I have mixed feelings about Cristom: I enjoy their wines in the tasting room, but less so at home with food. This Pinot is 14.5% abv aged in 60+ percent new oak, which is generally not a recipe for success in my kitchen. This time, it worked beautifully. And with pizza! From the first pour into my awesome Riedel Oregon Pinot Noir glass, it smelled earthy and rustic, with very little discernible heat. The bouquet is both familiar and foreign, with a brambly blackberry profile I’d expect from a more extracted Oregon Pinot, and more exotic, almost Indian aromatics reminiscent of garam masala. The oak is there, but it’s not distracting. Medium bodied, with bright acidity and a moderate finish. This was our only bottle of '03 Louise, and I wish I’d held on to it a little longer.
Intellectually, I didn’t expect to enjoy this wine, but the bottle’s gone and I loved every drop.