Christopher Creek Russian River Valley Winery & Vineyards

Newsletter Winter 2008

New Releases

2005 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Our 2005 Finlay’s Vineyard Cabernet is produced from the grapes grown in the red soils of the Eastern slope of Bradford Mountain overlooking Dry Creek Valley. The wine shows the characteristics of a “serious Cab”. The vines are over 30 years old and the grapes produce a wine with intense aromas and tastes of blueberry, boysenberry, cassis and plum with spicy, cedar and clove overtones. The wine consists of 95% Cabernet, 5% Merlot with a field blend of Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged for 18 months in French Oak Barrels. The concentration and ample tannic structure should allow for good bottle aging. Red meat dishes are the pairing of choice for the 2005 Cabernet. Our past vintages have been multiple Gold Medal winners. A Silver Medal was awarded at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition, the first competitive wine tasting this year. Should age well over the next 8-10 years.

Harvested September 2005
3.5 tons/acre
Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months
517 cases produced
pH 3.45 at bottling
Released January 2008
$30.00/bottle
(Cellar Club Members $24.00)

Order now online or call 707-431-8243.

2006 Sapphire Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

With a sense of harmony, elegance and Burgundian-style, our 2006 Russian River Sapphire Hill Vineyard Chardonnay displays notes of fresh pineapple, citrus and crisp green apple. Overtones of toast and spice are the results of fermentation in French Oak Barrels.

The “Sur Lies” aging (the wine is left in contact with the fine lees) and minimal malolactic fermentation provides fullness, liveliness and a long lasting finish that retains the aromatic complexity of the nose and produces a round mouth feel. Appreciate this food friendly wine with salmon, oyster, vegetable risotto, crab, lobster and scallops or sip as reward after a long day.

Harvested October 2006
2.2 tons/acre
Aged in French oak barrels for 9 months (1/3 new)
Minimal maloactic fermentation
201 cases produced
pH 3.41 at bottling
Released august 2007
$27.00/bottle
(Cellar Club Members $21.60)

Order now online or call 707-431-8243.

Futures Available for Purchase of 2007 Wines

If you have never participated in our Futures program, now is the time. Guarantee the availability of your favorite Christopher Creek wine. Purchase Futures of the 2007 vintage now and receive a 30% discount.

You can taste the 2007 Estate Bottled Reserve Petite Sirah, Estate Bottled Syrah and Dry Creek Zinfandel at Barrel Tasting Weekends (March 1–2 or March 8–9). Christopher Creek will be open for tasting as well on Friday February 29 and Friday, March 7. The 2007 vintage is another great year. To order, just call us at 707-431-8243. You can also order Futures online. 2006 Futures of Estate Bottled Petite Sirah, Estate Bottled Syrah and Dry Creek Zinfandel will be available for pickup at the Barrel Weekends Event, beginning Friday, February 29. For Futures pick-up we will be open at 10 am Saturday and Sunday of each weekend as well.

Past Newsletters

Fall 2007 New Release: 2005 Russian River Zinfandel, Holiday Gifts.

Summer 2007 New Releases: 2005 Russian River Estate Bottled Reserve Syrah, 2006 "Catie's Corner" Viognier; Awards.

Spring 2007 New Releases: 2005 estate Petite Sirah, 2005 Dry Creek Zinfandel, 2005 Russian river Estate Syrah; Wine Profile feature announced.

Winter 2007 2004 Dry Creek Cabernet, 2005 Dry Creek Zinfandel, 2006 Vintage Notes

Fall 2006 2004 Russian River Zinfandel, Deux Barriques, Christopher Creek Fan Mail

Summer 2006 2004 Estate Bottled Russian River Reserve Syrah, 2005 Catie's Corner Russian River Viognier, Christopher Creek in the News, Awards

Spring 2006 2004 Estate Reserve Petite Sirah, 2004 Russian River Estate Syrah, Awards, 2005 Futures

Winter 2006 2003 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Russian River Chardonnay, 2005 Vintage Notes, Christopher Creek in The Wall Street Journal, Replanting

Fall 2005 Christopher Creek in The Wall Street Journal, 2003 Russian River Zinfandel, 2001 Deux Barriques

Summer 2005 Estate Bottled Russian River 2003 Reserve Syrah, Catie's Corner Russian River 2004 Viognier, Awards

