Tag Archives: High Timber

Jordan Wines salutes Inspector Péringuey with its Chenin Blanc 2014!

Jordan Inspcector Bottale and glass Whale CottageInspector Louis Albert Péringuey was a powerful man in the 19th century, in his role as Inspector-General of Vineyards in the Cape. Yesterday Gary and Kathy Jordan of Jordan Wines paid tribute to the man who led the fight against phylloxera, and who supervised the importation of American rootstocks onto which vineyard varieties were grafted.  They have named their 2014 vintage Chenin Blanc Inspector Péringuey, ‘as Chenin was the first varietal we planted in 1983, that being the oldest block on the estate‘.

The Inspector collected museum artifacts in Africa, and moved to the Cape in 1879. He specialised in Coleoptera (the study of beetles) and prehistory.  He was a teacher, worked for the South African Museum, and also worked as the Inspector-General of Vineyards.   He has a leaf-toed gecko, an adder, and an ant named after him Continue reading →

Influential UK wine writer Jancis Robinson praises SA white wines, deserve more international attention!

Jancis Robinson Delaire GraffUK wine judge and writer Jancis Robinson spent most of this past week in the Cape Winelands, after a seven-year absence.  She spoke kindly about our industry, and offered insights into the UK and USA markets.  She wrote from Delaire Graff, where she had attended a Chenin Blanc tasting and stayed over: ‘South African wine is in full ferment. It deserves far more international attention than it is currently getting‘!

Unable to attend two public meetings addressed by Ms Robinson, I have looked for information aboutJancis Robinson her talks, admired by some, and slated by a few.

A detailed summary about Ms Robinson’s (with her husband Nick Lander) talk at #RootstockSA, held at Alleé Bleue, was written by Judy Bouwer of wine.co.za.   Key points she summarised were:

*   SA wine estates should target UK restaurants, which have far more reasonable mark-ups.  Young British people spend their money on food and wine, not being able to afford to buy Continue reading →

Jordan Winery celebrates 21st anniversary, now rolling (in) the dough at The Bakery @ Jordan!

Jordan Winery tasting in cellar Whale Cottage PortfolioJordan Wine Estate celebrated its 21 st anniversary of winemaking in its cellar last week, a surprise addition to the event, which had invited us to the launch of their deli.

Tables had been set up in the cellar, a cool space on a hot Stellenbosch day, and Gary Jordan took us through the history of Jordan, the wine farm having been in the family’s ownership for 30 years.  Gary said that they are a hands-on family, his late mom having helped to pick grapes and driving the truck.  Over the 30 year period they rebuilt the worker cottages, planted the vineyards, built their own house, built the cellar, and the restaurant, which opened in 2009 with Chef George Jardine at the helm, the same year in which they opened High Timber in London with Neleen Strauss.  Both Gary and his wife KathyJordan Winery Gary Jordan Whale Cottage Portfolio completed a Masters in Winemaking in California. The late Tony Mossop and Allan Mullins were saluted for encouraging the Jordans to do the course and in their winemaking.

Over time they have added four pockets of neighbouring land, now with a total of 165 ha, of which 105ha  is planted with vines.  The pay-off line at the end of the slide show said: ‘Celebrating 21 years of synergy between soul and soil‘. Continue reading →

Jordan The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc and The Prospector Syrah rock!

The new Jordan 2009 The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 The Prospector Syrah were launched to about sixty invited bloggers and/or Twitterers at the Jordan Wine Estate on Monday, and the launch was celebrated with a superb outdoors three-course meal prepared by Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant chef George Jardine, of Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine. 

Gary Jordan’s background as a geologist is reflected in the names of the two new wines.   The 2009 The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc was made from a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc located on the highest and coolest spot on the wine estate.  Jordan explained the origin of the ‘Outlier’ name, by explaining that it is a phenomenon which is outside of the norm, in scientific terms.  The ‘Outlier’ predecessor vintages, previously named Jordan Blanc Fumé, have been highly regarded, and the 2008 vintage received a Gold medal and Best in Class at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, thus deserving the new ‘Outlier’ name. Geologically, an outlier is “an outcrop of rocks that is entirely surrounded by older rocks”, Jordan explained.  “The quartzite formation underlying the Sauvignon Blanc vineyard used for this wine is surrounded by older (600 million years old) mineral-rich granites”, he added. It is the barrel fermentation of this Sauvignon Blanc that puts it into ‘a different class, a true outlier’.  The cooler location of this vineyard makes the grapes ripen up to three weeks later than the other Sauvignon Blanc vineyards at Jordan.

The new 2008 The Prospector Syrah also has an interesting background.  Recently Jordan Wine Estate was one of the leading estates that put an end to plans to mine for minerals on key wine farms in the area.  The Jordan Syrah vineyards contain traces of tin as well as other minerals, going back to the gold rush of the 1800’s, and it is the minerals that give the Syrah a particular characteristic: “rich, dense, dark chocolate, black fruit and fynbos flavours interlaced with white pepper.  Barrel fermentation adds toasty nuances to the richly textured structure”.  As a Shiraz lover, The Prospector Syrah ‘spoke’ to me.

To reflect the geological theme of the new wines, small stones from the estate decorated the tables.  Each guest presentation pack had a small pouch with a very shiny stone in it, demonstrating the minerality of the soil at Jordan.

Guests were spoilt by the craft of Chef George Jardine.  Served on his trademark slate plate was a square of ‘barrel smoked pole caught yellow fin tuna, miso charred aubergine’, which was paired with the Jordan The Outlier.   I ate the starter with Chef George’s wonderful wholewheat bread, which his wife Louise generously gave me a loaf of when I asked her if she had one to sell.   The main course was a pan roasted blesbok, served with foie gras and a bourguigon garnish.  This course was served with the Jordan The Prospector.  The dessert was French imported Valrhona guanaja chocolate royaltine, which was served with Jordan Mellifera, a lovely dessert wine, and with a good foamy cappuccino. 

Kathy Jordan was a lovely table hostess, and I enjoyed the company of Allan Mullins of Woolworths, Hennie Coetzee and Maggie Mostert of Batonage blog, and a UK couple who are regular guests at High Timber, the restaurant which the Jordans co-own in London.    

Disclosure:  All guests received a gift pack of the new Jordan The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and The Prospector Syrah 2008.

Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch Kloof Road, Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch.  Tel (021) 881-3441.  www.jordanwines.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage