2005 J Pinot Noir, Robert Thomas Vineyard

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The Vineyard
The Robert Thomas vineyard designate Pinot noir comes from an exclusive vineyard along the Russian River. This vineyard is one the last to ripen of all of our Pinot’s as it is the farthest west where the coastal influence of fog and cooler temperatures gives it more time to stay on the vine and develop a rich flavor profile.


Processing
Selected grape clusters were hand-harvested, delivered cool to the winery, manually 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 percent 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 2006. Further bottle ageing at our cellars is part of J’s commitment to only release wines that are in balance and ready for enjoyment.

Tasting Notes
The 2005 Robert Thomas opens with complex, warm, earthy notes that evolve into intense blueberry. The fruit aromas are layered with beautiful floral notes full of violets. This is followed by the warm spice of clove and cinnamon. On the palate 2005 Robert Thomas has a supple entry that fills the mouth with cherry and berry flavors. As the wine continues through the middle, hints of toffee become evident, mixed with well integrated oak hinting at vanilla and caramel. As the wine moves along an elegant backbone it flows into a long, resolved finish that picks up the warm baking spices hinted at on the nose. The sophisticated balance of fruit and oak coupled with the velvety texture of this wine make for an exceptional drinking experience.


Appellation: Russian River Valley
Harvest Dates: September 21 – September 26, 2005
Wine Alcohol: Fourteen point zero five percent by volume
Wine Acid: five point four grams per liter
Wine pH: Three point six
Residual Sugar: Zero point zero five percent