Spring 2005 2003 Petite Sirah, 2003 Russian River Estate Bottled Syrah, Awards

Winter 2005 2002 Dry Creek Cabernet, 2003 Russian River Chardonnay

Fall 2004 2002 Russian River Zinfandel

Summer 2004 Estate Bottled Russian River 2002 Reserve Syrah, Catie's Corner Russian River 2003 Viognier, Simple Steps to Decanting

Spring 2004 30th Anniversary of Christopher Creek Winery, 2002 Estate Bottled Syrah, 2002 Petite Sirah

Winter 2003 2001 Dry Creek Cabernet, 2002 Russian River Chardonnay

Upcoming Events

Two Barrel Weekends for 2008

The Russian River Wine Road, sponsor of “Barrel Weekend,” has expanded the event to two weekends March 1 and 2 and March 8 and 9 to offer more people the opportunity to enjoy tasting wines out of the barrel This year Christopher Creek will also be open on Friday, February 29 then again on Friday, March 7. The event starts each day at 11 am and ends at 4 pm. Both weekends, we will barrel
sample the 2007 Estate Bottled Reserve Petite Sirah, 2007 Dry Creek Zinfandel, 2007 Estate Bottled Syrah and 2007 Catie’s Corner Viognier. Futures of these wines will be available for purchase. Food will be served on Saturday and Sunday of both weekends.

This year the Russian River Wineroad is charging $20 per person for each weekend (Logo Glass Included). Over a 100 wineries will be anticipating. We recommend you visit our winery first on either Friday, February 29 or March 7 to avoid the crowds and pick up Futures of the 2006 wines which you have ordered. We will also be selling tickets on Friday, so get you wristband and glass before the crowds on Saturday and Sunday.

Spring Fest—
Saturday, May 10
11 am to 5 pm

Join the “Eastside Bunch” wineries and Christopher Creek for a special Spring event. At Christopher Creek we will feature a vertical of Petite Sirahs. The 2005 Deux Barriques will be released and available at a special price for Cellar Club Members. Food will be served. $10 charge per person (Logo Glass Included).

Summer Fest—
Saturday, August 2
11 am to 5 pm

When it is summertime in the valley and grapes are on the vines ripening in the warm sun, enjoy our BBQ ranch food, a taste of “Catie’s Corner” Viognier and the 2006 Estate Bottled Reserve Syrah. $10 charge per person (Logo Glass Included).

Fall for Zin—
Saturday, October 25
11 am to 5 pm

At Christopher Creek we will again have our dueling Zins, The Russian River versus Dry Creek as well as hearty “Fall Fare.” There might be a trick or treat as well. No charge for this event.

Older Vintage Week—
Friday, November 21 to Sunday November 30

Library Wines plus our Big Bottles will be available for your Holiday gifts and parties. Our winery will be open daily 11 am to 5 pm except Thanksgiving Day.

2007 Vintage Notes

by Chris Russi, Winemaker

Happy 2008! Reflecting back to last year, I feel that the wines produced from this 2007 vintage are going to be of excellent quality. At this point, we are seeing great fruit concentration, rich mouth feel and well-balanced wines across the board. This harvest season, however, was not exempt from moments of hairpulling, stressful decision-making—that’s life in the wine business.

During the early summer months, I was extremely optimistic with the slow, even ripening in all of our vineyards. The grapes, from berry set through verasion (color) were experiencing “perfect” days (85-90 degree F with cool 55 degree nights). Then the heat came. Right around the last five days of August, when the grapes were at about 22 to 23.5 degrees brix, the heat spell set in.

This was the first time the 2007 fruit had experienced 100+ degree days with abnormally warm nights. The water in the fruit was evaporating causing the sugar and acid concentration to accelerate. While many wineries began harvesting, we decided to wait out the heat and apply as much water as possible.

Our decision to wait was correct, because as the heat spell broke, the sugar concentration regressed (in one case as high as 27.5 degrees brix backed down to 24.0 degrees brix— unbelievable!).

Our harvest began September 2 with our estate Syrah which showed intense fruit concentration, color, and rich ripe tannin. Our Zins came in next, followed by Viognier, and then Chardonnay. Our estate Petite Sirah had extra long hang time (began harvesting the end of September).

I am looking forward to exceptional wines from another great vintage at Christopher Creek Winery.