Retracing My Steps Through the Russian River Valley

I told KB we had to visit J Winery when she was here. Having ‘dined’ in their Bubble Room previously, I had no idea that they did the same food pairing at the regular tasting bar. We started with a bonus: something new, the Cuvee 20, which was lemony and crisp and a celebration of 20 years making sparkling wine. We also tasted the delightful Brut Rose’ with a meat-filled omelette and the 2006 Vin Gris that picked up on the sweet and soy in the Sichuan chicken salad on sesame cracker. But the best surprise had to be the 2005 Chardonnay which displayed pineapple and coconut, highlighting the amazingly delicious Pierce Point cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, topped with white truffle honey. That stuff was so good, I had to buy a jar for further experimentation. The 2005 Russian River Pinot Noir showed lovely cherry, earth, cola, and fig, and we were lucky enough to try the 2005 Pinotage, very interesting to be grown in California, and giving notes of vanilla, smoke, and tobacco.

It’s decidedly worth it to visit J Winery–for the culinary artwork and for stocking up on bubbly.