While no one can deny the fact that only France truly claims the right to call sparkling wines, grown in the Champagne district Champagne, sparklers around the world can be a viable alternative and in some cases, compete with their French cousins.
Such is the case of the following two from J Vineyards and Winery. Truth be told, the 2003 Late Disgorged Vintage Brut deserves mention with the finest Sparkling Wines California makes. Subtle, elegant, attention grabbing and gorgeous, it is worth its $90 price tag and would be a jewel in the crown of any New Years celebration.
The 2005 is not to be neglected. It too is a superb example is this vineyard’s class act at about half the cost.
Both can be ordered from the J Website by clicking here.
2003 J Vintage Brut, LD
The vineyards
The 2003 Russian River Valley growing season was a bit of a rollercoaster. Warm periods turned to weeks of cool fog, and a damp April gave way to a warm May. The late spring bloom pushed the harvest into September, which was a few weeks later than normal. Overall there was a favorable yield of grapes, proving once again that the Russian River Valley is exceptional terroir for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Processing
All of the grapes were hand-harvested into small quarter-ton bins and placed as whole clusters, without de-stemming, into our special Coquard press for a gentle pressing. The juice was fermented and kept separately until the final blending decision, which took place in November. The cuvée (blend) was assembled the next month, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates, and then bottled in July of 2004.
Aging
After the secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle, the wine was aged on tiragefor seven years in our cellars. In early 2012, the wine was carefully riddled to remove the yeast sediment. Following disgorging, a dosage of oak-aged reserve wine was added to balance acidity. An additional five months of aging on the cork was added before release.
Tasting Notes
The 2003 J Late Disgorged Vintage Brut exhibits an enticing array of aromas, including toasted almond, citrus, caramel, and baked bread. A sophisticated mélange of pear and lime notes follow savory lemon and delicate cinnamon flavors. This wine is perfect for a Sunday brunch that might include strawberries with Meyer lemon curd and Cow Girl Creamery Red Hawk triple-cream cheese lightly spread over toasted cracked wheat bread.
APPELLATION:Russian River Valley
HARVEST DATE:August 21 – September 4, 2003
WINE ALCOHOL:12.5% by volume
WINE ACID:8.3 grams per liter
WINE pH:3.14
RESIDUAL SUGAR:1.0%
FINAL BLEND:49% Pinot Noir, 49 % Chardonnay, 2% Pinot Meunier
PRODUCTION:500 cas
SRP: $90
2005 J Vintage Brut
The vineyards
The 2005 Russian River Valley growing season was cooler than average, though July was a bit warmer. The cool weather delayed the sparkling wine harvest to mid-August, and a spike in temperatures gently pushed the grapes to their proper balance of pH and acidity.
Processing
All of the grapes were hand-harvested into small quarter-ton bins and placed as whole clusters, without de-stemming, into our special Coquard press for a gentle pressing. The juice was fermented and kept separately until the final blending decision, which took place in November. The cuvée was assembled the next month, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates, then bottled in May of 2006.
Aging
After the secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle, the
wine was aged on tirage for nearly five years in our cellars. In early October 2011, the wine was carefully riddled to remove the yeast sediment. Following disgorging, a dosage of barrel-aged reserve wine was added for balance. An additional three months of aging on the cork was added before release.
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes by Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse
I love the fine, persistent bubbles in this Vintage Brut. The 2005 vintage features luscious aromas of ripe citrus, pear, and honeysuckle. A noticeable yeasty brioche and butterscotch aroma lures you in for the first sip. Slight toasted almond characters add to the layers in the mouth with pear, taffy apple, and citrus flavors. An excellent balance of toast and rich fruit flavors is the hallmark of this vintage brut. It is the perfect apéritif or first-course accompaniment to a potato leek purée drizzled over curly endive with a dash of truffled caviar.
APPELLATION:Russian River Valley
HARVEST DATE:August 15 – September 16, 2005
FINAL BLEND:54% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier
SRP: $48
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