The Chef Series Wine Mixer, Featuring J Premium Varietal & Sparkling Wines Hosted by Peter Dills of Dining with Dills on March 8, 2012!

Raise your glass with Peter Dills from KABC Talk Radio on March 8th for the next Chef Series "Mix & Mingle" Wine Tasting at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar from 6pm-8pm. They will be tasting the premium varietal & sparkling wines from J Vineyards & Winery.  

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar

2647 Park Avenue

Tustin, CA  92782

Mix & Mingle Reservations: (714) 258-7600

Space is limited.

ABOUT J

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery. The Winery continues its 25th Anniversary celebration.

J Vineyards & Winery focuses on non-vintage Brut, Vintage Brut, and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris Estate varietal wines, all produced from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, south of Healdsburg. To learn more, or to join the J WineClub, go to www.jwine.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook.

J Vineyards & Winery at 12th Annual World of Pinot Noir on March 2nd & 3rd 2012 at the Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach, CA!

J Vineyards & Winery looks forward to seeing you at the 12^th Annual World of Pinot Noir Grand Tastings on Saturday, March 3.  We will be pouring our exceptional 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir and the 2009 Nicole’s Vineyard Pinot Noir!  When you stop by our tasting table, let us know you are a J Fan and you will have the opportunity to taste the J Brut Rosé as well, a perfect way to start and end a tasting event with colleagues and friends!

In addition, if you are attending the Seaside Fête Dinner on Friday, March 2, J will be there sharing a bit of our Brut Rosé, making your evening a bit more sparkling under the stars. 

You will experience a seaside feast with cuisine from Central Coast chefs, and Pinot Noir from host wineries. The WOPN Seaside Fête will take place at the beach and under the stars. The area's most-revered chefs will prepare a fresh, seasonal, local cuisine that will seduce the palate of Pinot Noir lovers. A beach bonfire and live band are the exclamation to an evening that will be one to be remembered. 

Enjoy Worldwide Pinot Noir, complemented by fresh, and locally produced, creative cuisine at the World of Pinot Noir on March 2nd and 3rd 2012 at the Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach, CA.

ABOUT J

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery. The Winery is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.

 

J Vineyards & Winery focuses on non-vintage Brut, Vintage Brut, and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris varietal wines, all crafted from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, south of Healdsburg. To learn more, or to join the J Wine Club, go to www.jwine.com. You can also follow us on Facebook.

J Brut Rosé - A Top Sparkling Pick by Sunset Magazine

J Brut Rosé, Russian River Valley

Rich and toasty, with tangy red fruit-raspberries, cranberries-and a resiny underbrush layer!

ABOUT J

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery. The Winery continues its 25th Anniversary celebration.

J Vineyards & Winery focuses on non-vintage Brut, Vintage Brut, and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris Estate varietal wines, all produced from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, south of Healdsburg. To learn more, or to join the J WineClub, go to www.jwine.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook.

J Vineyards & Winery Attains Certified Sustainable Status

Sonoma County just got a little greener. J Vineyards & Winery, specialists in Russian River Valley sparkling and varietal wines, has achieved certified sustainable status through the California Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance (CSWA). The sustainable certification covers all vineyard and winery operations.

J Vineyards & Winery, located minutes south of Healdsburg, owns ten estate vineyards sprinkled throughout the Russian River Valley, totaling more than 250 acres of planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris grapes.

John Erbe

“For the past two years, we’ve been diligently working on aligning J with CSWA’s commitment to wine quality,” said John Erbe, J Vineyards & Winery Viticulturalist. “Our estate vineyards have been planted utilizing the latest techniques in water conservation, wildlife habitat corridors, and soil erosion reduction.”

J Canfield Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Founded in 2010, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance program is a third-party verification and certification process maintained by CSWA. The program, based on 227 “best practices,” is designed to ensure environmental stewardship, the conservation of energy and natural resources, and socially equitable business practices. CSWA’s certification program has been a positive environmental awareness catalyst for more than 1,500 of the State’s top vintners and growers.

