Processing

Whole grape clusters were hand-harvested between 23.5 and 24 brix, then pressed gently in our Coquard press. We use the French-made Coquard press to minimize the extraction of harsh components found in the skins. Free-run juice and press juice were fermented using a combination of indigenous and proprietary yeast strains from Burgundy. A long, slow fermentation allowed the wine to develop a mélange of fruit flavors. Based on the tight acid structure and voluminous tropical fruit flavors, the winemaking team determined this wine would become a special Club J offering.

Aging

The winemaking team used a selection of oak barrels from the Vosges region of France. The tight grain of French oak imparts a very elegant vanilla. Our barrels are toasted to a medium-plus level, giving the wine a hint of racy, toasty character, without overpowering the fruit. The wine was aged in a mix of five new French barrels and seventeen oneyear-old barrels. A three-month malolactic sur-lie fermentation gives the wine its silky mineral characteristic.

Tasting Notes

Distinctive spicy, mineral and lemon zesty flavors play center stage in our first vintage of the 2010 Jewell Ranch Vineyard. Delicate vanilla, pear and butterscotch flavors give this win a Meursault-like quality that speaks to J’s elegance and balance. We love the way it pairs witha salmon steak, lightly broiled or grilled on an open flame.