Winemaker Notes
The vineyard is located on Graton Road next to the Dutton Shop, and is known to most as Triple JS—the name derived from the partnership of the owners—Joe, Juan, Jose and Steve. It was planted in 1995 to four clonal selections: old Wente, Rued, Dijon 95 and Clone 15. The name Three Jacks was coined in a barrel tasting with the 1999 vintage and has stuck ever since.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard, a relatively small cuvée of about 340 cases, comes from multiple clonal selections, with 43% new French oak used. The result is a wine with striking wet-stone minerality that is reminiscent of a Grand Cru Chablis, a hint of tangerine oil and apple blossom, beautiful freshness, delineation and a medium to full-bodied, intensely saturated mouthfeel. This is a beautiful Chardonnay, and, much like the Stone Côte, probably capable of lasting 5-7 years minimum.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.