1990 J Vintage Brut, Late-Disgorged

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Winemaker Notes
The 1990 growing season in the Russian River Valley was marked by a warm spring and a cool summer. Temperatures heated up just before harvest to give the final boost to bring the fruit to ripeness.

Processing
Grapes from fifteen sources were gently pressed in our Coquard press. The juice was settled for 24 hours, racked and inoculated with Prise De Mousse yeast for the primary fermentation. A small amount of the wine was barrel fermented in four-year-old barrels. Assemblage took place in December of 1990. The base wines were blended and cold stabilized in January of 1991 and bottled in March 1991. The second fermentation lasted 6 to 8 weeks in cool cellar temperatures.

Ageing
The wine aged for 11 years at 55°F before being riddled on Gyropalletes. At disgorging, a dosage addition of wood-aged, reserve wines and pure cane sugar was added to round off the wine. The wine is aged for another year in the bottle before it is released from our cellars, assuring the wine reaches the consumer at optimum balance.

Tasting Notes
The 1990 J Late-Disgorged Brut is a rare example of the quality potential of California Methode Champenoise wines. Time has attenuated the fruit character so that it now unmasks the delicate yeast autolysis nuances in the wine. While some citrus and baked apple notes are still present, the wine is infused with toasted almond, honey, hazelnut and brioche characters. The acidity in the wine is just lively enough to keep it fresh while allowing the layered structure to shine through.

Harvest: August 23 - September 26, 1990

Harvest Analysis: Average sugar 19.4° Brix

Final Analysis: Alcohol 12.5% by volume

Final Blend:
51.4% Chardonnay (91.9% Russian River, 8.1% Alexander Valley)
48.6% Pinot Noir (52.8% Russian River, 36.1% Alexander Valley, 11.1% Monterey)
92.8% Sonoma County, 7.2% Monterey County