Judy Jordan

“Reducing, reusing and recycling is not just a slogan at J,” says Judy Jordan, Founder and President. “This has been my vision for J since its founding 25 years ago. The business practices we have implemented over the past three years are keys to a healthier future.”

Some of the green initiatives J has embarked on include:

• The use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and cover-crop programs throughout the winery’s ten estate vineyards as a means to protect riparian habitats. IPM methods are also used to build soil tilth while attracting beneficial insects.

• Replacing all inefficient incandescent lights throughout the winery with new, high-intensity, lower energy lighting.

• Recycling all paper, corks, and glass used throughout the winery.

J Recycling

• Reducing water used throughout the winegrowing and winemaking process.

• The computerization of refrigeration compressors to reduce energy consumption, coupled with energy-efficient cooling towers.

• Replacing existing water boilers with higher-efficiency heaters that work in stages.

• A reduction in the weight of our sparkling and varietal wine bottles.

• Using low VOC paints throughout the winery.

ABOUT J

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery. The Winery is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.

J Vineyards & Winery focuses on non-vintage Brut, Vintage Brut, and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris varietal wines, all crafted from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, south of Healdsburg. To learn more, or to join the J Wine Club, go to www.jwine.com. You can also follow us on Facebook.

J Visitor Center

J Employee Holiday Lunch at the Dry Creek Kitchen!

Our sparkling Founder & President Judy Jordan provided the employees with a fabulous Holiday lunch last Friday at the Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, specially prepared by Chef De Cuisine, Dustin Valette, which was an amazingly delicious and elegant dining experience. 

J Employee Holiday Luncheon

We started with a remarkable “Slow Cooked White Leek Soup” with Toasted Brioche, Truffle Crème Fraiche & Verjus Caramel, paired with the 2010 J California Pinot Gris. 

 

 

Then a mouthwatering “Whole Roasted New York Strip Loin” with Candied Red Onion, Smoked Potato Puree & Black Garlic Emulsion, paired with the J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

In addition, Pastry Chef, Yulanda Santos, prepared a delectable dessert, Dark Valrhona Chocolate Fondant with Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream, Peanut Brittle & Port Gastrique.

For the chic food & wine lovers, Dry Creek Kitchen offers an outstanding dining experience to make any occasion a memorable one! 

Dry Creek Kitchen Dining Room

We salute the Dry Creek Kitchen crew for providing  J Vineyards & Winery an outstanding Holiday Luncheon:

Dan Prentice, GM

Drew Munro, Sommelier

Wade Nobles, Restaurant Manager

Dustin Valette, Chef De Cuisine

Yulanda Santos, Pastry Chef

A Tale of Two Harvests, by J Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse

Melissa Stackhouse

The 2011 harvest can be summarized as a tale of two harvests:  the harvest before the rain and the one after the rain.

The harvest began on August 22, with our first pick of Pinot Noir for sparkling wine. The entire sparkling wine harvest went smoothly. There were no dramatic weather events, and the fruit benefited from cool morning fog and warm afternoon sunshine.  From a winemaking perspective, calling picks in the field was straightforward.  A typical harvest day for the winemaking team began in the vineyard, walking the rows, tasting fruit, surveying the vines’ health. While assessing maturity of the sparkling fruit, we also monitored the grapes for our varietal wines: Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. The sparkling fermentations were incredibly aromatic and yielded very high-quality base wine. The team is impressed with the sparkling vintage, and eager to blend this year’s Cuvée 20 and Brut Rosé.

As we progressed through harvest, the Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir began making their entrance.  Quality was spectacular for these varieties. I was particularly excited about the Pinot Noir that we source from J’s estate vineyards within the Russian River Valley. One vineyard in particular, Bow Tie, was most compelling.  Located on Westside Road on the outskirts of Healdsburg, it is a warmer, cool-climate vineyard, the makings of a world-class site. The fruit did not disappoint, nor have the wines that are presently aging in barrel.

Bow Tie Vineyard

Most winemakers hit a certain point in harvest when watching the forecast becomes an hourly event. It is quite common in Northern California to receive early autumn rains. And this year was no different. Most of our fruit was in the winery prior to any heavy rain, with the exception of Chardonnay.  This is a varietal that is early to break bud, but late to ripen. 

