Jordan Wines 2016 harvest tasting with a view!

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Yesterday a number of writers celebrated the current harvest with hosts Gary and Kathy Jordan of Jordan Wines, an event which highlighted how climate change is affecting grape harvesting too.

The venue for the 2016 harvest tasting was at the highest point of the Jordan property, with a magnificent view over the Stellenbosch Kloof valley on a perfect (if hot) summer day. Singita Sommelier François Rautenbach and I were the last to arrive, and were driven to this spectacular tasting setting by Eben, who greeted me with exceptional friendliness, having been a past colleague of my son at Delaire Graff. Benches had been set up at the viewpoint, and Gary and Kathy took turns in talking about the current harvest.

Gary had prepared a schedule showing how locally and internationally the average grape growing season temperature has increased, not only locally, but internationally too, including at Geisenheim in Germany, and at Beaune in France. Jordan Wines is compensating for the temperature increase by planting grapes in higher cooler sites, and by planting new cultivars. One of these is the Greek-style Assyrtiko, a white wine grape from Santorini and Paros, which is often used for blending. Jordan will experiment with the cultivar under the guidance of South Africa’s foremost viticulturist Rosa Kruger. They will be spreading the cultivar across different sites, including the Swartland, Gary said.

Kathy told us that the 2016 vintage is the earliest ever, by one day relative to last year. This year the harvest is slow and controlled, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ripening at the same time. Kathy also said that they have a lower juice recovery this year, with tight bunches. They will harvest whites first, and then reds, which is what the cellar was designed for. It was sad to hear that they have seen no chameleons on the farm since the start of the summer , but they may have gone under to hide from the heat.

Some guests walked back and others were driven back to Jordan Bakery, where we had lunch on the deck. Gary told me that Chef George Jardine is opening on Andringa Street in Stellenbosch next week, a fine-dining restaurant which will help keep his staff busy in winter, when things slow down. We started off with a generous bread plate of olive bread, brioche, seed loaf, with butter, pesto, and tapenade. The starter was a chilled tomato and cucumber gazpacho, perfect for the heat of the day.

We had placed our main course order before we left for the wine tasting. Very generous options available were butter-roasted yellowtail, served with a tomato and fennel velouté, homemade potato gnocchi, and wilted spinach; Brioche Bunny, a brioche bun filled with aromatic curried Karoo lamb, raita, and coriander, pronounced to be excellent by Drinks Feed’s Anel Grobler; rare roasted Chalmar beef sirloin, slow roasted tomatoes, caramelised onions, olive tapenade, and rocket; and rocket and Cremona Gorgonzola salad, rosa tomatoes, Granny Smith Apple, with crushed walnuts.

Jordan Bakery Manager Louise Starey took our coffee orders, and brought platters of Bakery sweet treats of chocolate brownies, meringues, chocolate tarts, and mini cheesecakes, for us to share.