Blind Tasting 2011 Chardonnays: Jordan Russian River and a White Burgundy (Jordan Uncorked #12)

Our first blind tasting episode, this month’s Jordan Uncorked video features two chardonnays from the same vintage, but from different wine regions on different continents. Join our winemakers as they head to Autocamp in west Sonoma County to taste a 2011 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay and a 2011 Meursault-Charmes from Domaine Boyer-Martenot.

2011 was a challenging vintage for both Northern California and Burgundy, France. Weather in Sonoma County was very cool–one of the coldest on record–leading to very crisp, precise wines. Burgundy had rollercoaster whether from spring to fall, and many producers elected to harvest their grapes before they finished ripening. According to Decanter, Meursault was probably the best of the Côte de Beaune villages, with wines “showing the right balance between succulence and tension.” When the 2011 Jordan Chardonnay released, journalists and sommeliers often used it in educational blind tastings to try to stump the sommeliers, many of whom guessed it was French.

That’s why Associate Winemaker Maggie Kruse and Assistant Winemaker John Duckett decided to uncork two older chardonnays from 2011 side-by-side in our monthly video series, Jordan Uncorked.

What vintage would you like to see them uncork next?

Tune in every month for “Jordan Uncorked” on our YouTube channel or Facebook page.