J Sonoma Coast Named Pinot Noir Of The Year!

The December/January issue of Wine News Magazine has named the J Vineyards & Winery 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Of The Year!

They were enamored with its "feathered garnet hue" and "lovely aromas of black cherry with hints of rose water and brown spice." They called the finish "seamless," showing "charm and finesse."

You can read the full review by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_2008pnoftheyear_winenews.pdf

Three 91 Point Scores for J Sparkling in Wine News!

The December/January issue of Wine News Magazine gave J's 2000 Vintage Brut, Cuvée 20 Brut and Brut Rosé all 91 points.

They found the 2000 Vintage Brut to have a "spicy, lively, effervescent finish" with aromas of "citrus peel, ginger and chalk," while they thought the Cuvée 20 Non-Vintage Brut was graced with "pretty scents of lightly toasted bread, jammy fruit and hints of charred oak." The Brut Rosé was also observed to have "suggestions of marzipan and strawberry in the raspberry-driven close."

You can read the full reviews by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_winenews_december2008.pdf

J 1998 Late Disgorged Brut Is Wine Of The Week on Novus Vinum!

Amy Reiley, reviewer on Gayot’s NovusVinum.com, has chosen J’s 1998 Late-Disgorged Brut RRV as Wine Of The Week. She says the J Late Disgorged "easily ranks among the top ten sparkling wines in the United States... with a creamy mouthfeel and delightful length, we would welcome this sparkler at the holiday dinner table or as a New Year’s Day toast."

You can read the full review by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.novusvinum.com/wineofweek.html

George Bursick on The Food & Wine Radio Network

J Winemaker George Bursick recently spoke about J's Winemaking on Jennifer English's nationally syndicated “The Food & Wine Radio Network” show. George discussed how the 2006 vintage of J’s varietal wines show his hand and cement J’s house style.

Jennifer English is a James Beard Award winning talk show host and national tastemaker. With the launch of The Food & Wine Radio Network in December 1999, English became the first national talk radio network dedicated exclusively to the world of food, wine and the good life. The Food & Wine Radio Network is heard over 65 cities and live worldwide on the Internet.

You can hear the interview by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_113008_jenniferenglish.mp3

J Vineyards & Winery is now on Facebook!

Now you can find out about upcoming events and network with other "fans" and "friends" of J at our new Facebook pages.

Click here to go to our friends page or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1615396260&ref=profile

Click here to become a fan or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/J-Vineyards-Winery/47700428072?ref=ts

32 Top Rankings For J Wines In 2008!

2008 has been a great year for reviews at J Vineyards & Winery! From a 96 points review of our Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir in Wine News, to a 95 points/Editors' Choice review in Wine Enthusiast for our 2000 Vintage Brut, a 92 Points review in Wine Spectator for our 1998 Late Disgorged Vintage Brut, and five stars in Restaurant Wine for our 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Gris, J wines have stood out in leading wine publications throughout the year.

You can review all the top rankings by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_2008accolades_1.pdf

Whitley On Wine Features George Bursick Interview

J Winemaker George Bursick hit the airwaves on Wednesday with a great interview by esteemed wine writer and reviewer Robert Whitley. The interview is currently featured on WineReviewOnline.com, Robert's Facebook page and on Sign on San Diego Radio.

You can also click here to listen to the interview or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.winereviewonline.com/audio/georgebursick.mp3

Robert talks with George about how J has dramatically expanded the Pinot Noir program, how he is "tinkering with the established wisdom," and delves into the "mind of an impassioned, driven winemaker!"

Four 90+ Scores For J Bubbles in Connoisseurs' Guide!

J keeps hitting home runs with our sparkling wines, and just in time for the holidays!

Connoisseurs' Guide To California Wines recently gave J's 2000 Vintage Brut 92 points, calling it "a deep and decidedly serious sparkling wine with an unfolding sense of richness that starts in the nose and continues straight through to the end, and its altogether compelling combination of yeasty complexity and real elegance makes it one of our top picks of this issue. It is subtle yet remarkably insistent with an unending stream of bubbles, and it seems to reveal more with each successive sip."

