1998 J Vintage Brut (Magnum)

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Winemaker Notes
The 1998 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
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 1998, cold stabilized and bottled over the spring of 1999.

Ageing
After secondary fermentation in the bottle, the wine was aged on the cork, en tirage (on the yeast) for 5 years in our cool cellars. Dosage was made from a blend of wood-aged, reserve wines and pure cane sugar. The wine is aged for an additional 10 months before it is released from our cellars.

Tasting Notes
Initial notes are a mixture of white fruits and citrus with delicate floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom. Underlying these first notes are hints of toast and butterscotch that are slightly more pronounced than previous vintages – due to the extended aging on the yeast. Melon and apple – with a hint of honey dominate the broad palate. The finish is long and clean – ending with a delicate nuttiness.

Harvest: August 28 to September 30, 1998

Harvest Analysis: Average sugar level 19.2° Brix

Final Analysis: Alcohol 12.7% by volume

Final Blend:
53% Chardonnay
44% Pinot Noir
3% Pinot Meunier
100 % Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

900 cases produced