Go the whole nine yards this festive season!
If you believe that anything is possible and you are willing to go the whole nine yards to achieve it, chances are good that you will make it happen. Amidst all the uncertainties in today’s world, couples need to rethink the importance of date nights and how the wine can echo their efforts. The next time you sip on a superb glass of wine, think of every detail it had to undergo to reach your glass in such pristine condition and let this be a yardstick for the wine you chose to enjoy with the love of your life this festive season.
Holidaymakers and wine lovers can look forward to a full day or a romantic weekend at the Jordan Wine Estate. They offer everything from private picnic pods to hearty cellar door experiences, including breakfasts to burgers or an elegant date night at the Jordan Restaurant. Jordan Wine Estate has earned the reputation of excellence, and it comes as no surprise that it perpetually makes the list of top summer wine destinations. The space lends itself to informal gatherings to celebratory events with beautiful views. For reservations, please contact 21 881 3612 as we don’t doubt for a second that this article will lead you to their door.
Jordan is family-owned with a team boasting 38 years’ experience in viticulture. Integrity and sustainability remain the golden thread of their innovative ventures.
Estate grown grapes harness this cooler Stellenbosch Kloof site. Altitude & variety of slopes and soils allows for different expressions of cultivars.
In 2019 they planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vineyards in the UK, East Sussex. The property is called Mousehall and dates to 1328.
“There is something very serene about this wine. We love how it draws you in and evoke fond memories. Once you have spent time with it, you can appreciate the whole picture. This includes its origin, different layers and the intention of making such a smart wine.” – Samarie Smith
FIVE TIPS FOR MATCHMAKING THE JORDAN NINE YARDS CHARDONNAY 2020 WITH ROASTED PORK BELLY, ARTICHOKE VELOUTE, POTATO GNOCCI, PORK CRACKLING AND CRISPY SAGE.
- Assuming you will be visiting the Jordan Restaurant to enjoy this dish currently on the menu, we will discuss its different elements. When it comes to the gnocchi, it is all about the sauce, and chef Jardine is a wizard. A Chardonnay of this stature will stand up to both creamy and zesty tomato-based sauces.
- Artichokes prefer wine with high acidity and little to no sweetness. These leafy vegetables contain a compound called cynarine that can make your wine taste awkwardly sweet and soapy. Refresh your palate with a sip of water or use the artichokes judiciously. In this case, a creamy velouté balances the overall experience.
- As simple as cabbage may seem, it does wonders in food and wine pairings, highlighting the savouriness in the wine to balance the fruit and oak expressions. In return, crunchy sage leaves match the earthiness in the wine, adding a fruit sweetness.
- Parmesan is a bold cheese but takes hands with this profound wine to match the acidity and extend the flavours in your mouth, allowing you to savour the taste of the wine.
Our Experience
If you close your eyes sipping on this Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2020, it might take you to the slopes of Burgundy. Opening one’s eyes, you realise how blessed you are to enjoy wines of this stature on South African soil, made from the best barrels and vineyards sites. Stellenbosch Kloof is renowned for its cooler south and east-facing slopes that optimise Chardonnay’s expression, soaking up the maritime influences from False Bay.
When the Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay takes centre stage, so does everything else at the estate that is done with the same attention to detail. As soon as the lockdown restrictions were lifted for restaurants to trade again, we enjoyed a wonderful family lunch at the Jordan Restaurant on the estate. George Jardine is a celebrated chef that knows the rules to break the rules, and you can always expect a quirky rendition of seasonal produce packed with so much flavour you will be back in no time. Named in Eat Out’s Top 10 for six consecutive years, they remained in the Top 20 of these awards for 9 years running. So, who better to cook a dish that complements the Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2020?
The remarkable thing about an astute Chardonnay is that you can challenge it with red meat to poultry to fish and tricky vegetables without dethroning it. However, it prefers simplicity to showcase all its dimensions.
The medium lemon colour indicates oak and giving it a swirl provokes a substantially pronounced aroma for a Chardonnay. So much so, it reminded us of a time when our parents made pomander balls – sticking cloves into oranges so that they could release a wonderful fragrance in the house! In Medieval times, mixtures of fragrant, dried herbs in cloth bags brought strength and good fortune. Others believed cloves gave protection and that oranges were a good luck charm around New Year. The word is derived from the French pomme d’ambre, meaning “apple of amber”.
Pomanders aside, the wine also evokes memories of flaky and freshly baked pastries, dainty floral bouquets, and lemon cream biscuits. It obviously put us in the Christmas spirit as we dived in for more, entranced with notes of toasted almonds and orange blossom. Weaved with nutmeg, cinnamon and clove spice, the palate announces a more savoury edge with a fatter, Pharma ham silkiness. Of course, it could be the minerality and salinity of the wine that reminds you of cured meat, olive brine and grapefruit pith. Still, whichever way you look at it, the wine represents the pinnacle of an intense, concentrated, and elegant Chardonnay with oodles of character. Right at the end, even in your empty glass, there are whiffs of vanilla ice cream and white chocolate coated apricots. Isn’t this what wine is all about? A mesmerising experience that brings back memories and stirs conversation around the table. We can’t think of a better Chardonnay to grace the Christmas table laden with whole roasted fish, gammon, and stuffed turkey. So yes – we recommend you go the whole nine yards this festive season, especially when you have a date night planned!
See it for yourself
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info@marriedtwowine.com
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Samarie +27 82 072 5451
Georgio +27 83 326 3016
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