J's 1998 Vintage Brut Late Disgorged also received 91 points, as did the 2000 Vintage Brut Magnum. And the J Cuvée 20 Non-Vintage Brut received 90 points. They felt the Cuvée 20 was "enlivened by a mouthful of fine bubbles and very clean and crisp at the end...", underscoring that it "will work equally well as a foil to mild seafood preparations and as a taste-bud-awakening overture to special meals."

You can read the reviews by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_connguide_december2008.pdf

Three 90+ Scores and Editors' Choice for J Bubbles in Wine Enthusiast!

December's issue of Wine Enthusiast gave J's 2000 Vintage Brut 95 points. Steve Heimoff called J's Vintage Brut "A great California bubbly, right up at the top... softly picking up nutty, dried fruit, floral and yeasty notes. Enormously complex, it should continue to develop for many years."

J's 1998 Vintage Brut Late Disgorged also received 93 points and the J Cuvée 20 Non-Vintage Brut 90 points. Steve calls this edition of Cuvée 20 "richer than last year's, and offers broad citrus, raspberry, vanilla and yeasty brioche flavors. The wine feels clean, vibrant and smooth."

You can read the reviews by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_wineenthusiast_december2008.pdf

J Featured on CNBC

Oliver Quillia, in the article "Wines to Bring to a Holiday Meal" on CNBC, asked a group of wine authorities the question "which wines would you bring to a holiday meal and why?

Tim Moriarty, Managing Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, suggested J Vineyards' Nicole’s Vineyard Pinot Noir for its "great cherry fruit on the silkiest pillow imaginable.”

You can read the review by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_cnbc_nov2008.pdf

J Cuvée 20 in November Where Magazine

Erin Roth included J Vineyards & Winery and J's sparkling wines in the recent issue of Where Magazine. Erin writes that J "sets itself apart by aging its sparkling wine longer than most vineyards. This commitment to aging results in J's intricate nuances and creamy, complex texture."

You can read the entire review by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_wheremagazine_nov2008.pdf

J's George Bursick and Mark Caldwell on Wine And Dine Radio Program

Recently Lynn Krielow Chamberlain of Wine and Dine on VinVillageRadio talked to J's Winemaker George Bursick about techniques he is utilizing on Pinot Noir that no one has ever tried, from using rare Burgundian yeasts which haven't been seen since the 1930's, to extremely long fermentations and batonage.

In another segment, J's Executive Chef Mark E. Caldwell shared wine and food pairing tips with Lynn and how he loves watching guests enjoy his culinary creations.

You can listen to Lynn’s radio segment with George by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://wsradio.edgeboss.net/download/wsradio/vinvillageradio/111908/segment1111908.mp3

You can listen to Lynn’s radio segment with Mark online by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://wsradio.edgeboss.net/download/wsradio/vinvillageradio/111908/segment2111908.mp3

Lynn’s show is hosted on wsRadio, the world leader in internet talk-radio, which has over 3 million listeners each month.

PinotFile Reviews The J Vineyards Pinot Noir Portfolio

Rusty Gaffney, MD, the Prince of Pinot, creator and publisher of the PinotFile online newsletter, recently visited J during a trip to the Russian River Valley and spent the afternoon with winemaker George Bursick and Assistant Winemaker Hollis Price tasting through every Pinot Noir from the 2006 and 2007 vintages side by side.

Rusty calls J Vineyards' 2006 vintage "classic" and the 2007 vintage "stellar," "showy" and demonstrating "consistency." He goes on to say "each wine was beautifully crafted and although different in aromatic and flavor nuances, all of them brought a smile to my face. The wines have delicate color and will never be mistaken for many of the Burgeaux wines that are so prevalent in the California marketplace."

You can read the entire article by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/pinotfilenov2008.pdf

San Francisco Chronicle’s Jon Bonné on J’s 1998 Late-Disgorged Brut

The San Francisco Chronicle’s wine editor, Jon Bonné, had some great comments about J’s 1998 Late-Disgorged Vintage Brut on his blog, “The Cellarist”.

He writes that The Late Disgorged Brut "unfurled brioche, orange blossom and a subtle yeasty touch.. plenty of layered aged notes (toffee, pastry dough) and precision. A very elegant expression."

