1999 J Vintage Brut

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Winemaker's Notes
The 1999 growing season was as close as it gets to being perfect. The quality of Northern California grapes from this vintage is considered superb. Our vineyards in the Russian River Valley yielded a balanced crop of clean, healthy and flavorful grapes that reflected the mild, long growing season with bright & lush aromas and flavors.

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 1999, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates and then bottled over the spring of 2000.

Ageing
After the secondary fermentation (in the bottle) the wines aged for a minimum of four years in our cool cellars. In 2004, 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 a least another six months before we released it from our cellars to ensure a perfect balance of flavors.

Tasting Notes
The first aromas in the 1999 J Brut suggest a rich, complex and lively methode champenoise wine. Pear, sun-kissed citrus, baked apple, light vanilla and roasted almond aromas with a slight bisquity nuance greet the taster, all carried by the delicate effervescence. The palate is lush with flavors and refreshing in nature, ending with a light smoky flavor and a long citrus note. The acidity gives just enough liveliness to make the wine match with a variety of foods and makes one anticipate the next sip.

Harvest:  August 30 - October 4, 1999

Harvest Analysis:  Average sugar level 19.5° Brix

Final Analysis:  Alcohol 12.7% by volume

Final Blend:
51% Chardonnay
46% Pinot Noir
3% Pinot Meunier

100 % Russian River Valley, Sonoma County