2000 J Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

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J's 2000 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is an elegant composition of hand-selected fruit from five of our distinctive Pinot Noir vineyards sprinkled throughout the appellation. As with the assemblage technique he uses in sparkling wine, Winemaker Oded Shakked tasted and blended each lot for flavor and complexity.

The Vineyards
Robert Thomas Vineyard
Shirley's Vineyard
Nick & Nonny's Vineyard
Teardrop Vineyard
Nicole's hillside clos

Processing
The winemaking team first cold-soaked a portion of the fruit then fermented primarily in open-top fermenters. Malolactic fermentation occurred in oak tanks and oak barrels. For barrel ageing, the wine was placed in 30% new oak for ten months. No fining and only a loose filtration were employed before bottling.

Tasting Notes
The 2000 release has a very appealing, fruit driven style. Aromas are lively and elegant with spiced cherry and berry fruit, integrating with vanilla, butterscotch, herbal, licorice and smoke undertones. Loaded with intense, sweet-toned cherry, currant and stone fruit flavors then touched with light spice and earth tones, this wine rounds out with an opulent, flavorful finish.

Harvest: September 16 - October 3, 2000

Harvest Analysis: Average sugar 23.8° Brix

Final Analysis: Alcohol 14.2% by volume

Bottling Date: August 10-16, 2001

9,096 cases produced