J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Now Available in Waitrose

Add a touch of California sunshine to cooler autumn days with a bottle of J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now available in Waitrose stores nationwide and through Waitrose Cellar, priced at £34.99.

Pinot Noir is currently one of the most on-trend red wine styles in the UK and with wines from California leading the charge in the premium space, there is no better time to explore. With its velvety smooth palate and full flavour profile, J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

“We are incredibly excited to see J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir available in Waitrose stores across the UK and online at Waitrose Cellar,” says award-winning winemaker Nicole Hitchcock. “This wine is everything that J Vineyards hopes to encapsulate in a wine: an appealing and beautifully balanced Pinot Noir that reflects the terroir of the Russian River Valley. It is the perfect autumnal red for gifting, serving at your next dinner party or even enjoying on a cosy evening in.”

The ‘Sunshine State’ on America’s Pacific west coast is responsible for the majority of the USA’s wines, as well as some of the finest wines produced anywhere in the world. Towards the north of California, and lying on the coastline itself, is the county of Sonoma, resplendent with rolling hills and picturesque river valleys. The Russian River Valley has become one of America’s premier areas for growing the so-called ‘cool climate’ grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

It is here that J Vineyards was founded in 1986 by Judy Jordan, who was only 26 years old at the time. Jordan became a pioneer for women in the wine industry and the winery continues to be female led, with the celebrated Nicole Hitchcock as its head winemaker today. Hitchcock honed her skills in vineyards across the world before joining J Vineyards in 2015. Her steadfast rules of using only the finest grapes from the finest vineyards allow her to bottle truly pure and expressive wines. This has led to critical acclaim, which included her being named Winemaker of the Year 2022 prize at the eagerly anticipated Wine Enthusiast Annual Awards.

Nicole is especially enamoured with the vineyard potential of Pinot Noir from J Vineyards. “Each site gives very specific traits to the wine, providing layers and complexity to the overall blend,” she says.

A blend of around 100 small plots from across the many varied microclimates of the Russian River Valley, J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir captures everything this stunning area has to offer: it is bursting with delicious aromas of rose petal and violet floral notes, joined by ripe cherry, strawberry and baked plum fruits. As the wine opens up in the glass it shows off spice and savoury flavours of gingerbread, forest floor and soft leather, making this a truly high-class and complex wine. The wine regularly receives 90+ point scores from top wine critics; with the 2020 vintage scoring 93 from James Suckling and 2018 receiving 96 from Decanter, this is a wine not to miss.

J Vineyards Russian River Pinot Noir is a fabulous accompaniment to a variety of cuisines, including miso-glazed salmon or mushroom-based dishes like wild mushroom galette, chicken marsala or grilled portobello and Gruyère cheeseburger. For a cheese pairing, try goat’s cheese with spiced cherry compote. With Christmas just around the corner, the complex range of flavours and refreshing acidity also makes this a wonderful pairing with goose, turkey, pork, or nut roast.

J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is now available from selected Waitrose stores and online at Waitrose Cellar for £34.99.

Exclusive tasting events will be held at selected Waitrose stores on 23-25 November. Please contact your local Waitrose for further information on how to attend.