This Just In! J's 2010 Freestone Pinot Noir Gets a 92 from Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator Senior Editor James Laube tastes over 5,000 wines every year. He's written for Wine Spectator for over 30 years and has covered California wines exclusively for over 20 years. To say he has an educated palate would be a gross understatement, so when he sits down to taste one of our wines, we are all ears. 

What's been swirling around in Laubes' glass most recently is J Vineyards' soon-to-be-released 2010 estate grown Pinot Noir, sourced entirely from the renowned Freestone Hill Vineyard.

 We're thrilled to announce he's given it a score of 92.
 
“Pleasantly supple and elegant, offering complex tiers of ripe cherry, wild berry and raspberry, with a underlying minerality and spiciness that's compelling."

That underlying spiciness he mentioned is known as the "Freestone Spice," a complex set of coriander and violet notes imparted by the remarkable terroir of this wonderful vineyard.

This wine is in pre-release status, but if you sign up for our email list, we'll let you know when it's out! (Don't worry, we don't over-mail.) 

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Wine Spectator 88 & 89 Points: J Cuvee 20 Brut NV & J Brut Rose NV, Russian River Valley!

J VINEYARDS & WINERY DEBUTS ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN: “A LEGACY THAT SPARKLES”

J VINEYARDS & WINERY DEBUTS ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN:
“A LEGACY THAT SPARKLES”

HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA — October 14, 2010 — Russian River Valley wine producer J Vineyards & Winery is set to debut its first national education and awareness advertising campaign this fall. The ad campaign will appear in two November print issues of the Wine Spectator and on the publication’s website.

“A Legacy That Sparkles,” is a full-page ad that speaks to the winery’s 25 years of sparkling wine, and focuses on the winery’s official debut of its Russian River Valley estate chardonnay and pinot noir wines in their new package.

“We are two wineries under one roof,” says J Vineyards & Winery Founder and President Judy Jordan. “Our legacy is, and always will be, J sparkling wine. Our future, however, lies in the exquisite varietal wines produced from our ten estate vineyards.”

The Wine Spectator was chosen as the platform to launch the ad campaign because of the publication’s dominant demographics among savvy wine consumers, restaurant wine buyers, and influential wine trade readers. Accompanying the print advertising will be a month-long online presence at winespectator.com. The online ads have been designed to direct consumers to J’s website.

J Vineyards & Winery, located on Old Redwood Highway south of Healdsburg, focuses on Brut and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris varietal wines, produced from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

Founded by Judy Jordan in 1986, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery. J will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary next year. To learn more, or to join the J Wine Club, please call (707) 431-3646, or go to jwine.com.

Wine Spectator 90 & 91 Points: 2001 J Vintage Brut & 1999 J Vintage Brut Late Disgorged, Russian River Valley

J VINEYARDS & WINERY DEBUTS TWO NEW CYCLING JERSEYS TO SUPPORT CANCER CURE EFFORTS

J Vineyards & Winery introduces two new colorful cycling jerseys that will benefit ongoing efforts to fight breast and blood cancer.

“Cycling is an important charitable fundraising tool in the fight against cancer,” said Founder and President, Judy Jordan. “When you combine this with the fact that Sonoma County has become an important global destination for cycling enthusiasts, it seemed only natural for us to be involved.”

One of J’s cycling jerseys has been designed to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which supports bike races and public cycling tours in California and across the country. The other, a bright pink jersey, benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, an organization that sponsors numerous national “bike rides for life” to raise funds for breast cancer research.

                  Lymphoma & Leukemia Cycling Jersey                     

This is the fourth year that J Vineyards & Winery has produced a cycling jersey for charitable purposes. Each features the winery’s distinctive brushstroke “J” logo, as well as the charitable organization’s logo.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Cycling Jersey

The jerseys are made for cycling enthusiasts and are quite stylish, yet functional. Designed to evaporate moisture, the jerseys feature a mid-level collar, a 20” hidden zipper, and three spacious rear pockets.

The jerseys are available at the Winery’s Visitor Center, or online at www.jwine.com. They are $115 each, with 10% of the proceeds going to the respective organizations.

Visit J Vineyards & Winery

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently owned producer of elegant Russian River Valley sparkling and estate varietal wines. The winery will celebrate its 25th harvest in 2011.

The J Winery and Visitor Center is just a quick bicycle ride south of downtown Healdsburg at 11447 Old Redwood Highway. For more information, please call (707) 431-3646, or go to www.jwine.com

   

92 Points - Wine Spectator Insider for J Vineyards 2007 RRV Pinotage!

J Vineyards 2007 Pinotage, Russian River Valley

92 points!

Dark, dense and concentrated, with spicy, peppery, floral aromas reminiscent a bit of Syrah. Rich and focused on wild blackberry fruit, this is tightly structured, rustic and firmly tannic, ending with a wide mix of fruit, herb and anise. Drink now through 2014.—J.L.

August 26, 2009

James Laube of Wine Spectator on J Vineyards 2007 RRV Pinotage

James Laube Unfined

July 22, 2009

When Pinot Tastes Like Syrah It Might Be Pinotage

Last week during a blind tasting flight of 2007 Sonoma Pinot Noirs, I came across one wine that stood out, and that I really liked.

It was dark in color, notably spicy and peppery, with pretty floral scents and ripe, vivid black and wild berry fruit. Tight in structure, dense and concentrated, even a tad rustic, ending with a complex array of fruit, herb and anise, with firm tannins.

My first reaction: Is this a Syrah? Had I missed the change in varietals in the lineup? Did we shift from Pinot to Rhône reds?

The wine certainly fit the critique some people have of some California Pinots--that is, they’re too big and almost Syrah-like in their structure, strength and flavor profile.

When the bags came off, the wine made sense. It was a 2007 Pinotage ($38) from J Vineyards and Winery (which is owned by Judy Jordan, the daughter of Jordan Winery owner Tom Jordan, but is a separate entity). I liked the new J Pinots, too, but the Pinotage caught my fancy that day, and later that night as I tried it after it had had eight hours of aeration. It was still going strong the next day.

It’s a wonderful wine. Pinotage is rather rare in California, and I can only recall having tried a few others over the years. The grape is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The latter grape gives it its tannic backbone and muscle, along with the pepper and spice, balancing out the more tender, fleshy, fruitier elements of Pinot Noir.

Pinotage first gained recognition as one of the signature wines from South Africa, where it was created in the 1920s. However, as my colleague James Molesworth pointed out in an article a few years ago, the grape and wine have fallen out of favor there.

J’s Pinotage isn’t the lone Pinotage from California. I’ve given high marks to Fort Ross’ Sonoma Coast bottlings as well. If you like Pinot but have never experienced a Pinotage, you owe it to yourself to try one and taste the crossroad of Pinot and Cinsault, or the point where red Burgundy meets the Southern Rhône.

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