2001 J Vintage Brut

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The Vineyards
The 2001 growing season started out early, slowed in the late spring with bloom later than average. The light influence of fog during the summer allowed the vines to catch up and ripen early. Overall there was an average yield for grapes giving a great balance to the flavors and aromas.

Processing
All grapes at J are hand-harvested into forty pound lugs and placed as whole clusters (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 separately until blending decisions are made in mid-November. The cuvee (blend) was assembled in December of 2001, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates and then bottled over the spring of 2002.

Ageing
After the secondary fermentation (in the bottle) the wines aged for nearly five years in our cool cellars. In 2006, 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 2001 J Brut has citrus, Bosc pear, and light honeysuckle in its initial aromas. Slight nutty and toasty characters follow lending a nice balance to the fruit. The pear and citrus follow through in the mouth and are highlighted with a hint of gingersnap. The small bubbles along with light toasty yeast lend a creaminess that balances with the citrus on the finish. The crisp fruit married with the long lush finish make this wine pair nicely with light summertime brunches as well as elegant dinner fare.

Harvest: August 10 – August 29, 2001

Final Analysis: Alcohol 12.5% by volume

Final Blend:
52% Chardonnay
44% Pinot Noir
4%   Pinot Meunier

100 % Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

7,750 cases produced