Jewels and J

The setting was perfect - a beautiful sunny day in the California wine country, a waterfall flowing into a small stream, leaves turning into their fall colors of purple, lavender, gold, and rose, and an elegant contemporary winery ready for tasting and Dilek Sezen.

Visitors at J Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg were treated to a cornucopia of pleasures on October 17 – Jewels and J – a coupling of brilliant gemstones and extraordinary wines.

Colors shone inside as well. At five stations, wines were paired with jewels of a similar hue. A table of wine-related objects d’art greeted guests as they entered, as did glasses of Chardonnay.

Pinot Gris complemented dazzling South Sea pearls and lustrous pink and white pearls. Brut Rose' partnered with pink shades of fine jewelry.

Upstairs in the hip tasting salon, Dilek displayed and explained rare color gems. Red rubies, sapphires, spinels, and rubelites were paired with Pinot Noir. Brown and champagne color diamonds, brown topaz, and orange zircons were matched with Vintage Brut. Mediterranean-inspired hors d’oeuvres were a delicious addition.

Guests were invited to model the jewelry. And they did - with a wine glass in one hand, a ring or bracelet on the other, and big smiles on their faces. A good time was had by all, and a harmonious relationship was born.

We sincerely thank J Vineyards and Winery for their warm hospitality.

Many thanks to Mandy Scott Flowers: www.mandyscott.com

Please call to arrange a personal appointment: 415.810.1002,

1757 Union Street at Octavia, San Francisco

Smokin' J's! Desert Living Scoop

Smokin' J's A quick chat with a winemaker who can kick your Thanksgiving dinner up by many, many notches. Smokin' J's A quick chat with a winemaker who can kick your Thanksgiving dinner up by many, many notches.

Harvest is over and George Bursick finally has a second to breathe. The VP of winemaking for J Vineyards & Winery makes a suite of wines with plots of land that are unlike anything coming out of northern California. Go ahead and Google “J wines” and witness the lauding. So now’s the time to place an order for your Thanksgiving meal (all available at www.jwine.com). Start with Cuvee 20, an affordable sparkler that will set the tone right, then move into Pinot Gris and then J’s signature Pinot Noirs. Since J makes sparkling wines that give the French guys a run for their grapes, we suggest a night-cap of J’s late-disgorged vintage Brut.

SF: What’s the secret to making sparkling wine as complex as yours with northern CA grapes?
GB: We are one of only a handful of wineries outside of France to use a Coquard press. It presses the fruit gently from side-to-side, which minimizes the extraction of tannin and allowing for virtually no maceration, preserving the wine’s flavor.

SF: J seems to have a small monopoly on the Russian River Valley. Is it common for one winery to have land all over the place?
GB: Not many wineries have this much dirt – J farms 257 acres of vineyards checkerboarded throughout the Valley with over 20 different soil types in varying climates. This means I have a broad palette of flavors with which to make our wines.

SF: You’re in a band called Private Reserve with other wine guys. Do you drink beer or wine after the show?
GB: At practices and before gigs, we usually compare unreleased wines with each other. After playing drums hard on stage, though, believe me, nothing beats a cold beer.

http://scoopfactory.com/email/?content=2388&preview=true

Exceptional! Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences for J NV Cuvée 20

Exceptional!

NV J Sparkling Wine, Russian River Valley, “Cuvée 20” ($20): A fresh citrus aroma with notes of lees contact/dough, and a rich, soft mid-palate and finish. Lots of flavor in a wine that’s just a bit softer than J’s other vintage-dated wine. Best with spiced foods.

J Cuvee 20 on Better TV!

Imbibe Magazine Publisher Karen Foley recommended J’s Cuvée 20 Non-Vintage Brut for Valentine’s Day on the nationally syndicated Better TV television show. The wine was noted for being an “excellent value” for quality that is “extremely high.”

Better TV is produced by Meredith Corporation (publishers of Better Homes & Gardens) and airs on Fox affiliates. The segment, which originally aired February 12th on, can be seen by clicking here or by pasting the link below into your web browser:

http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=507869917&lid=1425856195&tid=10619122001

J Vintage Brut Featured in Forbes.com!

J Vineyards & Winery and winery's 2000 Vintage Brut was listed by ForbesLife editor Eric Arnold and StarChefs.com Wine and Spirits Editor Jim Clarke as one of their favorite sparkling wines to kick start 2009. Clarke, who is also the wine director at the New York restaurant Megu Downtown, noted that with J's sparkling wines, "you get that Champagne-like weight with the brioche character, and really ripe fruits", and went on to say that J's 2000 Vintage Brut will continue to gain complexity in the coming years.

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

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

J Cuvée 20 Featured in WSJ.com "Red, White and Brut: Inaugural Bubblies"

This weekend's Wall Street Journal featured J Cuvée 20 Brut as a great sparkling wine to celebrate the upcoming inaugural at home. Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher think J Cuvée 20 "hits all of the right notes, with good fruit, toast and some almonds, especially in the long finish. Classy wine. Would age well."

You can read the review and watch their video podcast by clicking here or paste the link below into your web browser:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123154157534169485.html

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

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 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.

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

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.