Jordan 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 Kathy 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 →