As you probably know, our 42 acres of Estate Vineyards, planted in 2003 and 2007 on the Middleridge Ranch, and in 2008 on the FourDog Ranch, are beginning to mature into fine, ultra-premium Pinot noir producing vines with each passing season. Vineyards don’t produce fruit until, typically, their third year, and in our case, we wait to harvest any fruit until the fourth year to ensure greater complexity in the wine and deeper growth for the vine roots. And tonnage is very low for the first few years, increasing as the vines mature from harvest to harvest. As a result, our case production in these early years is extremely limited. Weather, too, plays a tremendous role in determining how many cases will be crushed each season, especially this season when the long cool summer suddenly ended with a blast of heat into the 105-110 degree range, requiring intense field and table sorting and knocking yield down about 35%. But what great fruit remained! And of course, in the case of the 2008 Vintage, when wildfire smoke socked in the AndersonValley giving a very noticeable smoke taint to the wines, we elected to bulk the vintage rather than bottle a less than stellar wine.

To the point. In the Fall of 2009, our rigorously selective thinning, individual cluster and berry selection limited the harvest to about 1250 cases. For those of you who have visited us at the winery and enjoyed sampling the 2009 vintage from the barrel, you know that these beautiful wines promise to be even more spectacular than our “One of America’s Best Pinot Noirs” (Wine and Spirits), 93 point (Wine Spectator), and Double Gold (San Francisco Chronicle) wines from our first two vintages. And because our mailing list and tasting room visits have grown so tremendously in the past year, the interest in these wines is, in a word, overwhelming. So overwhelming, in fact, that manyof you have asked to pay in advance for guarantees on delivery of these wines rather than completely miss out because of their limited supply when the rush to buy hits upon release this coming Spring.

And the wines? Here’s Winemaker Phil Baxter’s notes on how the 2009’s are showing in the barrel:
Les Pintades – “Our new label. Crafted using indigenous yeast and aged in Neutral French oak barrels for 16 months, les Pintades captures a bright minerality and firm structure, while highlighting the lightness, finesse, purity and elegance of old world PinotNoir.

Nose: Starts with strong aromas of Bing cherry and cranberry, giving way to more subtle notes of rhubarb and plum. As the wine opens, floral notes of wild rose mix with deeper scents of cardamom, bramble and forest floor.
Palate: The wine hits the palate with ample plum, cranberry and pomegranate, followed with black licorice and cherry. Earth tones and soft tannins highlight the mid-palate giving the wine a dusty texture and drinkability. The finish is delightful and elegant as mineral notes of slate mix with rose petal to produce a lingering focused result. Extremely limited at 8 barrels or about 200 cases.”

Signature – “As before, the Signature label highlights the best of the Anderson Valley. Aged in 25% new French oak, the resulting wine is rich and elegant while retaining the vibrancy and purity of fruit for which Anderson Valley is known.

Nose: Strawberry and boysenberry dominate the fruit on the nose, while a spicy floral element shows rose petal, white pepper, cedar and tobacco leaf. Deeper aromas of sassafras and brown sugar mix with a dusty mineral component of graphite to hint at the complexity of this wine.
Palate: On the palate, this wine is brimming with rich flavors of black cherry, plum, dark chocolate and coffee. Elements of molasses add to the satin texture of the Signature with an undercurrent of minerality and amber apparent in the mid-palate. The finish is smooth with notes of sage and tobacco that leave a lingering spice. 26 barrels or about 650 cases.”

Boonville – “The gentile giant, the Boonville label exhibits the intense side of Pinot Noir. Masculine and complex, this wine shows off the voluptuous fruit and floral diversity of this celebrated varietal, all the while retaining a regal elegance.

