< back to people
Brent’s work as a harvest intern in 2005 led the winery to create a new viticultural position focused on elevating our farming techniques. After serving as Viticulturalist for several years, he was promoted to Ranch Manager in 2012, and as the farm, garden and land conservation efforts grew, so did his role.
In 2019, Brent was promoted to Director of Agricultural Operations, overseeing all of Jordan’s vineyards, olive orchards, garden and livestock.
A fifth-generation resident of Sebastopol, Calif., Brent comes from a long line of Sonoma County farmers specializing in dairy and agriculture—experience he utilizes tending to Jordan’s expanding cattle herd. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wine & Viticulture with a Viticulture Concentration in 2005 from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. After his internship at Jordan, he worked for Kunde Family Estate from 2006 to 2008 before returning to Jordan as viticulturist.
Brent leads all projects to improve the health of our vineyards and the quality of the grapes. This includes extensive soil-mapping studies, water conservation programs and the replant of every grapevine planted on the Jordan Estate. Rows are now micro farmed according to soil type, texture and water-holding capacity, which means Brent often changes irrigation, cover crops, thinning and other farming practices within a single row and many times within a single acre. He also uses GPS technology to further divide the Jordan vineyard blocks, which allows him and the vineyard crew to effectively target each vine’s needs. As part of the estate replant, clones, grape varieties, vine spacing and row direction were changed in some vineyards with the goal of growing estate grapes that can rival the best in the region and earn their way into a bottle of Jordan.
Brent oversees all sustainable farming practices in the estate vineyards, from sowing cover crops, encouraging beneficial insects, composting, recycling and water conservation.
An avid technology buff, Young is constantly experimenting with the latest tools. He implemented an electronic program to measure soil moisture content and vine stress remotely from iPhones and computers, conserving water while elevating grape quality. Working with AgCode Inc., he developed a custom iPad app that allows him to handle most vineyard management tasks on a wireless tablet—in real-time, in the vineyard.
Named the 2011 “Outstanding Young Person in Agri-Business” by the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.
Brent is a board member of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission and the Santa Rosa Junior College Viticulture Advisory Committee. Other memberships include the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and California Certified Organic Farmers. He and his wife spend their free time showing cutting horses. He also shares his father’s love of restoring vintage cars, especially Woodies.