How Winemakers Made Excellent Russian River Chardonnay in the Cooler 2023 Vintage

This was a chilly vintage from the get-go. A cool spring set the stage, causing delays in vine growth, flowering and veraison. Warm summer and fall temperatures normally help the vines “catch up” in colder years, but that didn’t happen in 2023. The fruit developed and matured at a slow and steady pace, resulting in one of the latest harvests in recent memory. Fortunately, it also brought incredible quality and healthy yields.

Here are four factors that allowed winemakers to make excellent Russian River chardonnay in this long, cool vintage.

Winemakers Practiced Patience

In a brisk vintage like 2023, patience is key. Waiting for the grapes to mature seemed to take an eternity, but for Jordan’s winemaking and vineyard teams, the added stress was well worth the wait. The cool, consistent growing season resulted in gorgeous flavors and beautiful balance in the Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Growers Were Extra Vigilant

Jordan constantly monitors the weather during harvest, and the winemaking team was extra diligent in keeping tabs on the chardonnay this year. When late September rainfall interrupted the harvest in late September, Jordan’s Russian River Valley growers quickly opened up the vineyard canopies after the rains to allow air to flow through the vines and prevent Botrytis. Some even dropped fruit to ensure that each cluster was perfect. Thanks to these preventative measures, Jordan’s chardonnay grapes arrived in pristine condition.

Long Hang Time Brought Mature Flavors

This was one of the latest harvests for Russian River chardonnay in recent memory—starting about three weeks behind a normal year and finishing nearly a month later than the previous year. Although Jordan picked at lower-than-average sugars, the longer growing season resulted in gorgeously mature and concentrated flavors in the chardonnay, along with bright acidity.

Sur Lie Aging Added a Touch of Creaminess

The 2023 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay underwent four months of sur lie aging in both stainless steel and French oak to bring a touch of creaminess to the mid-palate. The wine is bright and lively, with incredible complexity.