When it comes to historic California wineries, Jordan Winery has to be on any short list. Headquartered in Healdsburg in the heart of Sonoma wine country, Jordan has been making wine for 50 years, managing 1,200 acres of prime grape-growing property. With the operation under the direction of second-generation winemaker John Jordan, the family remains deeply connected to the land. In fact, John Jordan was born in 1972 on the very day that the deed for estate was signed.
The company celebrated their 40th birthday by adding more structure to their already impressive philanthropic efforts, starting a foundation dedicated to fighting poverty in Sonoma County. Their work includes support for early childhood development, providing tools that schools need and addressing issues of dental health in the community.
For their 50th, Jordan has chosen to expand their philanthropy beyond their backyard by holding large celebratory events in five cities that are major markets for their products: New York City, Miami, Denver, Dallas and Nashville.
They’ll be bringing their party to Music City June 15 and 16 for a series of fun events that will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. In addition to Nashville being a major market for Jordan, the family has a lot of personal relationships within the local wine community, including country music star Jon Pardi who will co-host the Jordan Big Bottle Pardi on Wednesday, June 15.
Big bottles usually mean big fun, and Jordan will be bringing rare 3-liter, 6-liter and 18-liter big bottles of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon as well as new-release Jordan wines to pour at the event on the rooftop of the Thompson Hotel in the Gulch. Local chefs Vu Vo and Kate Sigel of Marsh House and L.A. Jackson, along with Deb Paquette of Etch and etc. and Hannah Young of Adele’s, will prepare the comestibles for an intimate crowd of patrons to enjoy while they listen to live music. And if you need more enticing, you can also witness the unveiling of a limited-edition collaboration between Pardi Batch Spirits and Jordan Winery, created exclusively for the city of Nashville.
The following evening, June 16, from 6:30 until 10:30, The Cordelle at 45 Lindsley Ave will play host to a Gather in the Garden Dinner & Auction. Kristen Winston and Jace Johnston of Kristen Winston Catering will team up with Jordan Winery’s executive chef Todd Knoll to bring a taste of Cali to Nashville. The evening will include creative dishes paired with rare and special Jordan wines form deep in the winery’s library. There will also be a live mini-auction and live entertainment. Celebrity guest sommeliers will unveil and pour the rare wines, and Maggie Kruse, head winemaker at Jordan Winery, will be on hand to introduce the bottles.
Jordan will donate 100 percent of the event proceeds to the Boys & Girls Clubs, and they have set an aggressive goal of $100,000 over the course of the two nights. Considering the firepower they’re bringing to bear and the rare experiences they are offering, I wouldn’t bet against them achieving their goal!
If you’re interested in taking part in any of the festivities, tickets are still on sale at the 50th Anniversary event website.
