Winemaking Philosophy
All JC Cellars wines are fermented in open top fermenting vessels that range in size from a half ton to eight tons, where each bin is hand punched down five times per day. This time-consuming procedure allows maximum exposure of skins to juice, intensifying the flavor of the fruit while handling it as gently as possible.
Yeasts are individually selected for each wine depending on the fruit's flavor and what flavor profiles need to be accentuated for that particular vineyard. In addition to using Indigenous yeast from the vineyard; Jeff Cohn uses eight different types of red and white wine yeast strains, six of which come from both Northern and Southern Rhone. Each yeast highlights different aromatics and flavor profiles without overpowering the terroir aspect of the wines.
Wines are then aged up to 16 months or more in specially selected Burgundy shaped barrels, ranging in size from 60, 80, 132 and 600 gallons. These barrels play an integral role in the winemaking method, producing wines that have more elegance, richness and extra length to the palate. Cohn incorporates more than ten different cooperages, almost all of which are French oak, into the winery’s barrel program, of which 60% to 100% are new oak. When wine from the individual barrels is blended together, additional layers of flavors and aromatics are achieved.
Additionally, Cohn uses a Nomblot cement egg shaped fermentor for the
fermentation of a portion of the white wines to gain an overall depth,
roundness and to highlight the minerality of the vineyard.
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