Jordan Winery Celebrates 40 Years in Sonoma
Each week I participate in a live Twitter discussion, basically just geeking out about wine. Specifically Sonoma (and Napa) wines. #SonomaChat is lead by the amazing Amy Lieberfarb (follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and IG to learn more), who oftentimes will share the roll of hostess/host with other bloggers, wineries, and wine pros. Last week I was lucky enough to be included as a #SonomaChat Ambassador while us wine tweeps celebrated Jordan Winery’s 40th Sonoma Birthday.
As a #SonomaChat Ambassador, I was sent two bottles of Jordan Winery wines to taste as we chatted. Here is my review, along with some notes from Rob about the Jordan 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. Cheers!
About the Wine: Jordan Winery 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec from various regions (90% Alexander Valley, 8% Mendocino County, 2% Dry Creek Valley). The vineyard blocks were predominantly Jordan Estate vineyards (about 60), with the remaining coming from independent family growers (about 16).
All lots were kept separate as they went through 12 days of extended maceration, and then reevaluated after primary fermentation. The individual batches then went through malolactic fermentation in oak casks before final barrel blending. To chose which batches went into the final blend, each batch was blind tasted and then ranked. Top batches were selected for the final barrel blending (“master blend”).
The blended wine was then aged in 69% French and 31% American oak barrels for 12 months; 41% new oak consisted of 73% French and 27% American.
13.69% ABV
Flavor Profile: Oh.Em.Gee the nose on this wine. The initial aromas is as if someone just handed you a basket of freshly picked berries — just all the berries: raspberries, boysenberries, Logan berries, olallieberries. Secondary aromas take you out of the berry bush and into the kitchen with a fun mix of baking-themed spices: nutmeg, allspice, maybe even a bit of cocoa powder. Tertiary aromas are in the realm of the savory bringing in a bit of green, earthy herbs and a hint of anise.
The palate is a true expression of all those aromas — like a chef who has prepared a well-balanced meal, so does Jordan Winery provide a well-rounded Cab. Any sweetness of the fruits are subdued by the more earthy flavors. There’s a solid dose of acidity from start to finish, while tannins simply play the part of giving the wine a firm foundation and backbone. The finish is long and lingering, leaving the tongue tickled by those bright ripe berries.
From Rob: After tasting and taking my personal notes, I sat in on a FacebookLive chat with Jordan Winery’s winemaker Rob Davis and his notes were basically the same as mine. His goal — with any wine really — is to celebrate the fruit. The, kind of, “old school” of California Cab seems to be bigger is better — bold, chewy tannins with fruit flavors hidden in the darkness. But here, Jordan celebrates a bit of the natural sweetness in the fruits, allowing for acidity to play its roles, and keeping those tannins in check from start to finish.
Food Pairing: Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, with all it’s complexity but utter approachability, is perfect for a Thanksgiving feast. If you’re the kind of person who can get the white meat of a turkey breast absolutely succulent and moist, add a bit of fresh cranberry sauce, and a side of herb-infused stuffing on the side: perfect pairing, I guarantee it.
Of course, I also had this with pizza and it was delicioso. So, well met Jordan-clan, friendly and approachable, yet deeply contemplative. That’s the other reason I think it would go well at a Thanksgiving gathering (or pizza party apparently), because it can easily be enjoyed by wine-nerds and wine-novices alike.
More Info: As a note, I enjoyed Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon out of the bottle. However, for a different experience, they do recommend decanting 30 to 60 minutes prior to enjoying. Maybe I’ll try that next time and compare notes.
If you haven’t yet read my #SonomaChatTwitter interview with Jordan Winery, please do so. Also, please read about our first tasting for the evening, Jordan Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay 2014.
I received this bottle as a sample for review. For more information about this wine, Jordan Winery, and to purchase wines directly, please do visit the Jordan Winery website.
BriscoeBites officially accepts samples as well as conducts on-site and online interviews. Want to have your wine, winery or tasting room featured? Please visit the Sample Policy page and then Contact Me directly. Cheers!