Nose: The Boonville is brimming with blackberries and raspberries while violets and rose petals dominate the floral component. Spicy notes of cola and cedar mix seamlessly with exotic aromas of truffle, orange peel, and cacao in this lush and complex wine.
Palate: The intensity and voluptuousness of the nose are echoed on the palate with notes of boysenberry, wild huckleberry and maraschino cherry. Coffee and clove are found in the mid-palate while a lingering essence of kirsch and sandalwood mix with the wild fruits providing an exotic and rewarding finish. 17 barrels or about 425 cases.”
Due to the very limited supply of these wines and to the repeated many requests from the
public, we now recognize the need to develop a program to ensure that our loyal mailing
list customers, which now exceeds 1200 fans, have a priority opportunity to enjoy
delivery of these very special wines right to their home on a regular basis. And to that
end, we have (finally) assembled our Inaugural Futures Program and Wine Club.
I guarantee you will find the details quite exciting. So, if you are interested in becoming
a Founding Member, simply hit “Reply” on your e-mail program, and we will forward
the details. Or feel free to call us at the Winery – 707.895.3400. Again, I am certain you
will find the Futures Program and Wine Club to be a wonderful opportunity and a
guarantee that you will receive some of our stellar 2009 Pinot noirs at a very attractive
price!

And have a Great New Year!!!!
Best Regards and Cheers!!!!
Jim Ball

Hi and Thanks for your interest in the Futures Program and Wine Club. This is how its works:

What is the “Futures Program” and why is it part of the Wine Club? Simply put, because of the huge demand for the very limited production 2009 wines, and because so many people have insisted on securing a place in line to obtain these wines, we’ve come to realize that we need to ensure that all of our loyal clients on the mailing list receive the same opportunity to purchase these wines before they run out. The other reason is economics. Buying a future now allows us to discount the price you pay today for delivery in the Spring. You get a great deal on superlative wines and a guaranteed allocation, and, without lifting a finger, you get delivery in the Spring right to your door.

So, here’s the deal…We have allocated, AT A VERY NICE DISCOUNT, 350 cases of 2009 Signature, 200 cases of 2009 Boonville, and 100 cases of Les Pintades for the Founding Members of the Futures Program and Mailing list. The remaining supply we are keeping for purchase by visitors to the Tasting Room at full price upon release.

If you order a case or more as a member of the Futures Program, your purchase will be  discounted 20%. Your credit card will be charged upon ordering, and delivery is guaranteed in the Spring of 2011. You simply choose from the Case Options below, make sure we have your address and credit card on file, and you will receive your shipment in the Spring (about May 1, 2011) with no further effort. Pay now, get a 20% discount, and receive a guaranteed delivery in the Spring. And when we reach the allocations set out above, the Futures Program is closed for the season. The rest of the wine is sold at the tasting room prices through the remainder of the year.

If instead of paying now you wish to pay upon delivery of wine (but lose out on the 20% savings), and IF THERE IS ANY WINE LEFT IN THE ALLOCATION AFTER FUTURES PROGRAM WINES ARE SOLD, you can join the Wine Club. As a Wine Club member you will receive a 10% discount for 1-3 cases purchased during the year, and 15% for 4-8 cases purchased during the year. You simply choose from the Delivery Option and Case Option below, make sure we have your address and credit card on file, and you will receive your shipment as requested with no further effort. Your credit card will be charged upon delivery rather than upon ordering as in the Futures Program. Soplace your order now for what you want and when you want it, and your card will be charged upon delivery.

PLEASE NOTE: WHEN THE ALLOCATIONS ARE SOLD, THE FUTURES PROGRAM AND, IF AVAILABLE, WINE CLUB SALES AND DISCOUNTS WILL CLOSE FOR THE 2009 VINTAGE. ORDER AND PAY NOW AND LOCK IN A 20% SAVINGS, OR JOIN THE WINE CLUB AND PAY FOR ANY ALLOCATION REMAINING UPON DELIVERY AT 1 10-15% DISCOUNT. WITH ONLY 350
CASES OF 2009 SIGNATURE, 200 CASES OF 2009 BOONVILLE, AND 100 CASES OF LES PINTADES, WE ESTIMATE THAT ALLOCATIONS WILL BE DEPLETED AND THE 2009 PROGRAM AND CLUB WILL CLOSE BY THIS FEBRUARY 1, 2011. SO ITS BEST TO ACT VERY SOON!!

