Jordan Wine Country - Brand Standards 2023-2024 - 39

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VINTAGE REPORTS
2019 JORDAN ALEXANDER VALLEY
Vintage Report
VINEYARDS
The final blend for the 2019 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon began
with 51 vineyard blocks from Jordan Estate and 15 family
growers. We select our vineyard sites for their well-drained,
gravelly soils in the warmer Alexander Valley, which allow the
grapes to gain physiological maturity without sacrificing pure
varietal character, bright acidity and moderate sugar levels. To
ensure that we receive the best-quality fruit, Jordan's growers
are paid by the acre rather than by the ton, and are further
rewarded for farming decisions that enhance quality. It is this
necessary combination of climate, soil and husbandry that
shares a common thread with the grand cru classé Bordeaux
that inspire our style of winemaking.
VITICULTURE
Due to a heavy crop that had formed by June, our vineyard crew
made an aggressive pass throughout the vineyards to drop any
clusters that were lagging in maturity. This practice of thinning
after fruit set is a sacrifice of quantity for flavor, allowing the
vines to focus their energy on growing a smaller, more flavorful
crop. In August during veraison, when the grapes start to turn
color and soften, we went through each vineyard block again
and dropped any clusters that were unevenly ripening and
behind in maturity.
Bookended by heavy rains and wildfire, Mother Nature certainly
put on a show in 2019. Neither the deluge nor the smoke negatively
impacted Jordan's vineyards or wines, but they did brand the vintage
as one we'll never forget. Despite all the challenges, we're extremely
excited about the 2019 Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
It's truly a showstopper. - Maggie Kruse, winemaker
GROWING SEASON
Winter brought record-breaking rainfall, which delayed bud
break into late March and early April. Combined with cool
temperatures, this put us on track for a normal start time for
harvest-well into September rather than the August starts we
experienced during the drought years. The biggest surprise
early in the growing season was the two inches of rainfall we
received in early May, which is a rare occurrence in Northern
California. Fortunately, many vineyards had not begun
flowering due to the cool spring, so the rain did not significantly
affect yields. With average temperatures throughout the
summer, fruit development progressed nicely.
HARVEST
Picking began as normal on September 13, but temperatures
shifted dramatically in the middle of harvest. On September
25, the high reached 103 degrees Fahrenheit; the following day
it peaked at only 69 degrees. When we began crushing merlot,
we marveled at the incredible fruit flavors and intensity. This
would be the second outstanding harvest in a row in which the
weather cooperated and yields were above average. The last
of the grapes made their way into the hopper on October 17.
Six days later, the Kincade Fire broke out in a mountainous
area several miles northeast of Jordan. Despite road closures, a
small crew made it into the winery to pump over the tanks and
immediately close the lids to protect the wines from any smoke.
A few days later, authorities issued a mandatory evacuation
order for Healdsburg and the surrounding area-including
Jordan. When we were finally able to return to Jordan a few
days later, we quickly assessed all of the wine in tanks; they
all smelled fantastic, with intense black-fruit aromas. Tannins
were beautifully balanced even after pressing, and they only
became smoother with aging.
2021 RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Vintage Report
VINEYARDS
We blended the 2021 Jordan Chardonnay from 15 vineyard
blocks, cultivated by seven growers. When selecting fruit
sources for each vintage, Jordan seeks out vineyard sites in the
Russian River Valley with moderately cool temperatures that
allow for bright fruit flavors and crisp acidity, along with welldrained,
gravelly soils that provide both physiologically mature
grapes and minerality. This combination of climate and soil
shares a common thread with the white Burgundies that inspire
Jordan's winemaking style.
VITICULTURE
Following back-to-back years rife with nail-biter challenges, the
2021 vintage was a welcome return to normalcy. The vintage was
not without obstacles, including drought, but through the trials of the
past few years we've learned to handle recurring challenges with no
negative impacts on the wine. Simply put: It was a stunner of a year.
- Maggie Kruse, winemaker
GROWING SEASON
The winter of 2020-21 brought exceptionally low rainfall to
Sonoma County for the second year in a row. When it did rain,
most of it fell within a two-month period. The region received
an average of 12 inches of rain, but it was mainly concentrated
in December and January. Even in light rainfall years, we
typically receive a few inches of rain during the spring to help
get us to early summer when we will irrigate as needed. In 2021,
however, we had very little rainfall, and it all came in the winter
months. This forced us to irrigate the vines much earlier in the
season, all while trying to ration water. Fortunately, great spring
weather led to a balanced bud break and healthy shoot growth.
As the growing season progressed, we noticed that the extreme
drought was preventing berries from reaching their usual size,
which ultimately contributed to their concentration and intensity.
In 2021 we set out to produce our first Jordan Chardonnay Super
Blend-a " best-of-the-best " culmination of our favorite grower
and estate vineyard blocks. We took three approaches to add
layers of aroma, flavor and texture to the wine: seeking out coolerclimate
vineyards that would contribute more bright acidity,
minerality and citrus flavors; selecting grape clones with the ideal
blend of sweetness, acidity and flavor; and adding an alternative
aging vessel-the concrete egg-to enhance the wine's texture and
mineral character without oak influence. We kept each vineyard
block separate to independently assess their sensory characteristics,
and then selected the best components for aging in a combination
of concrete egg, French oak and stainless steel.
HARVEST
During the previous vintage, there were times when we had
to pick a few days ahead of schedule to keep the wines safe
from wildfire smoke. In 2021, we had the luxury of picking
when the fruit tasted delicious and was at its optimal ripeness.
Harvest began on September 7 and the grapes continued to
roll in at an easy pace with bright acidity and citrus flavors.
A predicted lightning storm had us all concerned about fire
potential on September 9, but fortunately, our fears were not
realized. We completed harvest on September 20 with a larger
yield compared to 2020. Drought conditions brought beautiful
complexity to the fruit, and we were truly thrilled with the
quality of this excellent vintage.
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J O R D AN V I N E YA RD & W I N E R Y | B R A ND S TA N D A R D S 39
Jordan Wine Country - Brand Standards 2023-2024

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