2000 J Vintage Brut

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The Vineyards
The 2000 growing season was close to perfect for sparkling wine production. Yields were moderate and the grapes showed a good balance of flavor and acidity.

Processing
All grapes at J are hand-harvested into forty pound lugs and placed by hand whole cluster (no destemming) into our one-of-a-kind Coquard press for a gentle pressing cycle. Grape juice from the various vineyard lots is fermented and kept separate until blending decisions are made in mid-November. The cuvee (blend) was assembled in December of 2000, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates and then bottled over the spring of 2001.

Ageing
After the secondary fermentation (in the bottle) the wines aged for a minimum of four years in our cool cellars. In 2005, we began riddling the wines (to remove the yeast sediment responsible for the aging character) and a dosage liqueur was prepared from a blend of wood-aged, reserve wines and pure cane sugar. After the wine was disgorged, it was aged for at least another six months before we released it from our cellars to ensure a perfect balance of flavors.

Tasting Notes
The 2000 J Brut has tangerine, citrus and pear nuances in its initial aromas. Slightly nutty and toasty characters become evident, leading to a broad, creamy mouthfeel with millions of tiny dancing bubbles. A mix of citrus, honeysuckle, apple pie and vanilla cream flavors lead to a lengthy finish with ripe grapefruit notes.

Harvest: August 10 – September 15, 2000

Harvest Analysis: 19.5° Brix

Final Analysis: Alcohol 12.5% by volume

Final Blend:
51% Chardonnay
46% Pinot Noir
3% Pinot Meunier
100 % Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

20,800 cases produced