My wife and I usually make it a point to drink sparkling wine on a weekly basis.  It’s typically Friday night…thus “T.G.I.F. Bubbly”  It’s a celebration of sort, to the end of the work week. And hey we love bubbly…so why wait for a special occasion? This week’s selection is the J Vineyards and Winery J Cuvée 20 Brut.

The Winery

J Vineyards and Winery is an independently owned winery located in Healdsburg, California.  It was founded in 1986 by Founder and President, Judy Jordan.

The winery focuses primarily on sparkling wines (Brut and Brut Rosé) , as well as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris produced from estate grapes mostly farmed within the Russian River Valley appellation in Sonoma County.

J Vineyards and Winery is a state-of-the-art facility that
houses, in essence, two wineries under one roof—
J sparkling wine and J varietal wines.

It’s been a number of years since I’ve visited, and the last time I did, we opted for a flight of sparkling wine.  I’m going to have to check out their still wines, which I’ve heard nothing but good thing about. The winery itself is a great place to visit.  It’s got a cool vibe, and some fun options for tasting.

In addition to aforementioned wines, J also produces Viognier, Pinot Meunier, and Pinotage still wines, along with two dessert wines.

The Wine

The J Cuvée 20 Brut is J Vineyard and Winery’s signature wine.  The cuvée was created to celebrate J’s 20th anniversary.

The grapes for this cuvée (blend) were hand harvested into small quarter-ton bins and whole cluster pressed in J’s special Coquard press.  Juice from each lot is fermented separately, and the lots remain separate until blending.

After secondary fermentation in the bottle, the wine is aged an average of two years in the cellar.

At it’s $28 price point, it competes with some entry-level Champagne, and it stands up to the competition quite well. Thank you!

My tasting notes follow:

Pale golden-yellow color with an explosive mousse and yeasty, lemon, honeysuckle aromas. On the palate, it’s between light and medium-bodied with a soft mousse, and apple, lemon, and a bit of pear and ginger flavors with a mineral undertone. Medium-long, clean finish.

Rating:  A- :  

Pair with:  Sparkling wines are excellent foods wines (not just a sipper for celebrations).  Pair this with triple creme cheeses, oysters, and shellfish dishes, Chicken Pot Pie, Fish and Chips or Ham and Manchego Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Jam.

The Wine Geek Stuff:

• Alcohol: 12.5% alcohol.
• Closure: Cork
• Where it’s from: > Sonoma County>Russian River Valley
  
• Grape varieties: 54% Chardonnay, 44% Pinot Noir, 2% Pinot Meunier
• Production method: Methode Champenoise
• Dosage: Brut
• Retail: $28
• Drink: Now

Sample purchased for review

Ratings Key:
(A+) – 98-100/Extraordinary
(A) – 94-97/Outstanding
(A-) – 90-93/Excellent
(B+) – 86-89/Very good
(B) – 80-85/Good
(C) – 70-79/Bleh
(D) – 50-69/#Fail

Follow me on Twitter @martindredmond for all things wine, and since I’m a wino, with latent foodie tendencies, you’ll also find food and wine pairings, and food related stuff!  Become a fan and join ENOFYLZ Wine Blog on Facebook. Cheers!

This article is original to ENOFYLZ Wine Blog.com. Copyright 2014 ENOFYLZ Wine Blog. All rights reserved.