You can read the entire blog posting by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/wine/detail?&entry_id=32437

J Robert Thomas Pinot Noir Featured In Sunset Magazine

Sunset Magazine wine writer Sara Schneider, writing in this month's feature story "Wine Fit For A Feast," details how the J Robert Thomas Pinot Noir is a great wine for some of the hardest meals to pair wines with. "The whole spice cabinet’s here," Sara exclaims, "cinnamon, cloves, coriander – plus a little plush leather and a lot of red fruit."

You can read the entire review by clicking here or pasting this link into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/sunsetnovember2008.pdf

J Brut Rosé Featured In November Gourmet Magazine!

Gourmet Magazine editor Gerald Asher has just featured J's Brut Rosé in the November issue hitting newsstands now. He calls J's Brut Rosé "a wine to savor, with hints of citrus and berry fruit on the nose and a similar depth of flavor."

You can read the entire review by clicking here or pasting this link into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_gourmet_nov2008.pdf

Wine Spectator Gives 92 Points to J 1998 Late Disgorged Brut!

Tim Fish, editor at The Wine Spectator, gave J's Russian River Valley Late Disgorged Brut 92 points, citing it as "Rich and distinctive. Mature aromas of baked bread, roasted hazelnut and fig open to elegant and well-structured apple, citrus zest and spice flavors that linger for a toasty finish."

Click here to see the review or paste the link below. You can also visit jwine.com for more information about this beautiful wine.

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/92ld_winespectator.pdf

Two J Pinot Noirs Score Big on Burghound.com

Allen Meadows in the October issue of Burghound gave J's Nicole's Vineyard and Robert Thomas Vineyard Pinot Noirs both 90 points.

Allen finds the Robert Thomas Vineyards Pinot Noir has "flavor authority" and thinks its "overall sense of harmony is lovely." He calls the Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir a wine with "intense delicious medium-bodied flavors that possess lovely balance and really lovely depth, all wrapped in a nicely precise, dusty and persistent finish."

You can read Allen's reviews by clicking here or pasting the link into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/burghound_jreviews_oct2008.pdf

Two 91 Point Reviews for J in Wine Enthusiast!

November's issue of Wine Enthusiast gave J's 2006 Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Robert Thomas Pinot Noir both 91 Points. Steve Heimoff called J's Chardonnay "A fine wine that shows the classic structure of Russian River Chardonnay, and also a steely minerality that makes it a partner for food."

Steve goes on to suggest of the Robert Thomas Pinot Noir how "there’s a Burgundian quality to this wine, with its mushroom, sweet leather, tobacco and herb flavors that undergird and infuse fruitier notes of blackberries and cherries."

You can read the reviews by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/wineenthusiastnov.pdf

Wine Spectator Calls J's Visitor Center One Of America's Finest Tasting Salons.

“A lot of people look for the free tasting, but this is an experience,” Jim Matthews, a guest of J's Bubble Room, recently told Tim Fish of The Wine Spectator.

Tim's article in the November 15th issue paints J's Bubble Room as one of the finest tasting salons to experience luxury wine and food, emphasizing how "making that personal connection is more important than ever for wineries. It helps to build the brand."

He goes on to assert that tasting salons "are increasingly becoming significant places to make direct sales" and how making a personal connection is more important than ever.

You can read an excerpt by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/winespectator_tastingsalons.pdf

Tim's full article is available to online Wine Spectator subscribers by clicking here.

J Pinot Noir on Anthony Dias Blue's Blue Lifestyle Minute

Anthony Dias Blue is a James Beard Foundation Award recipient and one of the most influential food and wine personalities in the United States. He recently talked about J’s Pinot Noir winemaking program on his James Beard Award–winning Blue Lifestyle Minute radio program in early September. The show broadcasts on WCBS in New York and KFWB in Los Angeles, and was heard by over 1,000,000 listeners.

Anthony talks about how Judy Jordan decided to expand the still wine program, using Russian River Valley fruit, and how our "maverick" winemaker George Bursick is using long, slow fermentations lasting up to 4 month to ratchet up J’s Pinot Noir program.

