1997 J Pinot Noir, Nicole's Vineyard

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Source
The 1997 J Pinot Noir was harvested between August 30th and September 3rd, 1997 from selected parts of Nicole's Vineyard — our crown jewel hillside Pinot Noir parcel overlooking the Russian River Valley.

Processing
Selected grape clusters were hand-harvested, delivered cool to the winery and processed in our open-top fermenters. Our minimalist approach to making Pinot Noirs is designed to elevate a wine that reflects, in aroma and flavor profile, the location in which it was grown.

Ageing
The wine was drawn into 100 percent French oak barrels (nearly 40 percent of them new) soon after it was pressed. The malolactic fermentation was completed in the barrels and the wine remained in barrels until November 1998. Only selected barrels made it to the final bottling in December 1998 when 2,900 cases were bottled. Further bottle ageing at our cellars is part of J's commitment to release only wines that are in balance and ready for enjoyment.

Winemaker's Notes
Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir has a distinctive floral/spicy aroma note that is endemic to the vineyard. We often describe that character as violets with a hint of fennel and mint. Other aroma notes include blackberry and some blueberry and the smoky/meaty aromas — think of bacon or rare filet mignon. The wine is medium-bodied with a long and slightly spicy finish. With time we expect some more earthy aromas to develop as well as a distinctive brown sugar flavor.

Style Notes
At J we believe that the finer qualities of a good wine are revealed only when it is paired with good food and good company. The 1997 Nicole's Pinot Noir was made in an elegant, not overly-extracted style in order to allow the delicate nuances of this variety to express themselves. Some of our favorite pairings include octopus, duck, wild mushrooms and game dishes. We encourage you to experiment and find what pairings you enjoy. Cheers!

Harvest: August 30 to September 3, 1997

Harvest Analysis: 24.9° Brix

Final Analysis: Alcohol 14.6% by volume

Bottling Date: December 10-11, 1998

2,900 cases produced