Also please note that Futures Program members and Wine Club members who miss out because we’re sold out will be put on the waiting list for future allocations, when available, in the order they apply. Please also note that there is an 8 case limit per person and that there are no partial case shipments. Standard shipping rates apply.

Here are the Case and Delivery Options:

Case Options – choose from one or more of the following mix or straight case options:

• Mixed case – 4 Signature, 4 Boonville, 4 les Pintades
• Straight case – one or more cases of either Signature, Boonville or les Pintades

Delivery options – choose from one or more of the following delivery dates when you want your wine delivered.

Note: this only applies to Wine Club members, since Futures purchases are automatically delivered upon release this coming Spring.
February 1 (starting in 2012)

• May 1 (starting this year)
• October 1 (starting this year)
• December 1 (starting this year)

Pricing:

• Signature – Regularly $45/bottle. $36/bottle Futures Program (20% savings), $40.50/bottle Wine Club price for 1-3 bottles (10% savings), $38.25/bottle Wine Club price for 4 or more cases per year (15% savings).
• Boonville – Regularly $50/bottle. $40/bottle Futures Program (20% savings), $45/bottle Wine Club price for 1-3 bottles (10% savings), $42.50/bottle Wine Club price for 4 or more cases per year (15% savings).
• Les Pintades – Regularly $60/bottle. $48/bottle Futures Program (20% Savings), $54/bottle Wine Club price for 1-3 cases per year (10% Savings), $51/bottle Wine Club price for 4 or more cases per year (15% Savings).

Another advantage of becoming a Founding Member of either the Futures Program or the Wine Club is that your order status will “roll over” to the next year unless you wish to make changes and let us know (requests for increases in case orders are subject to availability.) So your order and “place in line” are preserved from year to year! And to make everything convenient, you will receive an e-mail about a month before your credit card is charged and your wine is shipped. Plus, you will always be in line for the first choice of new releases (as you know, two more Pinot noir labels, “les Depotoir” and “Philomena,” will be vinted beginning this Fall from the New FourDog Vineyard surrounding the winery, as well as a very limited – 200 cases? – Chardonnay  project from the 2 acres of French Clone Chard planted at FourDog in 2008.) And all Founding Members get 15% off any purchase at the tasting room, and barrel tastings in the cellar!

And for any Founding Member purchasing 4 or more cases per year in either the Futures Program or Wine Club, you will be invited to our Annual Founding Member Harvest Dinner, where Free Food and Wine Flows and you can participate with the winemaker Phil Baxter, the crew, and me (sweeping floors) during the Crush! AND you will join in the Tasting Trials to determine future blends of JBV Pinot noir! So just click here, and on the order form, please make sure to select the “Wine Futures or Wine Club” or checkbox. We will call you shortly for more information, card number and to answer any questions you have.

Thanks and Cheers!
Jim Ball

Mark your Calendars!

On Sunday, October 26th, 2008 Jim Ball Vineyards will be participating in the Artisanal Pinot Noir Tasting at Pinot on the River; a well renowned Russian River Pinot Festival. While the Pinot Festival is taking place over 4 days across a myriad of venues, the Artisanal tasting will be held at Russian River Vineyards in Forestville, CA from 12pm – 4pm on Sunday afternoon. We will be proudly pouring our 2006 Jim Ball Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir as well as the our newest label, the 2007 Boonville Pinot Noir. This will mark the first public tasting of the 2007 Boonville so we encourage you to come out and taste for yourself the newest addition to the Jim Ball portfolio.

This is an exciting event packed with 100 of the finest Pinot Noir producers on the West Coast. Please visit www.pinotfestival.com for information and ticket pricing. We look forward to seeing you there!

Best wishes!!!

