Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is an independently owned California winery based in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. Tom and Sally Jordan founded the estate in 1972 after acquiring land with the intention of establishing a vineyard and winery. The property eventually developed into a château overlooking approximately 1,200 acres of hills and vineyards, with about three-quarters of the land retained as natural habitat. The château, designed by Backen, Arrigoni & Ross, was completed in 1976, shortly before the estate's first Jordan vintage was harvested. The winery has built its identity around a deliberately narrow portfolio. Rather than producing a broad range of varietal wines, Jordan focuses on two principal offerings: Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, while the Chardonnay comes from the Russian River Valley. This limited-production structure supports a clear house style and allows the winery to concentrate its winemaking resources on two signature expressions. Jordan's wines are commonly characterized as balanced and elegant, with a style described as more French-influenced than strongly Californian. The estate emphasizes freshness, restraint, silky tannins, and relatively moderate alcohol rather than maximal extraction or overt heaviness. This approach has helped distinguish Jordan within California's premium wine sector, particularly among consumers seeking polished, food-oriented wines with a sense of proportion and longevity. The winery's winemaking history is closely associated with Rob Davis, who joined Jordan in 1976 and remained there until retiring in 2019. Davis was mentored by the prominent consulting enologist André Tchelistcheff and became recognized as one of Sonoma County's longest-tenured winemakers. Maggie Kruse is identified as Jordan's current winemaker, while Davis holds the status of winemaker emeritus. Jordan remains a family-operated business. The winery is owned and operated by John Jordan, son of founders Tom and Sally Jordan. His older sister, Judy Jordan, previously owned J Vineyards until 2015, although J Vineyards is a separate wine business. Jordan Vineyard & Winery's public identity rests on the combination of family ownership, a distinctive château estate, limited product scope, and a restrained interpretation of California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Its wines have also had visibility in American social and culinary culture; Betsy Bloomingdale identified Jordan's red and white wines as preferred choices for dinner parties in her 1994 entertaining book.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery began in 1972, when Tom and Sally Jordan purchased land in Sonoma County with the goal of creating a vineyard estate. The property is located in the Alexander Valley AVA and ultimately came to encompass nearly 1,200 acres of hills and vineyards. A substantial portion of the estate remains natural habitat, reflecting the property's combination of agricultural production and undeveloped landscape. The winery's château was designed by the architecture firm Backen, Arrigoni & Ross and completed in 1976. Its completion came shortly before the first Jordan vintage was harvested, establishing the physical setting that became central to the estate's identity. From its beginning, Jordan developed as a family-owned winery rather than as a large diversified beverage company. Jordan's portfolio was intentionally limited. The winery became known for two principal wines: Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. This focus differentiated Jordan from wineries that produce extensive ranges of varietal and appellation-specific bottlings. The estate's stated style has generally favored balance and elegance, with a French-influenced sensibility, lower alcohol levels, and silky tannins rather than highly extracted or heavily alcoholic wines. Rob Davis became a foundational figure in Jordan's winemaking history. He joined the winery in 1976 and worked there until his retirement in 2019. During his career, Davis was mentored by André Tchelistcheff, who served as Jordan's consulting enologist. Davis's long tenure made him one of the most enduring winemaking figures in Sonoma County and helped provide continuity to Jordan's production philosophy across multiple decades. After Davis's retirement, Maggie Kruse became the winery's current winemaker, while Davis was designated winemaker emeritus. The business continues under the Jordan family. John Jordan, the son of Tom and Sally, owns and operates the winery. His older sister Judy Jordan owned J Vineyards until 2015, but that company is distinct from Jordan Vineyard & Winery. Jordan's reputation has extended beyond the immediate wine trade. In her 1994 book Entertaining with Betsy Bloomingdale, Los Angeles society hostess Betsy Bloomingdale described Jordan's red and white wines as her preferred choices for dinner parties. The reference illustrates the winery's association with premium American entertaining and hospitality culture, although the estate's core identity remains its focused production of Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

• 2019

  Rob Davis retired from winemaking

  [1]Jordan Vineyard & Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Rob Davis retired after working at Jordan from 1976 through 2019 and subsequently became identified as the winery's winemaker emeritus.

• 1994

  Jordan wines featured in a leading entertaining book

  [1]Jordan Vineyard & Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Betsy Bloomingdale identified Jordan's red and white wines as her preferred wines for dinner parties in Entertaining with Betsy Bloomingdale.

• 1976

  Château completed and first vintage approached

  [1]Jordan Vineyard & Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  The Jordan château, designed by Backen, Arrigoni & Ross, was completed shortly before the estate's first Jordan vintage was harvested. Rob Davis also began his long tenure as winemaker during this period.

• 1972

  Estate founded

  [1]Jordan Vineyard & Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Tom and Sally Jordan purchased land in Sonoma County and founded the winery with the intention of establishing a vineyard estate.

A family-owned Sonoma County estate winery focused on two premium wines and a restrained, French-influenced style emphasizing balance, elegance, freshness, and silky tannins.

• Red wine

  Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

  Jordan's Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from the Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. It is one of the winery's two defining wines and represents the estate's interpretation of a premium California Cabernet shaped by balance, elegance, and a French-influenced house style. The wine is associated with moderate alcohol, refined structure, and silky tannins rather than an aggressively extracted profile.

• White wine

  Russian River Valley Chardonnay

  Jordan's Chardonnay comes from the Russian River Valley and forms the winery's principal white-wine offering. Alongside the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it expresses the estate's intentionally focused portfolio. The Jordan approach emphasizes freshness, proportion, and elegance, giving the wine a restrained, food-oriented identity within the premium California Chardonnay category.

1. 1Jordan Vineyard & Wineryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Jordan Vineyard & Winery official websitejordanwinery.com