Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 8 - 2013 - 5

ROB'S WELCOME

Winemakers dream of vintages like
2009, 2010 and 2012. They’re the
best I’ve seen in four decades.

2012

proved to be special to me in a multitude
of ways. It began with the 40th anniversary
celebrations, where I was able to dig into the family
cellar and pull some very special vintages from the last
four decades to share with our Jordan fans across the
country. This led to an incomparable 2012 vintage
harvest—the best I’ve seen in 37 years, and culminated in
the first uncorking of our 2013 releases, which have been
patiently waiting in the cellar for that pinnacle moment
when the bouquets are elevated and flavors are integrated
to perfection.
The 40th anniversary also gave me a wonderful
opportunity to reminisce about each past harvest,
winemaking hurdle and vintage nuance. I’m excited
to share with you my personal notes from those
retrospective tastings (page 11), so you have the
opportunity to “peek inside” the bottle before deciding
whether or not to pull one from your cellar or purchase
one from our extensive library.
The celebration continued as the 2012 harvest came in
and surprised us all. We weren’t necessarily surprised by
the quantity; we were surprised by the quality. Cluster
counts (the number of clusters we harvested) were similar
to what we saw last year. Cluster weight—or how much
fruit hung on each of the clusters—was high. Overall, we
ended up getting 22 percent more fruit this year than we
had 2011. That means we ultimately will produce a little
more Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon than usual. And let me
tell you: This fruit tastes and smells great. It’s going to be
a showstopper.

Now that 2012 is in barrel, we get the pleasure of sharing
our newest releases with you. I think you will have a lot
of fun with these wines.
The 2009 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon reminds me of a
great symphony—it hits all the right notes. Clearly the
direction John Jordan has taken with our enhanced fruit
sourcing since his arrival in 2005 is paying enormous
dividends. We have dreamed about making a wine like
the 2009 for so long; we are ecstatic.
The 2011 Russian River Chardonnay is wonderful in
different ways. It’s all about apples, stone fruits and
flowers—fresh and lively, with good minerality. In that
sense, the wine is very simple; consistent with how frugal
Mother Nature was that year and representative of how
we triumph over challenges to deliver the consistency and
elegance that Jordan is known for.
I’m delighted to say that the commitment to quality the
Jordans and our winemaking team have lived by since the
inaugural 1976 vintage is firmly intact and will continue
to guide us for years to come.
Cheers,

Rob Davis
Winemaker

5

http://www.jordanwinery.com/40 http://www.jordanwinery.com/40 http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines/cabernet_sauvignon/vintages/2009 http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2012/10/video-2012-grape-harvest-report-fast-big-and-beautiful/ http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2012/10/video-2012-grape-harvest-report-fast-big-and-beautiful/ http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines/chardonnay/vintages/2011 http://www.jordanwinery.com/40 http://www.jordanwinery.com/wines/cabernet_sauvignon/vintages/1976

Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 8 - 2013

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