You can download his podcast by clicking here or pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://www.wcbs880.com/episode_download.php?contentType=36&contentId=2871242

J Cuvée 20: Washington Post Wine Pick Of The Week

Last week Washington Post wine writers Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg suggested that thinking of wines as having "personalities" makes for improved wine pairings with food. Collaborating with a creativity expert, they used enneagrams as a tool to find these personalities.

One of the wines they used was J's Cuvée 20 Brut, which was also Karen's Pick of the Week. She offers it "will lift your spirits and the flavors of virtually any hors d'oeuvre, especially fried or salty ones."

You can click here to read the review or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/09/16/ST2008091602964.html

Press Democrat Wine of the Week: J Vineyards Pinot Noir!

Wine writer Peg Melnik has just named J Vineyards 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir the Press Democrat Wine Of The Week! Tasted blind amongst other standout Pinot Noirs, she gave it four stars, explaining "it had the most sex appeal with its lush texture and rich mouth feel."

See below for a video of Peg's recent visit to J, where she interviews winemaker George Bursick on his approach to making Pinot Noir and talks about J's food and wine program.

You can read her review by clicking here or pasting the link below:
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080917/LIFESTYLE/809170307

Her interview of George can also be read by clicking here or pasting the link below:
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080917/LIFESTYLE/809170306

From Wine Review Online: "Beautiful Bubblies...and Beyond"

Linda Murphy recently recounted her visit to J as part of a vertical tasting of J Vintage Brut, from the initial 1987 bottling through the newly released 2000 vintage. She writes how this event demonstrated the evolution of the Vintage Brut program at J and Judy Jordan's commitment to making only the best Russian River Valley sparkling wines.

She finds the 2000 J Vintage Brut to have "an enticing brioche nose, creamy mousse, green apple, tropical and citrus fruits, and a spicy kick of ginger. It has, dare I say it, some true Champagne personality to go with sunny California fruit."

Click here to read the entire story or paste the link below into your web browser:
http://www.winereviewonline.com/Linda_Murphy_on_J.cfm

J 2008 Start of Harvest on KTVU Channel 2

August 7th, 2008 marked the second vintage of estate grown Russian River Valley sparkling and varietal grape harvest harvested by Winemaker George Bursick, Viticulturalist John Erbe and the top notch production team at J Vineyards & Winery. J was also the first winery to bring in its own estate grown fruit. To mark the event, KTVU Channel 2 brought a crew to film the start of harvest as part of their Mornings At Two program, hosted by Ross MacGowan.

You can view George's interview by Ross by clicking the YouTube video below, or click here to see in higher quality.
(requires Quicktime which you can download by clicking here).

J Pinot Gris in the DC Examiner

J’s 2007 Pinot Gris was recently recommended by Scott Greenberg in the DC Examiner, the Washington D.C. area publication. Scott writes that J's Pinot Gris "is both refreshing and luscious at the same time."

You can read his review and more by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.dcexaminer.com/entertainment/The_Vine_Guy_Fourth_annual_pizza_wine_review.html

The DC Examiner gets 1,811,978 weekly impressions, and has a circulation of 280,000.

90 points in Wine & Spirits for J Pinot Gris

In the October issue of Wine & Spirits, Josh Greene writes that J Pinot Gris is "a rich, sleek white with gentleness of coastal rain," exhibiting "simple flavors of the grape and nutty lees, " and "ends on a tart lemon note."

Click here to see the review or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/wineandspirits_oct08.pdf

J Visitor Center Featured in Sonoma Valley Sun's “Road Trip”

Wine and Lifestyle writer Marty Olmstead of the Sonoma Valley Sun recently featured the J Visitor Center as a favored spot in her cover story "West Side Story: Over the highway and through the vineyards." Marty describes her experience in the "tony" Bubble Room as "a true knockout", while speaking highly of the hospitality, surroundings and the tastings created by Executive Chef Mark Caldwell and his team.

Click here to read the article or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://sonomasun.thmm.com/?p=4274

Marty is a freelance writer and the author of several guidebooks. She covers the California wine country for the Marin Independent Journal, and is a contributor to numerous national and regional publications including Wine Country Living and the San Francisco Chronicle. Marty is based in Sonoma, California.

