WELCOME
W
e passed a milestone last fall— 40 years of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, 1976-2016. Since my internship during the first harvest at Jordan, each year brings a fresh look to an old craft. So what do
you think is most exciting for a winemaker? Certainly strolling through the vineyard blocks assessing the growing conditions of each vintage is high on my list. But by far, the elation one gets at the crush hopper receiving and processing the fruit is simply sensory overload. It is the one place that the winemaker can best judge a great vintage like 2012 or 2016, or come to terms with decisions to make on elevating a challenging vintage like 2011 or 2015.
What I look for in a great harvest is intensity of fruit flavors, and our entire winemaking team’s palates were aglow when reviewing each gondola and fermenting tank from the 2016 vintage. All those same amazing aromas that splashed into our hopper triggered the wonderful memories of 2012—a real show stopper. Another high point has been added to my diary of vintages.
This year, we release the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2015 Chardonnay—two vintages that couldn’t have been more different. While 2013 enjoyed dry, warm weather most of the year, 2015 began cool and wet. The low yields in 2015 reminded us of how Mother Nature has her own sense of balance. The grapevines in 2013 were beaming with intensely
flavored clusters—almost as bountiful as 2012. Our 2013 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon is more Pauillac in style than previous vintages—the richest, most complex Jordan I’ve tasted upon release. Our decision to convert all of our cooperage to French was validated with the taming of highly structured tannins, the enhancement of a rich mouthfeel and the length of a finish comparable to the grands crus of Bordeaux. For Jordan Chardonnay, our inspiration has always been Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, but some years, Mother Nature steers us toward a different Burgundy village. I can’t recall a vintage of Jordan Chardonnay as un-Californian as the 2015. It has this Chablis-like quality that is alluringly subtle, inviting and delicious.
At a time when many of California’s notable family- owned wineries are selling to corporations, we take great pride in John Jordan’s commitment to remaining independent, embracing the spirit of small business innovation and staying focused on quality without compromise in all that we do. John inspires our team to continue to make improvements in our wines not just every year but every day.
Cheers,
Rob Davis Winemaker
5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
