J Vineyards & Winery wins Gold & Silver at the 2009 San Diego International Wine Competition

Winereviewonline.com
By Robert Whitley
Mar 25, 2009

J Vineyards & Winery
Gold 2006 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley $38.00
Silver 2000 Vintage Brut Russian River Valley $50.00

Chef Mark Caldwell on ABC's View from the Bay!

J’s Executive Chef Mark Caldwell opened the February 25th episode of KGO-TV’s “View from the Bay” with a cooking demo of his famous Tiger Prawns with Blood Orange Cream Sauce and Angel Hair Pasta dish, which pairs with J’s recently released 2008 Vin Gris and Brut Rosé wines. As Mark unveiled the 2008 Vin Gris, he also offered the public debut of J’s re-designed varietal wine packaging. To see the segment and Mark’s recipe, click here or paste this link into your browser:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/food_wine&id=6678181

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

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

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

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 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.