A Look Inside Jordan Winery’s 2020 Renovations

The year 2020 has many nicknames. The Cancellation Year. The Year of Home Cooking. The Lockdown Year. But my vote goes to The Year That Changed Us All. The pandemic forced many unexpected changes to our daily lives–along with a ferris wheel of emotions that led to personal reflection and growth for individuals and business owners alike. Restaurants, hotels, wineries and other companies that rely on travel saw their livelihoods collapse in ways that have not been seen since the Great Depression. A general rule of business is to cut spending when sales are down. But John Jordan dismissed that principle when navigating the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. He doubled down on investments in Jordan Winery’s hospitality spaces in 2020, using the decrease in visitors as an opportunity to renovate gardens, tasting salons and guest suites on Jordan Estate.

Here’s a look at each transformation. We hope you’ll visit our Healdsburg winery to see all the exciting renovations.

Bacchus Courtyard

The manicured courtyard at the Jordan Chateau entrance, anchored by a 16th-century bronze statue of Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine, received a transformative remodel in 2020. Designed by Ann Rosmarin, the new courtyard is an homage to French country gardens and offers a serene setting to relax before or after a tasting experience. French tuteurs for climbing plants and Parisienne park benches are situated around the perimeter of the new Bacchus Courtyard, surrounded by an array of plants suitable to the Mediterranean climate, including flowering dogwood, Ruby Slippers hydrangea, wine-red clematis, dahlias and red flowering maple shrub. A 20th-century, Renaissance-style marble fountain in the corner brings the soothing sound of water. Estate Tour & Tasting breakfasts and private tasting receptions will also be hosted in this charming garden. All Tour & Tastings guests are welcome to enjoy the sights and sounds of the courtyard before or after their experience.

Library

The term “library” has always been revered at Jordan Winery. Our wine library of older vintages is one of the most comprehensive in all of California—but now the word holds deeper meaning. The wood-paneled salon where the Library Tasting experience begins has been transformed into a curated library filled with vintage books about food, wine, travel, hospitality, flora and fauna, as well as many of John’s personal interests, including aviation and fishing. Jordan Estate Rewards members who book a Winery Overnight Stay will also have access to the Library for checking our books or enjoying a quiet “Reading Hour” by the fireplace.

Reserve a Library Tasting

Cellar Room

The Library Tasting at Jordan concludes in the secluded Cellar Room, where guests taste three vintages of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon with curated pairings. Originally founder Tom Jordan’s personal wine cellar, the Cellar was remodeled in 2008 to accommodate seated wine tastings. Its recent 10-month makeover transformed the space into an old-world wine cellar, featuring a custom-built wood table for up to 12 guests, Louis XIII nail-head chairs, 17th-century French medieval chandeliers, and antique French winemaking and cooking tools—all with the backdrop of a wall of 800-plus bottles of cellared Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Vista Point

After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the award-winning Jordan Estate Tour & Tasting returns in 2021 with a new look at Vista Point—the highest hilltop where this progressive food-and-wine tour concludes. The glass-walled pavilion now features individual tables for each party with breathtaking views to accompany every sip, as well as garden paths filled with pollinator sanctuary plants. This Healdsburg wine tour transverses the 1,200-acre Jordan Estate and includes stops at the winery garden, lake, pollinator sanctuaries and Vista Point, with its dreamy hilltop views and cabernet sauvignon vines.

Reserve an Estate Tour & Tasting

Guest Suites

Waking up at a vineyard is on every wine lover’s bucket list, and Jordan has taken great pride, since 1979, in making guests feel as if they are traveling to France without leaving California when they stay overnight at the Jordan Chateau. The Jordan’s three guest suites, which anchor the chateau’s iconic west wing illustrated on the Jordan wine label—were modeled after French parlor rooms and Relais & Chateaux properties that the Jordans encountered during their many trips to France. Designed by matriarch Sally Jordan, the accommodations have remained the gold standard of winery hospitality for decades, but now owner John Jordan has raised the stakes with a $1 million-plus makeover, bringing these luxurious suites on par with some of the most elite hotel rooms of Europe. Winery Overnight Stays are available exclusively to Gold and Platinum members of Jordan Estate Rewards.

Learn more about Overnight Stays or explore more before and after photos.