Jay Christopher Somers
Owner and native Oregonian Jay Somers has been making wine in the Willamette Valley for more than 30 years, and established the J. Christopher brand in 1996. Working with great winemakers like his mentor John Paul of Cameron Winery and time spent at Adelsheim and Dry River in New Zealand  Jay’s wines are hand-crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Willamette Valley. 
The philosophy at J.C, Somers is to produce wines in an Old World style that emphasizes focus, length and balance. As Jay puts it, “We do not make fruit bombs. We want wines that have a fine balance of fruit, acidity and texture. We want wines that give you more than just a big mid-palate blast — wines that are complete.” The key to this, Jay firmly believes, is patient winemaking — it is vital not to rush things and allow the wines to develop naturally. The wines should evolve at their own pace, with a minimum of intervention. He is taking inspiration from wines of the Old World and applying it to the terroir of the Willamette Valley.
​When Jay is not busy making wine he is usually playing guitar and composing new music for his band Portland Cement, check out their new album "The Road to El Groove"  on your favorite streaming app.

Ronda Newell Somers
Ronda has been with Jay since 1991 and has been an important part of the winemaking team since 1996. Beyond the efforts of marketing and sales she has been in trenches of harvest and the cellar from the beginning. Most importantly is her moral support and ability to make a great cocktail at the perfect time. She is a huge fan of Nebbiolo, Champagne and of course the wines of the "Holy Land", Burgundy. Beyond her love for wine she is very interested in fashion and like Jay a huge music fan. Most recently she has become a certified Peak Pilates instructor, she will be opening a studio in the near future, watch for "Laughing Hundred Pilates."