George Bursick on CRN Digital Talk Radio's What's Cookin'

J Winemaker George Bursick hit the airwaves on Friday with a great interview on CRN Digital Talk Radio's What's Cookin' Show.

Hosted by Paul Stern and Mike Horn, What's Cookin' is the nation's premier food, wine and entertainment show.

Click here to listen or paste the link below into your web browser (requires Quicktime which can be downloaded at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/)

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/j_whatscookin_august2008.mp3

More J 2007 Pinot Gris Love! Arizona Daily Sun's “Wine Pick of the Week”

J’s 2007 Pinot Gris was recently selected as “Wine Pick of the Week” by the Arizona Daily Sun. Click here to read the review or paste the link below in your web browser:

http://news.azdailysun.com/guides/story.cfm?storyID=178783&spcid=18

Wine Reviewer John Vankat says J Pinot Gris "provides refreshing summer sipping but with the complexity, refinement and lengthy finish that will please serious wine lovers."

90 Points for J Pinot Gris on Wine Review Online

Here's what Paul Lukas of Wine Review Online had to say about J's Russian River Valley Pinot Gris:

"A luscious but in no sense heavy or fat wine, full of ripe pear fruit flavor and exhibiting a long, lingering finish, this delicious white provides still more evidence that Pinot Gris may well become the varietal to challenge Chardonnay's dominance in America. It tastes just as rich as a good, comparably-priced California-styled Chardonnay, and delights because of the absence of char or toast. 90"

Read more J wine reviews at http://www.winereviewonline.com.

J Featured in Men's Health Magazine

This month's Men's Health Magazine article "Silence the Wine Snobs" features J Cuvee 20. Writer Gary Vaynerchuk of winelibrary.com suggests our fabulous non-vintage brut as a wine to get the most out of your next meal.

Click here to see the review:

http://www.jwine.com/jblog/menshealth.pdf

It’s Harvest and Bubbly Time

Steve Heimoff, West Coast Editor of the Wine Enthusiast, exclaims in a recent article how J is one of his top 3 sparklers this year. Read more here.

Steve finishes his story with a link to Jeff Quakenbush's report in the North Bay Business Journal on the start of harvest. He quotes J's winemaker George Bursick's assessment of the effect of this year's weather on grape quality. Click here to read more.

From PinotFile: "J Pinot Noir Now Sparkles Too"

Rusty Gaffney, MD, the Prince of Pinot, creator and publisher of the PinotFile online newsletter, is featuring J Vineyards & Winery on the front page of the publication! Rusty recently attended J's Los Angeles media event at the fabulous Sona Restaurant.

You can read the article here:

http://www.princeofpinot.com/pinotfile/06_63.pdf

Rusty especially likes the J Nicole’s Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, calling it "Elegant and sophisticated with a velvety mouth feel
and an elaborate aromatic finish. This is the bomb."

J In Southern Living Magazine

Scott Jones, Executive Food Editor of Southern Living Magazine, reports on the pleasures of the J Terrace and Bubble Room in his recent visit to the winery. You can read more on Southern Living's web site: http://eatingmywords.southernliving.com/eating_my_words/2008/07/a-toast-to-napa.html

This popular publication has a circulation of of 2,802,858, and the website has 565,093 unique visitors per month.

Go Team J!

From Appellation America: George Bursick, A Sonoma Veteran Starts Over... At the Top

Appellation America features J and George Bursick as the top story in their “Current Features” section:

http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-review/592/George-Bursick.html

Thom Elkjer's Q&A with George reveals his winemaking philosophy, his feelings about introducing varietal wines at a sparkling wine house and what's driving his terroir-driven approach to making small production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.

It also includes an overview of the 2006 J Vineyards Pinot Noirs by Dan Berger at the bottom.

J Pear Liqueur: Cooking Light's Suggested Summer Sipper

Karen MacNeil writes in the latest issue of Cooking Light Magazine how J Pear Liqueur is a great example of fruit-based summer sipping liqueurs.

She calls J Pear Liqueur "powerful and intense" and goes on to say "this liqueur has notes of the Barlett pears from which it's made."

Cooking Light is a very popular lifestyle publication with a circulation of 1,805,907.

Congratulations team J!