1996 J Vintage Brut

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Winemaker Notes
The 1996 growing season in the Russian River Valley was marked by heavy rains during the winter. A slightly early bud break led to a relatively cool spring that turned into a very hot summer. A heat wave struck in mid-August and served to ripen the grapes very fast. The 1996 wines were at first austere. They possessed a good natural acid and were slow to "open up". These natural characteristics will enable the 1996 wines to age gracefully.

Processing
All grapes were hand-harvested, whole cluster, into forty pound lugs and placed by hand into our Coquard champagne press for a gentle pressing cycle. Vineyard lots and press fractions were kept separate until blending decisions were made in mid-November. The cuvee was assembled in December of 1996, cold stabilized and bottled over the spring of 1997.

Ageing
After secondary fermentation in the bottle, the wines aged for an average of thirty-six months in our cool cellars. Dosage was made from a blend of wood-aged, reserve wines and pure cane sugar. The wine is aged for a minimum of six months before it is released from our cellars.

Tasting Notes
Elegance is the word to describe the 1996 J Brut. The initial aromas are slightly floral with apple, high notes of citrus, and a light dusting of yeast autolysis character. The flavor profile is broad and medium-bodied, a core of fruit flavors enveloped by delicate yeast character. The wine's medium acidity serves to marry all the components into a seamless experience, ending long and clean.

Harvest: August 22 to September 22, 1996

Harvest Analysis: Average sugar 19.4° Brix

Final Blend:
52.5% Chardonnay
45.0% Pinot Noir
2.5% Pinot Meunier
100% Russian River Valley