Jordan Winery

Jordan Winery is located between the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys in Sonoma County.  Even though it’s a Sonoma winery, it has the feel (and the wines) of the Napa Valley.  The building itself is intended to resemble a grand French chateau, although there’s a lot of reminiscence of an English manor house as well.  The story (apocryphal or not) is that Thomas Jordan wanted to buy a great Bordeaux chateau and finding that none were for sale, decided to build one in California instead.  If anything could be called a Napa Palace, this is it, but it’s in Sonoma.  It awes but somehow doesn’t overwhelm the visitor.

 

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The Jordan Winery (Photo courtesy of Jordan Winery)

Since the winery opened in 1979, the only wines made for general sale have been Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.  How Napa-fied is that?  (There is also a true Champagne made in France under the Jordan label, but that doesn’t count.)

The wine tasting experience lives up to the grandeur of the building.  There are only seated tastings in library, which may also be combined with tours of the winery and of the entire estate.  We suppose Jordan might take a walk-in if there were space available, but we wouldn’t advise risking it as here are rarely any open places.  We have taken many tours of many winemaking facilities and they all blend together in our memories, but this one is special, if only for the history of the building and the grounds.  Yes, it’s definitely California but it all has a very French feel to it.

After touring the property, you are ushered into an anteroom to the library.  Your hosts (it’s unfair to call them simply servers) pour a little something to get you in the mood, an aperitif so to speak.  It’s usually a glass of Chardonnay, but we have also had a sip of some rare wine that was made years before, just for members.  The room is as luxurious as you might imagine a chateau to be, all honey-colored wood, shelves, oriental carpets and exquisite knickknacks.  Jordan has deservedly built quite a reputation for their wines, so the preliminary tastes are no disappointment.

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Finally, you are led into the library, with a long table set with dishes of savories to accompany the main event, the Cabernet Sauvignons.  The host explains what you are drinking as you sip.  There will always be a few recent releases, topped off with an older selection.  If you’re lucky, they’ll find a dessert wine that was only made in such-and-such a year.  You will be impressed.  That’s the whole idea.

Frankly, we are not fans of the overblown architecture and fancy airs that can be found at some wineries that make higher priced wines.  It’s a matter of taste, but that’s not our taste.  We have visited real Bordeaux chateaux and Jordan, if artificial, manages to emulate and honor the French tradition within a California setting.  After almost 40 years, it’s no longer fake French but rather it’s real California.  Grace, beauty and good wine are always in season, no matter the venue.

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