Video: Sending our children off to college (AKA bottling wine)
A common perception of winery life during the summer is that the work prior to the harvest is calm, relaxed: the wines are resting peacefully in cask, the winemaker’s boots resting peacefully under the...
View ArticleHarvest winemaking video: tasting newborn wines during fermentation
Assistant Winemaker Maggie Kruse discusses the importance of tasting the grapes and juice throughout the entire winemaking process. Grapes are first tasted during vineyard sampling and once harvested,...
View ArticleWhen to drink videos: Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon wine tasting evolution...
[View the latest When to Drink videos from 2012 here.] Wondering when to drink that special bottle of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon in your cellar? Winemaker Rob Davis provides his latest tasting notes, as...
View ArticleTallowing: preserving an old-world winemaking technique
Our cellar team still practices an old-world winemaking technique that has nearly been lost in modern America’s wine culture: tallowing. Each winter, the barrel blend of our latest vintage of Cabernet...
View ArticleBatonnage: an old-world winemaking technique preserved each winter
Each winter, our barrel cellar is filled with the sound of batons stirring our Chardonnay. The old-world winemaking technique of batonnage, or stirring of the lees, is practiced for every vintage of...
View ArticleSelecting oak barrels for Cabernet Sauvignon: no recipes, no bias
Every fall, we begin the meticulous process of selecting oak barrels for our youngest vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike many wineries, we don’t follow a recipe for which types of barrels we...
View ArticleVideo: demonstrating the old-world art of making a wine barrel
Every winter, new French and American oak barrels are crafted and delivered to the winery for aging our youngest vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. I always take the opportunity to visit Nadalié cooperage...
View ArticleNew release videos: 2007 Jordan Cabernet and 2009 Chardonnay
2007 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley releases officially on May 1. 2009 Jordan Chardonnay Russian River Valley releases officially on May 1. In my 35 years as winemaker at Jordan Vineyard...
View ArticleThe life of a true cork dork: cork harvesting, making, quality testing
I guess you could say all winemakers are “cork dorks,” but since my job also entails overseeing the bottling of our wines every June, I must confess that I’m also a dork about the corks that go into...
View ArticleChardonnay batonnage demonstration barrel: winemaking in action
Have you ever wanted to see what happens inside a wine barrel? You’re not alone. Last summer, our Guest Services staff asked us if it would be possible to create a special see-through barrel, so trade...
View ArticleNew release videos: 2008 Jordan Cabernet and 2010 Chardonnay
On the eve of two very special birthdays at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, we’re thrilled to share two new releases that capture the heart of our winemaking style—balance, elegance and full expression...
View ArticleHarvest 2012 begins with Russian River Valley Chardonnay grapes
The first grapes of the 2012 vintage glided down our sorting table this morning at 5 a.m. For the last week, we’ve humored the idea of Alexander Valley Merlot being harvested before Russian River...
View ArticleOn the sorting table this week
On Tuesday, September 18, we received our first grapes of the season in the cool and crisp early morning hours: Chardonnay clone 76. Upon their arrival to the crush deck, the freshly harvested grapes...
View ArticleOur first Merlot grapes of 2012: taking a trip down memory lane
The first of the 2012 red grapes arrived to the winery this morning in the form of 36 tons of Mazzoni Merlot. Our winemaker, Rob Davis, has been working with grape grower Mike Mazzoni since 1994, and...
View ArticleChardonnay and the art of press cuts
Our 2012 Chardonnay is already beginning its transformation. After passing through the destemmer and sorting process as detailed in my previous harvest post, Chardonnay grapes–still firm and cool from...
View Article2012 vintage grape harvest report: fast, big and beautiful
Our first harvest report of the 2012 vintage is in. The verdict? Phenomenal. The first few weeks of crush were fast and furious, with Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes arriving...
View ArticleUnderstanding élevage: the raising of our 2012 Chardonnay
Chardonnay élevage has begun in our cellars, and it brings back special memories for me. During my time in Burgundy working with the winemaking team at the Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, I was...
View Article2004 Jordan Cabernet in magnum: vertical tasting notes
Last week, I organized a tasting of nine vintages of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon for Sean Brosnihan and the Guest Services team who host our daily tours and tastings. Because I’m the new kid on the block...
View ArticleThe fall transformation of our vineyards and winery …
November was a month of transformation at Jordan, both inside and out. In the vineyards, carbohydrates continue the slow journey down into the roots in preparation for dormancy. Unwilling to give up...
View ArticleWhen to Drink tasting note videos: Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon vintages 1999-2007
Our annual When to Drink video series debuts this month, created to help those with Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon in their cellars learn how those wines are currently tasting and optimal drinking windows....
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