Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 6, 2011 - 23

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley
The Vintage: Much work from cellar to bottle goes into
the making of a great wine, but truly not enough attention
is given to the grape. Certain vintages provide growing
conditions that make the flavors in our fruit flourish,
and 2007 was such a year. Spring started off with warm
weather, and the June bloom revealed a smaller crop than
2006, creating the potential for intense flavors. Fruit set
was uniform, which offered great hope for an amazing
vintage. Ideal weather with moderate temperatures and
plenty of sunshine prevailed throughout the summer,
allowing us to pick pristine grapes over a six-week period,
ensuring optimal maturity with dark fruit flavors, round
tannins and bright acids.
The Winemaking: Fermenting lots were tasted
in November to determine which barrels would be
purchased to complement the vintage characters.
Malolactic fermentation occurred with our native
bacteria (isolated from a first-growth chateau in the
1970s) before the lots were re-tasted to determine which
exuded the sensory characteristics to merit inclusion in
our barrel blend lots. Only the finest lots were assembled
for the final blend, aged for 12 months in 70% French
oak and 30% American oak barrels, of which 39% were
new, before two years of bottle age. The blend consists of
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
and less than 1% Malbec; 13.5% alcohol.
Winemaker’s Comments: A seamless wine, our 2007
vintage exudes beautiful, dense blackberry aromas that
echo through the mid-palate. The mouthfeel is smooth
and elegant, with soft, round tannins accented by a
vanilla quality from the French oak. The silky, soft finish
is reminiscent of a great Margaux. Approachable upon
release after one hour of decanting or worthy of cellaring
for at least 10 years.
Release Date: May 1, 2011

2009 Chardonnay
Russian River Valley
The Vintage: 2009 is a vintage where early-ripening
grape varieties excelled; the timing of vine pruning was
critical. The unseasonably warm spring was balanced by
an unseasonably cool growing season. Such is the nature
and fragility of making great Chardonnay. Harvest is
always a rush to gather all of our fruit before the rainy
season begins, but in 2009, the vintage was defined by
exactly one day. Every Jordan Chardonnay cluster was
picked by October 1, and the entire Jordan harvest was
complete by October 12—the day before the rains began.
As the song goes, “what a difference a day makes….”
The Winemaking: After three months of sur-lie aging
and batonnage to elevate the mouthfeel of the mid-palate,
the wine underwent only 36% malolactic fermentation
to retain its bright acidity. Malolactic fermentation for
Chardonnay varies each year, depending only on taste
to determine the percentage that will achieve complete
balance. With a portion resting in stainless steel, the
remaining 72% of the wine was aged in 100% French oak,
of which 56% was new, for 5.5 months before bottling.
Winemaker’s Comments: Aromas of freshly cut
green apples and honeysuckle with a hint of kiwi and
lemon zest. The bright, fresh flavor of fuji apple expands
in the palate, framed by bright acidity and a touch of
oak. Crispness and minerality linger in the long, graceful
finish. This is a wine defined by elegance and finesse.
13.5% alcohol.
Release Date: May 1, 2011
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Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 6, 2011

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