The renowned Cristom vineyards, all 65 acres of them, cover the slopes of the Eola Hills of Oregon. The estate was established in 1991 by Paul Gerrie, who brought in Steve Doemer as his winemaker. Both men wanted to produce Pinot Noir with a Burgundian ethos; ie it should reflect the soil and microclimate of the land on which it is planted, the job of the winemaker being to encourage the expression of its natural character.

Cristoms's holdings are divided up in to a series of different vineyards, each named after a family matriarch. Blessed with an undulating landscape and a variable climate, each of Cristom's vineyards produces juice with its own character and personality, resulting in a range of wines almost reminiscent of a Burgundian domaine.

Certain vineyards excel in one year, others in another. What the wines do have in common is a delicacy and purity, rarely seen in Pinot Nour outside of the Cote d'Or. Over the past year Cristom has received rave reviews from Allen Meadows, Steve Tanzer and Robert Parker, each of whom has their own favourite vineyard, testimony to the success of what Paul and Steve set out to achieve. Quantities are quite limited and the wines come highly recommended.