2004 J Pinot Noir, Nicole's Vineyard

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The Vineyard
The fruit for this wine was harvested from selected vines of Nicole's Vineyard - J Vineyards & Winery's crown jewel hillside Pinot Noir parcel overlooking the Russian River Valley. The soil in this vineyard is a Red Goldridge Loam with gravel striations.

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

Ageing
The wine was drawn into 100% French oak barrels (nearly 35 percent of them new) soon after it was pressed. The malolactic fermentation was completed in the barrels and the wine remained on its lees in barrels for twelve months. Only selected barrels made it to the final blend, bottled in November 2005. Further bottle ageing is part of J's commitment to only release wines that are in balance and ready for enjoyment.

Tasting Notes
This estate Pinot Noir is defined by exceptional balance and elegance, reminding one why we set out to produce Pinot Noir in the first place.  Lively aromas of Bing cherry take center stage with intriguing highlights of cardamom, and Chinese Five-Spice. Subtle notes of cola, cocoa, and anise add a final touch of complexity. The incredible richness of this wine centers around succulent black cherry flavors, enhanced by lavish, cinnamon, clove, and cola elements with a firm tannin structure.

Appellation:  Russian River Valley

Harvest:  August 25-26, 2004

Harvest Analysis:  24.5° Brix

Final Analysis:  Alcohol 14.5% by volume

Bottling Date:  November 2005

1,235 cases produced