Chris James Cellars, Willamette Valley, Oregon
North of McMinnville, Oregon, in the Northern Willamette Valley, Chris James Cellars lies nestled amongst the rolling hills of Carlton. Join us at our McMinnville tasting room for an urban setting in the city! Our award-winning winery, vineyard, and tasting room encompass 62 acres of Estate property with stunning views and wildlife.
Our approach to wine is creative — we emphasize and preserve the varietal aromatics, and seek intense flavors through harvest decisions and wine-making techniques.
Chris James Cellars is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery that produces unique and interesting wines in Carlton, Oregon. We produced our first wines in 2015 and have since grown to offer a wide selection of white, red, and sparkling wines. Our approach to white wines is to emphasize and preserve the varietal aromatics, flavor and acidity. In red wines we seek to develop intense flavors through harvest decisions and wine-making techniques during fermentation; we focus on mouthfeel and silky texture during maturation.
In 2011 Beth and Chris sought out to find the perfect place to establish a vineyard in Oregon. After a lengthy search, they selected a lot on the western edge of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the foothills of the Coastal Range. The site was selected due to its aspects, elevation, and geology. Nearly every aspect is represented on the property and the soils are primarily deep volcanic soils. The volcanic soils of the Willamette Valley are known to contribute to the world class terroir of the region. In September of 2011 Beth and Chris purchased the property and started their journey…
The vineyard was planted in early 2013 with additional plantings every season since. A diverse selection of grape varietals were chosen to produce estate wines that are new and interesting as well as classic to the region. The varietals include Pinot Noir (Pommard, 777, 828 and Wadensville clones), Sauvignon Blanc, Dolcetto, Lagrein, Gewürztraminer, Gammay Noir, Scheurebe, and Huxelrebe. The blocks are planted on slopes with Eastern, Western and Southern aspects.
Today, Chris James Cellars produces nearly 3,000 cases of wines each year. Chris continues to produce a wide range of white wines and has started to produce “big reds” from the Eastern Oregon & Washington region in 2017. The wines of Chris James Cellars have been recognized through awards, positive reviews and remarkable scores.
Chris James Cellars- Gewurztraminer
This wine was made in the spirit of our 2016, 2018 and 2021 Gewürztraminer: extended skin contact (~5 hours) with a cool and extended fermentation. A portion of the wine was fermented in a neutral barrel to create a round mouthfeel in the wine. The remainder of the wine was fermented in stainless steel. The wine is extremely aromatic and fruit forward with a good acid structure. This tastes amazing now, and will age into something really special.
Tasting Notes
Floral aromas with a hint of spice and flavors of fresh apricot, white peach and pear.
Food Pairings
Bahn mi, pad kee moa, chicken fajitas, Szechuan chicken
Accolades
Double Gold (95 pts) - Pacific NW Wine Competition 2023
Oregon Wine Press Cellar Selects, August 2023
Silver (90 pts) - Oregon Wine Awards 2023
Silver (87pts) - SavorNW 2024
Best in Show White - Portland Seadfood and Wine 2024
Silver - Newport Seafood and Wine 2024
90 pts - Wine Enthusiast 2024
Details
Vintage:2022 Gewürztraminer, Willamette Valley
Cases Produced:88
Country of Origin: UNITED STATES
State of Origin: Oregon
Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Acid:8.8 g/L
PH:3.61
Residual Sugar:19.4 g/L
Alcohol:12.00%
Volume:750 ml
Bottling Date:01/19/2023
Chris James Cellars - Cuvee Blanc
Scheurebe (90%) and Huxelrebe (10%)
Tasting Notes
Aromas of ripe pear, orange marmalade, citrus, peach and black currants, with a crisp refreshing finish.
Food Pairings
Apple donuts.Austrian wiener schnitzel. Potato salad. Light white meats
Accolades
Gold (92 pts) - Oregon Wine Awards
Oregon Wine Press Cellar Selects, June 2024
Silver (89 pts) - SavorNW 2024
Silver - Portland Seafood and Wine 2024
Details
Vintage:2022 Cuvée Blanc, Willamette Valley
Alcohol:12.00%
Volume:750 ml
Bottling Date:01/19/2023
Cases Produced:111
Country of Origin:UNITED STATES
State of Origin:Oregon
Varietal:Scheurebe (90%), Huxelrebe (10%)
Varietal Composition: Scheurebe (90%) and Huxelrebe (10%)
Appellation: Yamhill-Carlton
Vineyard: Old Wagon Road Vineyard
Designation: Estate
Acid:5.0 g/L
PH:3.61f
Residual Sugar:14.9 g/L
Chris James Cellars- Yamhill Carlton Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Aromas of black cherry and white pepper with earthy barnyard notes, with flavors of red cherry, blackberry, vanilla, spice and earth.
Food Pairings
Garlic and herb roasted pork tenderloin or a simple pizza with sausage and pepperoni
Accolades
Gold (94 pts) - Oregon Wine Awards 2023
Vintage:2019 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton (Estate)
Country of Origin: UNITED STATES
State of Origin: Oregon
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Yamhill-Carlton
Vineyard: Old Wagon Road Vineyard
Designation: Estate
Aging: 18 Months in neutral barrel
Alcohol: 14.50%
Volume: 750 ml
Cases Produced: 249