Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 16

FINDING FOCUS
The winery garden was originally two acres, which was exciting for
Executive Chef Todd Knoll, who had worked at the Ritz-Carlton
San Francisco before joining Jordan in 2003. However, it was filled
with rows of commodity crops, such as bell peppers, string beans
and yellow onions-items that usually ripened all at once, flooding
the kitchen with produce that didn't fit Chef Knoll's needs. The
excess was frequently donated to a local food bank.
Committed to sustainability and minimizing waste, Chef Knoll
knew there had to be a better way to manage the garden and feed
our guests. He shared his vision for diversifying the garden with
John Jordan. The idea was simple yet ambitious: grow specialty
fruit and vegetables around which menus could be created.
"I spent years dreaming about a seasonal garden for growing
heirlooms and unusual ingredients specifically for my cooking
throughout the year," Knoll says. "I could have never done this in
a big-city restaurant."
The complexity of building and managing a garden harvested
almost entirely to a chef's specifications-a chef with a love of
all things exotic, thanks to his island upbringing-has not been
without its challenges. Ultimately, the redesign took years.
Some plantings thrived, such as white asparagus, wasabi and
horseradish greens, while others failed, such as African horned
melon and Giant Prague celeriac, neither of which flourished in
our soils and microclimate. A dedicated cornfield was retired
and more desirable plots of the garden were expanded, adding
new rows on the higher slopes and incorporating orchard trees.
By 2007, Knoll was already beginning to limit his specialty produce
purchasing. The tiniest haricots verts, the most delicate blossoms
and tendrils, raspberries, strawberries and heirloom tomatoes-
still warm from the morning sun-all were available steps from the
kitchen door.
With our chef's acquired patience and constant desire to
experiment, the garden has blossomed into one of the most
diverse of its size in Northern California. Nearly 100 different
varieties of fruits and vegetables are grown here, on frequent
rotation, with a thoughtful focus on diversity and seasonal
maturity cycles. Lettuces and fava beans are harvested every few
weeks and replanted throughout the year. Most root vegetables
are harvested in the chef's desired "baby stage" and then quickly
replanted, ensuring an ongoing supply.

grown, such as Moonshadow Hyacinth and Dragon Tongue, a
famous Dutch heirloom. Twenty types of heirloom tomatoes call
Jordan home, as well as eight varieties of melons, eight different
basils, seven types of carrots, six eggplants, three figs and two
persimmons. And this is just a fraction of the hundred-plus items
that are grown from seed or bare root each year.
CONSTANTLY EVOLVING
Today, the garden isn't only sprouting fruits and vegetables; it
contributes to other aspects of Jordan hospitality as well. As part
of the garden's ongoing evolution, Knoll has worked with his wife,
Director of Hospitality & Events Nitsa Knoll, who oversees all of
the floral design at the winery, to add flowers and other natural
items that decorate the accommodations and public areas of
the winery.
Prior to the addition of the floral cutting garden, Nitsa bought
almost all of the flowers for the winery from local and international
vendors. Now, she only purchases half, and the rest come from the
garden and other spots around the 1,200-acre estate.
A garden of this complexity requires a team. In addition to the
Knolls, Ranch Manager Brent Young oversees the day-to-day
operations. Sous Chef Manuel Reyes helps with on-demand
harvesting every week, and Estate Gardener Leonel Carmago,
who has been with the winery since 1999, plants, hoes and waters
the garden by hand. Rafael Robledo, the vineyard foreman who
began working at Jordan in 1973, helps with weeding and pruning
in spring and fall when there's simply too much work for Carmago
to handle alone. Visitors on Jordan's Estate Tour & Tasting have
the opportunity to see this attention to detail firsthand.
WHAT'S NEXT
Because the Jordan culinary garden is both a canvas for creativity
and a playground for experimentation, the plot is always in flux.
Items come and go, largely depending on their performance in
the previous growing cycle. Knoll's interests are another key factor
in the composition of the garden; if he knows he wants to use
more of a particular vegetable, he will plan ahead and plant more
of it the following year.

"Most chefs spend their careers thinking about a garden like this,"
he says, estimating that about 80 percent of his dishes are driven
primarily by what grows on-site. "I am fortunate enough to have
it every day."

Morel, shiitake and royal trumpet mushrooms, edible flowers,
heirloom strawberry varieties and an estate berry patch, which will
feature blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries, are on the
horizon for 2015. The mushrooms won't actually be growing in the
garden; instead, Knoll is working on developing habitats in five
different locations on the property. The edible flowers, including
nasturtium, violets and marigolds, will be planted in two different
spots: the main garden and in new planter boxes near the kitchen,
with easy access for last-minute garnishing.

Multiple varieties of the same plant are now cultivated to achieve
the longest possible growing season with the most flavorful
produce. Four types of strawberries and six varieties of raspberry
bushes provide the kitchen with fresh fruit practically year-round.
In addition to haricots verts, there are nine other types of beans

"With the exception of certain species that simply won't grow here
in Sonoma County, there literally is no limit to what we can try in
the garden," Knoll says. "At the end of the day, that's what makes
the entire project so much fun. It's also what makes John Jordan's
commitment to supporting our culinary program so special."

Executive Chef Todd Knoll harvesting herbs in the garden.

16


http://www.jordanwinery.com/culinary/winery-garden http://www.jordanwinery.com/about/todd-knoll

Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015

Contents
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 1
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 2
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - Contents
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 4
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 5
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 6
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 7
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 8
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 9
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 10
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 11
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 12
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 13
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 14
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 15
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 16
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 17
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 18
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 19
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 20
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 21
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 22
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 23
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 24
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 25
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 26
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 27
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 28
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 29
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 30
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 31
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 32
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 33
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 34
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 35
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 10, 2015 - 36
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