Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 8 - 2013 - 21

our new recipes—duck confit and garden vegetable medley
(pictured left and below)—pair beautifully with these wines.
view the recipes at jordanwinery.com/culinary.

2011 Chardonnay
rUssian rivEr vallEy
winEmaKEr’s CommEnts

The 2011 Jordan Chardonnay is an elegant expression of a
vintage that wanted anything but to be tamed. Aromas of freshly
cut Fuji and Granny Smith apples, stone fruits and white flowers
lead to vibrant minerality and bright fruit flavors that echo the
bouquet—think fresh and lively, not buttery and overly oaky.
From the provocative nose through the creamy mid-palate laced
with well-integrated French oak to the refreshingly long finish,
this wine exudes finesse, precision and balance—truly a classic.

thE vintagE

Growers laugh or cry with the weather; that is the romance of
the industry. While we slipped through frost season unharmed
despite many near-freezing nights, Mother Nature quickly
put us in place with an untimely rain during the bloom of
the grapevines, which reduced the crop by 35%. The berries
that did form, however, enjoyed the benefits of perfectly
moderate summer temperatures—not too hot and not too cold.
Our Chardonnay grapes developed brighter, more aromatic
characters while retaining their natural acidity and keeping sugar
levels low. Our adaptive farming techniques helped the grapes
reach balanced maturity just before the October rains started;
Jordan’s last Chardonnay grape passed through the sorting table
just as the first raindrop fell. Timing was everything in 2011.

thE winEmaKing

Deciding when to pick was especially critical for the 2011
Chardonnay harvest. From September 26 to October 4, grapes
were hand-picked in the coolness of the night before sunrise
to retain their aromatics and purity of flavors. The grapes that
passed our rigorous selection in the vineyard and at the winery
sorting table had intense fruit flavors and bright acids due to
the cool growing season. Three months of sur-lie aging and
five weeks of batonnage heightened the creamy texture of the
mid-palate. Malolactic fermentation was limited to only 30% in
order to retain the wine’s bright acidity and natural expression
of fruit intensity. The wine matured in French oak barrels for
more than 6 months before nine months of bottle age. 100%
Chardonnay; alcohol: 13.5%.

food pairing sUggEstions

A go-to on any wine list for its ability to accentuate flavors in
a broad range of cuisines, 2011 Jordan Chardonnay carries the
brightness and acidity to stand up to ceviche, raw oysters and
sweet shellfish like crab or shrimp, but also has the depth and
mid-palate to accompany grilled or roasted chicken, pasta with
cream or butter sauce, and white-fleshed fish from the flaky
halibut or sole to the denser monkfish. This wine is perfect for
the table, assuming there is still some left in the bottle by the
time the food is ready—a chef’s ideal wine.

21

http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines http://www.jordanwinery.com/culinary/recipes/ http://www.jordanwinery.com/culinary/recipes/Garden_Vegetable_Medley_with_Roasted_Hazelnut_Vinaigrette http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines/chardonnay/vintages/2011 http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines/chardonnay/vintages/2011 http://www.jordanwinery.com/culinary/recipes

Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 8 - 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 8 - 2013