Cristom Vineyards
Founded in: 1991
Website: cristomwines.com
Specialties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Viognier
Who is the person you most admire in the sustainable world and why? Locally it would be Doug Tunnell because he has been quietly becoming more and more sustainable before it was fashionable and he doesn’t preach about it.
If you were a food or wine, what would you be and why? Foie Gras because although not very sustainable or healthy, it’s lovable just the same.
For Winemaker, Inspiration Comes from Looking Beyond the Glass
Steve Doerner has been synonymous with natural winemaking since his early days as a winemaker in California. At Cristom Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills, where Doerner has put down roots, he crafts Pinot noir and other varietals with native yeasts, and no fining or filtering. Doerner considered these techniques, plus the earth-friendly practices that had been implemented in the vineyard since Paul and Eileen Gerrie established Cristom Vineyards, the ultimate in sustainability.
“We thought it was obvious, that wines are made in vineyard, and you want to have the best fruit you can to make the best quality of wine,” Doerner says. “And you get the best fruit from sustainable practices. But going through the rigorous winery certification process revealed to me that it isn’t just what you are doing to your product, but its impact on the world. It was exciting to start thinking beyond our borders.”
Cristom Vineyards, which is an all estate vineyard property, has received both LIVE vineyard certification for its 65 acres of vines and LIVE Winery Certification.
“Much of the credit goes to our Marketing and Sales Director, John D’Anna, who was out in the market and getting asked questions about what our winery was doing in terms of sustainability,” Doerner says. “He pushed us to have answers to those questions.” Becoming a part of the OCSW program has had an impact on the business decisions Cristom Vineyards makes, such as examining how many products are sourced locally.
“It’s about taking a look at the bigger picture and thinking globally, beyond just the wine,” Doerner says. “For example, we used to import most of our glass but are now buying domestically. Being part of this movement helped us think of ways to be more sustainable.”
Order Oregon Certified Sustainable Wines
2008 Cristom Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir
2008 Cristom Germaine Vineyard Chardonnay
2008 Cristom Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir
2008 Cristom Louise Vineyard Pinot Noir
2008 Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Pinot Noir