Wine With Wanda

Talking About Wine, Writing, and More with Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard

I'm usually the one asking the questions, but Jason Haas, partner & general manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard, did a beautiful job interviewing me on Instagram Live. I had the pleasure of visiting Tablas Creek on my 2021 visit to Paso Robles, CA, and featured Jason and the winery in my article about the region for Food & Wine magazine. 

And talk about a small world -- Jason and I went to high school together and shared many friends in common, but we didn't know each other until our 2021 meeting. I'm thrilled that wine has been the catalyst for our paths finally crossing. During the Instagram Live chat, Jason shared details about what's happening in the vineyards and cellars of Tablas Creek and gave me an update on their flock of sheep! Authentically committed to sustainability, Tablas Creek became the first Regenerative Organic Certified Vineyard in the United States.

Watch the video to learn more about Tablas Creek and for Jason's thoughtful questions about my career as a wine writer. 

The Class of 1972 Celebrates 50 Years of California Winemaking Excellence

The Class of 1972 is still going strong! Fifty years ago, some of California’s most important wineries were founded. Recently, six of these Napa & Sonoma trailblazers gathered for a surreal tasting, organized by Jordan winery, at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena, California. 

Chateau Montelena, Jordan, Burgess, Diamond Creek, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, and Dry Creek Vineyard each shared a selection of three wines, including some impressive library vintages. 

Stag’s Leap took the assignment to heart and dazzled the group of professional wine tasters with a 1972 S.L.V Cabernet Sauvignon that displayed impressive vitality and grace at 50. (You may recall that 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon won the Judgement of Paris in 1976, the legendary tasting that showed the world that California was a premier wine region.) 

Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay won the Judgement of Paris tasting in the white wine category. And the 2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon they poured at the Class of 1972 tasting made a strong case for their prowess with red. 

Jordan knocked it out of the park with a 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgess charmed the group with a 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Diamond Creek shined bright with their 1993 Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon. And Dry Creek Vineyard turned heads with their 1994 Fumé Blanc, a complex and elegant expression of Sauvignon Blanc. 

Each of these wineries has a different winemaking style and terroir, but there are some shared perspectives. Being good stewards of the land, crafting wines that are an expression of terroir, and making wines that can stand the taste of time, are guiding principles that have allowed each winery to innovate, remain authentic, and navigate the changing landscape of consumer preferences.  

Now elders and not rookies, the Class of 1972 has proven themselves, but they’re not just coasting along; they embrace the challenge of stepping up to the plate each vintage. That’s a wise approach to wine and life! 

Will Travel for Wine: Jordan Winery, Alexander Valley, Sonoma

How far will you travel for a delicious glass of wine? I just returned from a whirlwind 36-hour trip out west to Sonoma and Napa – almost 3,000 miles from my home in NYC. And visiting Jordan winery in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, was worth the jetlag and flight delays. I’ve enjoyed Jordan’s wines for years; photos of their estate have always sparked daydreams of sipping their wine in the Sonoma sunshine. Well, darlings, dreams do come true!

Thursday morning, we drove up Jordan’s dramatic one-mile-long driveway to reach their beautiful château, which houses the winery and tasting room. Founded in 1972, Jordan is situated on 1,200 acres, but vineyards only occupy about 120 acres of the vast estate. Why? Because of the diversity of the terroir, Jordan identified the best plots for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec. The remaining 1000+ acres provide a wild and natural habitat for flora and fauna. Sustainability isn’t just talk at Jordan.

Jordan is laser-focused on doing three things: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and hospitality. Maggie Kruse leads the winemaking team at Jordan; she was a protégé of Rob Davis, who joined Jordan just before their first harvest in 1976 and retired in 2019 -- a tenure of more than 40 years!

Jordan pours their passion, resources, and know-how into producing only two wines each year: one Cabernet Sauvignon and one Chardonnay. Inspired by the wines of France, Jordan’s style is balanced and not jammy, with vibrant but not over-ripe fruit, bright acidity, smooth tannins, and finesse. Their precise work in the vineyards and the cellar captures the nuances of each vintage while conveying the signature Jordan style.

And Jordan’s hospitality is top-notch. I enjoyed an excellent tasting and tour, led by with enthusiasm & expertise by Jordan team member Hannah Ingwerson, which included peeks into the château’s secret passageways, and delicious food & wine pairings. They have olive trees too and produce a superb oil.

By Old World standards, fifty is young for a winery, but the Jordan family is an example of New World vision and grit; they are Sonoma trailblazers. Happy 50th, Jordan!