August 14
When I began putting the itinerary together for our reunion and looking for wineries, I knew when I found Jordan Estate & Winery that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. And it did not disappoint. It was truly a remarkable experience and Jordan was all first class. A huge, and I mean HUGE estate and we saw over 80% of it our guide Christine said. And she was a sensational guide, and very personable to our small group of eleven guests.
The day started as we left our beautiful rental home at 8:45am for the more than 45 minute drive to the estate. And kudos to my wife Kim who offered to be the driver, and have just a small amount of wine throughout the day. She was a most excellent driver and we were all very appreciative of her getting us there, and back, without incident. Upon arrival we wound through the more than mile and a half drive up the hills until we reached the main chateau. We checked in and were treated to fresh juice, fruit, and freshly baked scones that were to die for. The owner of the property, John Jordan came out and thanked us all for visiting and made some remarks before wishing us a wonderful day. Christine gave a history of the family and the estate and then we were on our way. We say the fresh herbs & vegetables they grew; some livestock; and then made our first stop at a bass-filled lake surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. We had a tasting and a "snack" to pair with the wine. We wound further up into the hills and stopped in a huge section of vineyards to discover more about how the entire property had been replanted not once but twice before the current vineyards had become the staple of the winery. Finally we ascended to the highest point on the property where Jordan Winery has a completely glass-walled pavilion to provide breath-taking 360-degree views while we enjoyed two more wines and a lunch prepared by an on-site chef. After a short period to take in the views and take photos we made our way back to the chateau and then traveled home. What an amazing day. AND as an added bonus, since I'd made the reservations, I am a "Silver Member" and will begin earning points towards a future visit. We all agreed that any future trip to Napa Valley would indeed include a return visit to Jordan Estate & Winery.
Tomorrow will be the "other highlight day" as we will spend the day on the Napa Valley Wine Train traveling through wine country, enjoying a 4-course lunch in a domed, vintage railroad car! All Aboard!
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