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!