 

Jewell Ranch Vineyard & Russian River Valley Estate Chardonnays

The first batches of Chardonnay were somewhat low in sugar but we did get well-developed flavors.  Then came the rains and with them botrytis. Unfortunately, we had to leave one vineyard unpicked.  The result is a significantly small crop of Chardonnay from this vintage; but, what we were able to get in before the rains should result in some racy and flavorful wines.  I am looking forward to tasting it as the blend develops.

 J Vineyards & Winery

J Vineyards & Winery Founder & President Judy Jordan Wins Women’s Initiative "Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award"!

Judy Jordan

Judy Jordan, Founder and President of J Vineyards & Winery, has been named a “Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in the North Bay.” The award is given by Bay Area nonprofit Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment and recognizes women business owners in the Bay Area who:

• Have been successful despite the barriers that exist for women business owners
• Exemplify how business ownership and leadership is beneficial for women
• Have a positive impact on the local community or the community at large
• Advance their business through innovation

The Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes these women entrepreneurs and their businesses for their leadership and positive contributions to their communities.  Jordan will be recognized at the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 15th at the Mill Valley Community Center in Mill Valley.

Approximately 600 businesses were nominated for the award throughout the Bay Area and more than 42 women will be honored with the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in regions throughout the Bay Area.  For more information and a complete list of winners, go to www.womensinitiative.org.

About Women’s Initiative

For more than 22 years, Women’s Initiative for Self Employment has been providing low-income, high potential women with the business training, funding and ongoing support to start their own business and becoming financially independent.  The women who go through the training significantly increase their income and assets while launching businesses, creating jobs and stimulating the local economy.

About J Vineyards & Winery

Founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, J Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery.  The Winery is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.

J Vineyards & Winery focuses on non-vintage Brut, Vintage Brut, and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris Estate varietal wines, all crafted from grapes farmed primarily within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation.

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, south of Healdsburg. To learn more, or to join the J Wine Club, go to www.jwine.com.   You can also follow us on Facebook.

THE PERFECT GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON - J GIFT CARDS!

 

J VINEYARDS & WINERY

GIFT CARDS 

THE PERFECT GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Share your love of J this holiday season.  Purchase a J Gift Card and eliminate the hassle of hauling wrapped packages through airport security or paying extra baggage fees.

Better yet, surprise someone with a J Gift Card before the holiday season and watch his or her face light up like Holiday lights.

Purchase a J Gift Card by calling 888-594-6326, visiting our website at www.jwine.com, or dropping by our Visitor Center where we will offer a complimentary tasting* of our J Brut Rose for each person purchasing a J Gift Card in our Visitor Center. 

J Gift Cards can be loaded in $50 increments from our website or any denomination in the J Visitor Center. The J Gift Card is perfect for purchasing wine* or J merchandise from our boutique.

(*You must be 21 years of age to purchase & taste wine)

J Harvest News from our Winemaker, Melissa Stackhouse, Friday, October 7, 2011

Melissa Stackhouse, J Winemaker

The J harvest of 2011 continues to roll on.  We are nearly finished with Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.  Early sampling of our 2011 Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir shows a vintage across the board that is nothing less than exquisite.  Most of the lots are still in tank, on the skins and fermenting.  A few Russian River Valley Pinot Noir lots are already in barrel, having been drained and pressed last week. These wines will be going through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and will be aged for about nine months. We expect blending to begin in early spring.

Melissa Stackhouse Admiring J Estate Pinot Noir Grapes

And happily, we completed our sparkling wine harvest weeks before the rain began to fall.  The sparkling lots are all tucked away in tanks awaiting assemblage. We will begin blending these wines at the end of October for tirage bottling in early February.  The 2011 sparkling wine vintage can be characterized with one word — spectacular!



 Spectacular Night Harvest in Nonny's Vineyard

Our major challenge this harvest, however, has been with Chardonnay.  Chardonnay is always the variety that takes a hit when the Russian River Valley weather becomes marginal.  The seven-day forecast will hopefully bring us warmer and drier weather.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hope to finish this year’s harvest by the end of next week.  

J Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay

We will keep you posted on our progress.

Best Regards,

Melissa Stackhouse, J Winemaker