'Wild and risky' techniques give J's pinot noir its sex appeal
George Bursick is a maverick, a man who believes that, to make a truly memorable wine, "a winemaker must try things that his peers are not willing to do."
The winemaker at J Vineyards in Healdsburg produced our wine of the week winner -- the J Vineyards 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir -- and he took some bold steps to make it.
"Some of the techniques I've incorporated into J's pinot noir program focus on achieving great mouth feel and may appear on the surface as wild and risky," he said. One example is Bursick's use of indigenous yeasts from the environment as opposed to inoculating juice with cultured yeasts. Indigenous yeasts can make fermentation sluggish, sometimes making it linger for up to four months, while cultured yeasts typically offer a speedier fermentation. But Bursick says indigenous yeasts give a wine more character and greater complexity. "In my opinion the rewards of this process are immeasurable."
Bursick, who completed his master's thesis at UC Davis in the field of Wine Sensory Evaluation, says he's driven to make wines of supple mouth feel or increased "wine body."
Mouth feel is that elusive descriptor that refers to a wine's texture. But it has a broader meaning; it's actually what gives a wine its sex appeal, its sensuality. In short, it's what makes a pinot irresistible.
"Pinot noir wants to be sexy," Bursick says. "It has alluring aromas of cherries and a silky mouth feel. There is nothing angular about pinot noir. It wants to be seamless. I find it pretty sexy."
Bursick, who joined J in 2006, said making sparkling wine actually gives him an edge in making pinot noir because handling the fruit gently in the vineyard and in the cellar is crucial to making great bubbly, and the same holds true for pinot.
The J pinot noir was a standout because of its complexity, its rich mouth feel and its long, crisp finish. Other producers listed in our wine chart -- Belle Glos, Keller Estate and Stephen Ross -- were also strong contenders for wine of the week. Stephen Ross was runner-up because of its great concentration of fruit and smoky finish.
