Jordan Wines The Outlier Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch

Description

Jordan Wines The Outlier is the name for Jordan Wines’ barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Stellenbosch wine-growing region.

The Jordan Wine estate is located in Stellenbosch Kloof. The estate was founded in 1982 when Ted and Sheelagh Jordan, bought the 164 hectare Stellenbosch property. Ted’s son and daughter in law Gary and Kathy Jordan took over the reins of the estate in 1993. Gary was a geologist by training and Kathy an economist. Both had worked in the family winery until 1988 when they both went overseas to study at University of California, Davis. Garh studied the Programme in Viticulture and Enology and as did Kathy who also studied marketing courses in the Department of Agricultural Economics. They returnd to South Africa in the early 1990s, built the winery in 1992 and started the journey to becoming the phenomenal husband and wife winemaking team they are today.

Ted Jordan embarked on an extensive replanting programme in the 1980s concentrating on planting classic varieties. Today the vineyards are planted with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Assytiko for the white wines and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Petit Verdot for the red wines. The wines are borne out of fastidious vineyard management innovative canopy management and selecting varieties and clones specifically suited to the various soils and slopes. Cool hillside vineyards were planted to classic varieties, and a modern family-run winery have combined to produce distinctive wines displaying the ripe concentrated fruity accessibility of the New World, with the complex elegance of classic wine. There are several ranges of wines including the classic estate vareital range and the flagship range including Cobbler’s Hill and Nine Yards.

Their vineyards at Stellenbosch Kloof, considered by many to be South Africa’s finest wine-growing region, enjoy a cooler Mediterranean climate with maritime influences from False Bay, 14km to the south, and a refreshing breeze channelled from the West Coast’s Benguela current 24km to the north-west. The grapes for this wine are sourced from a south-facing vineyard planted at 220 – 365m above sea level on Glenrosa and Hutton soils. The vines here have an average vine of 32 years old.

Jordan Wines The Outlier is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes received 6 to 10 hours skin contact before being gently pressed in a “pneumatic” tank press. After inoculation the juice was fermented 10% new French oak barrels and the rest in second, third and forth-fill barrels (mostly Nevers and Alliers with a 10% American oak barrel selection). The wine spent 8 months “sur lie” with occasional “batonage” to accentuate the lees-y character. 50% tank-fermented sauvignon blanc was added to the blend.

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.