2003 J Vintage Brut Sparkling Wine, LD
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- In detail
- Type of wineSparkling wine
The vineyards
The 2003 Russian River Valley growing season was a bit of a rollercoaster. Warm periods turned to weeks of cool fog, and a damp April gave way to a warm May. The late spring bloom pushed the harvest into September, which was a few weeks later than normal. Overall there was a favorable yield of grapes, proving once again that the Russian River Valley is exceptional terroir for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Processing
All of the grapes were hand-harvested into small quarter-ton bins and placed as whole clusters, without de-stemming, into our special Coquard press for a gentle pressing. The juice was fermented and kept separately until the final blending decision, which took place in November. The cuvée (blend) was assembled the next month, cold stabilized to remove excess tartrates, and then bottled in July of 2004.
Aging
After the secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle, the wine was aged on tirage for seven years in our cellars. In early 2012, the wine was carefully riddled to remove the yeast sediment. Following disgorging, a dosage of oak-aged reserve wine was added to balance acidity. An additional five months of aging on the cork was added before release.
Tasting Notes
The 2003 J Late Disgorged Vintage Brut exhibits an enticing array of aromas, including toasted almond, citrus, caramel, and baked bread. A sophisticated mélange of pear and lime notes follow savory lemon and delicate cinnamon flavors. This wine is perfect for a Sunday brunch that might include strawberries with Meyer lemon curd and Cow Girl Creamery Red Hawk triple-cream cheese lightly spread over toasted cracked wheat bread.
APPELLATION:Russian River Valley HARVEST DATE:August 21 - September 4, 2003 WINE ALCOHOL:12.5% by volume WINE ACID:8.3 grams per liter WINE pH:3.14 RESIDUAL SUGAR:1.0% FINAL BLEND:49% Pinot Noir, 49 % Chardonnay, 2% Pinot Meunier PRODUCTION:500 cases