Jax Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (Photo by the brand)

Wine Tasting Opportunity

I just finished a delightful in-home wine tasting, complements of my November SipScout membership tasting box. The brainchild of Suzanne Thornton Henricksen’s organization, The Crafty Cask, is a consumer-centric promoter of craft distilleries, wineries, breweries, and, of course, SipScout, their monthly tasting box. I received my tasting box, which included two bottles of wine – a 2022 Napa Valley Chardonnay and a 2022 Russian River Pinot Noir – in honor of Thanksgiving. The kit also included a laminated tasting wheel showing the classical wine descriptors (very handy, especially for casual and recreational wine tasters) and a food pairing guide. The wines from Jax Vineyards, retailing for $25 (Chardonnay) and $30 (Pinot Noir), are not readily available outside the winery, so the kit was particularly useful. Jax Vineyards’ 2021 Chardonnay received a 92-point rating by Wine Enthusiast and was deemed an “Editors Choice Top 100 Wines in the World,” and the 2021 Pinot received 90 points, also by Wine Enthusiast. In addition to this review, here’s a link to sosme useful background information about these two classic Burgundian varietals.

Jax 2022 Y3 Napa Valley Chardonnay

Chardonnay has had its ups and downs since its meteoric rise to fame in the 1980s. Although sometimes negatively associated with Suburban Yuppy Women, AKA “Karens,” it remains one of the most elegant white wines. Jax Vineyards has a reputation for high-quality wines, and this vintage is no exception. The Carneros-grown grapes are single-vineyard, with a longer growing season due to the cooling Pacific breezes. The wine is fermented in the classic Chablis region method – fermentation in concrete tanks, followed by 3+ years of barrel aging. Concrete tanks allow the grape and terroir characteristics to shine, especially the grape’s natural aromatics and the soil’s minerality.

The wine is fruit-forward and lively, with a nice balance between fruit and acidity. Aromas of fresh orchard fruits, citrus, and flower-shop abound. It has a full and round mouthfeel with minimal barrel flavors. This is a lighter, fruitier style of chardonnay with notes of fresh lemons, honeydew, peach, and Honeycrisp apples. The acidity nicely balances the slight hint of sweetness.

Jax 2022 Y3 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

The Russian River runs from Mendocino County in northern California to the Pacific Ocean west of Santa Rosa. The river irrigates some of California’s finest wine-growing land as it wends southward. This Jax Y3 vintage exemplifies what the Russian River can offer – rich opulence with intense fruit flavors. It pours a deep ruby red while issuing aromas of blackberries, cherries, baked plums, English breakfast tea, and a background hint of earthiness. The mouthfeel is full, round, and rich, with moderate tannins that are structured but not overpowering.

The initial sip reveals a rich and ripe collection of red and black fruits, with a firm backing of baked plum, blackberry, blueberry with an underlying pie-crust richness bordering on creaminess. The tannins and acidity work as a balance for the intense fruit, providing structure that might otherwise result in a meandering into desert-like territory. Please don’t misunderstand – this is not even remotely a sweet wine, but the fruitiness is quite intense, and without the firmer tannins and acid, it could be miconstrued. But, I digress!

This is a lusciously opulent red wine that exudes fruit while still maintaing an elegance that is a hallmark of pinot noir. Which brings me to the finish. That’s were I experienced some of PNs more telltale characteristic – tea, tobacco, leather, and oak. However, these are subtle, and obviously secondary to the fruit. I wouldn’t call this a “textbook” or “classic” Pinot Noir. However, its a fantastic red wine that fulfills the duties of a quality Pinot Noir.