An invitation from Jordan Wine Estate to their annual Harvest Lunch
where we were welcomed with a glass of their newly released Rosé
It is made in the Rhône style from early harvested fruit, free run juice from Merlot and Shiraz and is in a very sexy bottle
You can taste both varietals and it is full of layers of berry fruit.
Impressive manicure!
Lynne and Jacques Steyn, Jordan GM, chatting about the harvest
Prosper Gundura of Norman Goodfellows with Alex Littleford and his colleague from Pier Restaurant
Visiting from Dusseldorf, Germany, the Krauses always stay at the Jordan cottages for a month,
so they were welcomed to the tasting
Jacques Steyn gave us a full briefing on the harvest
following the dreadful winter and increased rain and storms we had in 2023
Jordan had no floods, but they did have to watch their dams and the vine roots did get stressed with so much water
This year it has been warm and windy, they have had 28 days of >30ºC
so they have had to manage the soil temperatures with good canopy management
When it is hot the sugar levels rise quickly but the phenolics do not catch up, so intervention is the key
He then told us about making the new Rosé which is made from early picking of Merlot and Syrah
and explained the two methods of making rosé
It was released in December 2023 and the sales have been very good
The rest of the Merlot and Syrah grapes were coming in as he spoke about the red wines
Marketing manager Thea van der Merwe who is leaving Jordan to spend time with her new son
She will be missed very much
Great to be introduced to Sales manager Melanie Melvill
She has taken over from Marsha Cook who has immigrated to New Zealand
Melanie has been with the farm for several years in other positions and is ready to take over the job
Her aim is to grow consumption of Jordan wines.
Down into the busy cellar, redolent with harvest aromas to do some fresh juice and fermenting wine tastings
We watched and heard a huge overhead tank being filled with just-picked grapes
We were told that Jordan is planting eleven hectares of new vines
They are leaning toward grapes that thrive in warmer conditions
Winemaker Sjaak Nelson produced the fresh grape juice from the just-picked Sauvignon Blanc
It was full of good Sauvignon flavours with some good green notes, with lots of body
You can taste the grapes and the high sugar levels which will be fermented out into alcohol in the tanks
We tasted two different juices which will be treated with Vin 7 and Vin 13 yeasts
Looks like a good year for Sauvignon Blanc
We also tasted the Assyrtiko which is almost smoky and there is good balance between the sugar and the acids
The Syrah tank sample was next. The Jordan grapes are on their Northern slopes with a view of Table Mountain
Bright aubergine in colour with good raspberry fruit on the nose and palate
The Rosy pink Merlot was sweet, yeasty and tasted of rhubarb with long flavours.
The two offerings
Walking through the tanks is wine writer Jono Le Feuvre of Han Drinks Solo Wine Community
Then down into the barrel cellar and a visit to the amphora and the concrete egg for an explanation of how they work
At the moment they are used experimentally and are giving good results
We did have a taste of the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
which has dark honey perfume and wood on the nose, deep flavours initially
then a lovely lemon lime crispness follows
Time for lunch on the terrace of the tasting centre. Cold roast potatoes and a beetroot, butternut and carrot salad
Olives and some dips with a selection of breads and cheeses
Some small Beef short rib pot pies and spiced chicken in rice paper rolls
We love the views from the Jordan decks and the restaurant
Great T-Shirts worn by the staff. We think they should sell them!
The menu and the wines we could taste
A noisy and happy table of Wine tourism folk, journos, wine trade and bloggers
and a glass or two of the wines available for tasting
including the excellent 9 Yards 2022 Chardonnay and the 2017 Sophia, much enjoyed
Tarryn Vincent, Ms Riedel in Cape Town, whose glasses were on the tables
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