Jordannay: Classic Chardonnay from Jordan

Chardonnay, that often maligned wine that people seem to love or hate (my wife claims she hates it) is, in reality, one of the most diverse grapes on the planet. From a butter bomb, to a stainless steel expression, to sparkling and Champagne, to even fortified iterations, Chardonnay is still at the top of the wine heap. Hovering at that top is Jordan Winery. Jordan, if you don’t know, only makes two wines. Chardonnay and Cabernet. That’s it. We call that a limited portfolio. The Jordan 2015 Chardonnay should be served at room temperature as cooling this will mute some of its nuanced flavors. “What I find appealing in the 2015 are its distinct flinty flavors and textures reminiscent of the limestone soils of Chablis. I can’t recall a vintage of Jordan Chardonnay as Old World as this,” winemaker Rob Davis told me of this wine. A dozen different vineyard blocks, all from the Russian River Valley are blended together, aged half a year in partial new French Oak barrels, with two months of sur-lie aging. And that’s where the viscosity comes from. There’s a bite to this, a super-mild sour apple, lemon-lime Otter Pop kind of quality, but with mature crème brulee, Madagascar vanilla, quince and honeysuckle and a bright, happy acidity. It straddles the two faces of Chard, namely a sleek version and the butter bomb, finding equilibrium, something most Chardonnays find elusive. So, regardless of your opinion of Chardonnay in general, the Jordan Chardonnay, in particular, should be a wine to try.

ORIGIN: Sonoma, California

PRICE: $32/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.7%

SCORE:  92 POINTS