hills. Anahata's translation is the sanskrit word for the heart chakra.There are 20 acres planted on 9 blocks with 7×4 spacing … 8 of the blocks are named as translations of the word “JOY”. The signature block is called the “SMP” block after Sister Mary Paule, our aunt who served the children of South Africa for over 60 years building orphanages and schools.
Native Oregonian Jay Somers has been making wine in the Willamette Valley for more than 30 years, and established the J. Christopher brand in 1996. Working with great winemakers like his mentor John Paul of Cameron Winery and time spent at Adelsheim and Dry River in New Zealand Jay’s wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Willamette Valley.
The philosophy at J.C, Somers is to produce wines in an Old World style that emphasizes focus, length and balance. As Jay puts it, “We do not make fruit bombs. We want wines that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture. We want wines that give you more than just a big mid-palate blast — wines that are complete.” The key to this, Jay firmly believes, is patient winemaking — it is vital not to rush things and allow the wines to develop naturally. The wines should evolve at their own pace, with a minimum of intervention. He is taking inspiration from wines of the Old World and applying it to the terroir of the Willamette Valley.
