2011 J Vineyards Estate Grown Barrel 17 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.71, TA 0.52, 400 cases, $75. A winemaker selection to honor founder Judy Jordan’s estate vineyards, sourced exclusively from two Westside Road vineyards, Robert Thomas and Bow Tie. Clones 113, 115, 777, 667 and 2A. 100% de-stemmed, whole berry fermentation in open top fermenters, aged 12 months in 60% new French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. The nose has plenty of Pinot character, offering the intense scent of Bing cherries, accented by briar, grilled mushrooms and oak. Very soft and seamless on the palate exhibiting layers of vivid black cherry and black raspberry fruit that finish with uncommon length. Very plush and velvety with unifying oak. Not as expressive now as it will be, yet this wine’s potential is obvious. Score: 94. Reviewed August 14, 2013

Winery: J Vineyards and Winery
From article: J Vineyards & Winery: Varietal Wines with a Spark