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1998 J Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
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J Vineyards & Winery's 1998 Estate Bottled 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
J Vineyards & Winery farms over 228 acres of premium vineyards in the Russian
River Valley of Sonoma County. The valley's characteristically cool
weather and topography ranging from valley floor through benchlands
and hillsides contributes to rich depth of flavor and remarkable quality
in Pinot Noir.
Each of J's vineyards contribute unique characteristics: opulence from
the Robert Thomas Vineyard adjacent to the Russian River; bright red
berries from Shirley's Vineyard nestled against Mark West Creek; elegance
from Nick & Nonny's Vineyard; a touch of earthiness from the Teardrop
Vineyard; and a brush stroke of rich color and structural concentration
from Nicole's hillside clos.
Processing
The winemaking team first cold-soaked a portion of the fruit then
fermented it in a combination of open-top and closed-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.
Winemaker's Notes
A wine that "sings on the palate" the 1998 Russian River Pinot Noir is
a beautiful deep garnet color which signifies depth and complexity.
Berries and brambles, hints of dried herbs and tea leaves as well as a
delicate smokiness define the nose on the '98. Round multi-layered
flavors include lingering cherry notes, bittersweet chocolate and again,
an earthy, smoky finish in this medium-bodied beauty.
Harvest: September 16 - October 3, 1998
Harvest Analysis: 23.2° Brix
Final Analysis: Alcohol 13.5% by volume
Bottling Date: August 10-16, 1999
10,100 cases produced
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