As I have mentioned in prior columns, the powers that be are allowing me to spread my journalistic wings these days and write more about my love affair with wine. What better place than The Weekly Volcano, a cutting edge, alternative newsweekly, to breath some fresh air into the world of wine?



Recently I was fortunate to meet with a representative from J Vineyards and Winery out of Healdsburg, Calif., (just north of Napa and Sonoma) for a tasting of their most current wine releases. Now I am usually a skeptic of California wines at first because traditionally they’ve never been my style. You know, lots of oak and fruit, basically a full meal deal in a glass. My tastes run on the subtle side. I like to be lured and coaxed into enjoying a wine, not smacked into submission.



The fascinating qualities about J wines were quite clear from the start. These wines are not cut from the same cloth as their neighbors to the south. A slightly cooler climate in the Russian River Valley allows the fruit to develop slower, therefore producing grapes with more complexity and integrity. Perfect for sparkling wines and Pinot Noir, and more importantly, that’s what I like.



We started first with their Pinot Gris. The nose is to die for. Crisp and clean with hints of peach and orange, but unlike its twin sister, the crisp Italian Pinot Grigio, it has a richer mouth feel while still maintaining a good amount of acid. Nothing makes a better seafood wine. The winery recommends you try it with a scallop ceviche with grapefruit and avocado. I think it would also be quite good with Dungeness crab dipped in butter and lemon. This wine retails for about $20 a bottle.



Next was my favorite of the J portfolio, their Russian River Chardonnay. To me nothing is better than a well-made Chardonnay, and I am a super bad skeptic. I try to avoid anything that has too much oak or butter. Ever heard of the saying, “less is more”? While this wine has been heavily manipulated, it was incredibly elegant and fascinating. Therefore, I’m giving it two paragraphs.



The nose has a barrage of fruit and toasty aromas, but really what intrigued me was the texture and how it went from smooth and slightly buttery to fruity with a nice bite-o-acid. I then REALLY impressed myself by comparing the J Chardonnay to Ramey Chardonnay and was informed that the J winemaker George Bursick and Ramey winemaker David Ramey went to UC Davis together and are friends. Coincidence? This is another seafood friendly wine that retails for about $41 a bottle and is worth every penny.



The two Pinots presented were both terrific and affordable. Their Russian River Pinot Noir was much more austere than I expected, but brimming with bright red cherries and a delightful earthiness hard to find in California Pinots. The Nicole’s Vineyard Pinot has much more body with a hint of cinnamon. You’re going to pay for the extra care this wine has received, but again, worth it. Either would pair with lamb quite nicely. They retail for $36 and $66, respectively.



Last but not least, I sampled the J Cuvee 20 NV Brut that celebrates 20 years of winemaking for the winery. This is a FUN sparkling wine. The nose screams green apple, but the palate is lush and lingering. The winery representative recommends drinking it in bed while watching a good movie and munching on buttery popcorn. I liked this guy. It retails for $32 a bottle.

I hope I have motivated you to check out a few of these wines. You can find a few of them here and there at Stadium Thriftway, Metropolitan Market and Tacoma Boys. Hey, restaurant wine buyers, these are very cool and different. Call Lilli at Noble Wines and she will set you up. Word.



Eat and drink well, Tacoma. We need your love.