the grapes to change color in July and begin the final phase of ripening without any significant issues. The main challenge was mildew pressure due to the moisture in the air on all those foggy mornings. Emphasis was also placed on leaving just the right amount of leaves in the canopy to protect from sunburn while helping to keep the vine’s energy focused on the fruit zone.
The hot, sunny August weather we’ve known for the last five vintages never arrived. Cool temperatures and misty fog lingered into lunchtime most days. There was enough sunshine, but without the intense heat that radiates through the long days that time of year. Highs stayed in the upper 70s and low 80s—about 10 degrees below average, which allowed the Chardonnay grapes to continue a slow ripening without the threat of excessive heat, which can sunburn their delicate skins. The red varieties also benefited from the longer hang-time and consistent weather, developing more complex fruit flavors.
As in recent vintages, the 2016 harvest was very condensed: only 30 days. Our 41st harvest began on September 1 with Russian River Chardonnay, and then we paused for a week, letting the grapes enjoy more hang-time during the unseasonably moderate weather. The reliable “Indian Summer” returned, and harvest kicked into gear by mid- September. A late September heat wave created a flurry of activity, forcing our cellar crew to free up tank space to bring in the last of the vineyard blocks before the high temperatures sent the grapes’ sugars soaring. Apart from one hillside grower vineyard located in a late-ripening pocket in Alexander Valley, the 2016 harvest was finished by October 1. We waited for brief rain to pass to pick those Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, concluding the harvest on October 7—one day short of the 41st
anniversary of our first harvest in 1976. 7
The quality of the grapes was excellent—almost as good as the 2012 vintage in some Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and as good as 2013 in key Chardonnay vineyards. Across all vineyards, grapes were uniform in size and intense in flavor— exactly what we want. While quality remained high for a fourth consecutive year, the only caveat with 2016 was yields of 5% above average—more clusters on the vines than in the minuscule 2015 vintage, but a lot less fruit than in 2012 and 2013. Ranch Manager Brent Young and our growers did very well protecting the Chardonnay from sunburn, preserving the fresh apple intensity and bright acidity.
Cabernet Sauvignon and our other Bordeaux varieties were also superb—the fermentation room smelled like blackberries and cassis for weeks—the kind of dark, complex fruit characters we desire. Usually that level of fruit intensity is followed by lots of tannin, which we do not want for the Jordan house style. We want beautiful fruit, a silky mouthfeel and a long finish—and 2016 is everything we hope for.
The only real concern for 2016 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon was two heat spikes late in September. Due to the compact window for harvest, our tank room filled up very rapidly, and many of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blocks arrived at the crushpad cold, which stalls fermentation. We needed to get through the ferments faster than we would have liked to make more room in the tanks. Extended maturation varied from 10 to 21 days, depending on the nature of each fermenter.
2016 will be remembered as a phenomenal vintage that continued a five-year string of wonderful growing seasons. Mother Nature has certainly smiled down on us once again.
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