Welcome to Jim Ball Vineyards Newsletter. The plan is to periodically e-mail short blurbs to those of you on the Allocation List to bring you up to speed on the progress of the vintage, offer news about the wine, and maybe include some photos and movies of the vineyard and activities around the winery. Some may be entertaining. Some may even be educational.

I hope you will enjoy these notes – and I hope I can count on you, as my close friends, to tell me “STOP” if I ramble too long. But since I love this new life of producing Pinot noir in the Anderson Valley so much I really feel compelled to share it. And some of you have even requested that I do so. In any event, here goes.

2006 Signature Label Release

By now you all probably know that we released our inaugural vintage, the 2006 Jim Ball Vineyards “Signature” Label, at a gathering at Michael Mina on May 3, followed by a vineyard and winery tour and picnic on May 4. From the sounds of it, as good as the food and venue were for the May 3rd release, the tour on the 4th was the hit. The weather was stunning, the sandwiches from the deli in Boonville were awesome and the conversation and friendship were sensational. One of you went so far as to say that Sunday was the “best day I have spent in a long time.”

From my perspective, to have you all up at the ranch laughing and enjoying wine and walking through the vines was without question one of the most touching afternoons in my 52 years. Seriously. Thank you all for attending.

I know I promised First Anniversary Gifts of another taste of the 2006. Remind me, and by April 2009, they will be in the mail!

Several people have asked to see the Why I Left the Law for Anderson Valley video again. It had to be the music and the scenery – I’m no Coppola. I’ve added it to our website – and – it’s available by clicking here . I hope you enjoy it. It does show two pretty cool things – the drive to the winery site, and the site itself, before construction began. So maybe it has some posterity value.

Winery Construction

Speaking of construction, the winery is coming along very quickly. In fact, it is on track to be completed by September 1, 2008 or so, just in time for Harvest and The Crush. So those of you who wanted to get involved in the First Harvest at the new facility – you’ll have your chance!

Wine Stats

Finally, some have asked for a breakdown of the “Stats” on the wine. These are the elemental things that winemakers evaluate when making wine. In the future I will explain the significance of wine stats. They are also contained on a “rack card” that is sent out with every shipment.

Cases produced: 690
Clones: 777,667,828,05, 115
Bottled: August 28, 2007
pH: 3.65
TA: 7.43
Alcohol: 14.1%
Residual sugar: 0.092% (consisting of Glucose (0.048%) and Fructose (0.044%))
0.139 g/l Malic Acid
0.0642 g/l Acetic Acid
Harvested 9/27, 10/3 and 10/17, 2006
Aged 10 months in 70% new French oak
Appelation: Anderson Valley

For the time being, if you take away one thing from the following, it should be the measure of the wine ’s “pH” and “TA.” Those are measures of the acid in the wine. “TA” stands for “titratable acid – which is simply a measure of the tartaric and other organic acids in the wine. These are the acids you perceive in the wine. A wine with a lower TA feels “soft” to the mouth – if the wine’s TA is too low, its described as “flabby.” Higher TA’s are described as “crisp” and make the wine stand up to food better. pH come from the Latin “pondus hydrogenii” – what we learned in chemistry as being either acid or base. pH has little to do with the perception of acid – it measures wine stability. A lower pH means the wine will be less susceptible to spoilage, something that can always occur. It also means less sulfites need to be used to stabilize the wine against spoilage. So that’s a good thing.

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is unique in its high acid content – something you probably noticed in the “freshness” and “palate cleansing” effects of the wine. The reason its higher in TA is because the cool nights delay ripening and the transfer of acids into other compounds. That’s why the Anderson Valley is now recognized by the Wine Spectator as THE Pinot noir producing region in all of North America. When a winemaker like Greg can combine a great TA with such a stunning “mouth-feel” (the texture, softness, tongue-caressing from front to back and side to side), you’ve got a winner. I think we do.

Thanks again to all. It was an honor. I hope you can all come back again!!!

Best wishes!!!