Sipping for a Cause: Jordan Social Impact Event Highlights

Summer has been called the season of many things: love, sun, travel, joy. At Jordan, it’s also the season of social impact events. Giving back to those less fortunate is a year-round focus for Jordan Winery and the John Jordan Foundation, but if there’s one time of year to gather in the garden to help those in need, summer is it. Jordan Winery’s 50^th anniversary in 2022, which coincided with the 10^th anniversary of our foundation, seemed like the perfect occasion to debut Jordan Social Impact Summer events.

Hosted in different cities around the country, Jordan Social Impact Summer is a series of uplifting culinary events that extend Jordan’s philanthropic impact to organizations that need it most. In Denver and Nashville, Jordan teamed up with celebrity friends and celebrated chefs to create social impact events with hundred percent of ticket proceeds benefiting nonprofit partners:

Back at the winery, a series of Social Impact Summer dinners each spotlighted a global nonprofit organization that the John Jordan Foundation and Jordan Winery have supported for several years, thanks to our customers. Because every bottle of Jordan sold allows our foundation to continue its work of helping fight the negative effects of poverty.

This first summer of social impact events was so successful and rewarding for all involved, we hope to make Social Impact Summer an annual affair. Our last Social Impact Summer event will take place before harvest, and our annual events calendar debuts in January. Be sure to join our mailing list to be the first to know about our social impact events.

Here are photos and highlights from this year’s events so you know what to look forward to next summer.

Jordan Winery Social Impact Events – Denver

Broncos Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett and several past and present Broncos players—including Russell Wilson (along with his wife, singer-songwriter-dancer Ciara)— turned out in June at the Jordan Winery 50th Anniversary in Denver to help raise funds for Clayton Early Learning. Jordan Vineyard & Winery and Clayton Early Learning co-hosted a Big Bottle Party on June 3 and a Top Chef Auction & Dinner on June 4 as part of a two-day celebration at the Governor’s Residence Gardens to mark the golden anniversary of the California winery that was born in the Mile City in 1972.

Celebrity guests at the Jordan Big Bottle Party included Denver Broncos’ quarterback, Russell Wilson, led the Jordan Big Bottle Squad parade, showing off a 6-liter of 2012 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, along with his wife Ciara, Denver Broncos teammates outside linebacker, Bradley Chubb, and running back, Javonte Williams; along with Big Bottle Squad ring leaders: Top Chef alums Carrie Baird, Brother Luck and Justin Sutherland. The team was later joined by head coach Nathaniel Hackett for the dessert reception and big bottle uncorking.

Saturday night’s Top Chef Dinner & Auction featured delectable cuisine by celebrity chefs, Carrie Baird of Culinary Creative in Denver, Justin Sutherland of Handsome Hog and TruTV’s Fast Foodies of Minneapolis and Brother Luck of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs— served in grand style on the Governor’s Residence upper terrace.

During the third course, “celebrity sommeliers” poured the never released 2005 Jordan Super Blend and 2006 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon in magnum for dinner partygoers. Sommeliers included: Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Atwater; Denver Broncos Ring of Famer, Randy Gradishar; Denver Broncos Ring of Famer, Billy Thompson; Former Denver Nuggets Player and Coach, Bill Hanzlik; Littleton Mayor, Kyle Schlachter; Broncos Head Coach, Nathaniel Hackett; and Broncos Offensive Coordinator, Justin Outten.

More than $120,000 was raised for the health and wellness programs at Clayton Early Learning, which serve 500 of the more than 7,000 Denver children who are living below the poverty line.

Explore all of the fabulous photos and highlights for this festive weekend.

Jordan Winery Social Impact Event – Nashville

John Jordan and singer-songwriter Jon Pardi joined forces for the first time with the Jordan Big Bottle Pardi in Nashville in June, which featured fabulous food, show-stopping wine bottles paraded by celebrity guests, the debut of a Pardi Batch Spirits collaboration between the two tastemakers, a live performance finale by Pardi and a silent auction of wine- and music-themed lots.

Before an intimate live performance by Jon Pardi, local chefs and Summer Pardi, served as ring leaders for the Big Bottle Squad, who paraded in the biggest wine bottles of the party to Pardi’s “Dirt On My Boots” and “When I’ve Been Drinkin’.” Big Bottle Squad members included: Jon Pardi, multi-platinum award-winning singer/songwriter/producer; John Jordan, who shares his 50th birthday with the winery; Jordan Davis, multi-platinum, chart-topping singer/songwriter; Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel, 2021 NFL Head Coach of the Year; Seven-Time Pro Bowl Defensive Lineman Cam Jordan of the New Orleans Saints; Jordan Winemaker Maggie Kruse, a two-time “40 Under 40” award winner; and singer-songwriter Julia Cole, named one of the 2022 Country Music Television’s “Next Women of Country.”

Overall, the evening generated $140,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee from auction lots, ticket sales and an in-kind donation from The John Jordan Foundation.

Explore all of the fabulous event photos and highlights.

Jordan Winery Social Impact Events – Healdsburg, Calif

Back in Wine Country, five fêtes gave wine lovers different ways to sip for a cause.

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience – Jordan Club 50 at Montage Healdsburg

Healdsburg’s inaugural wine and food festival, hosted in May, drew a who’s who roster of celebrity chefs and tastemakers, from award-winning chef and Food Network favorite Nyesha Arrington and Iron Chef winner and award-winning restaurateur Stephanie Izard to Food & Wine’s culinary director-at-large Justin Chapple, who teamed up with local winemakers and chefs for three days of decadent fun—all in support of a wonderful cause near and dear to wine country hearts: farm worker health and education programs.

In honor of Jordan Winery’s 50th birthday, Jordan Club 50 debuted at the VIP Magnum party on Saturday night at Montage Healdsburg (our next-door neighbor). Inside the ultra-luxe courtyard lounge, winemaker Maggie Kruse and Jordan staff poured big bottles of 2020 Jordan Chardonnay and 2016 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, along with 3 liters and 6 liters of library vintages. John Jordan also helped cut a behemoth, four-tier, seven-foot-tall, Jordan Cabernet-infused birthday cake built around an 18-liter bottle of Jordan. The cake was so big, John brought out his Navy sword to slice.

Thanks to the Sonoma County Grape Growers and its foundation, Healdsburg Wine & Experience and its Future Farmers of America Scholarship Fund program, will be back next May. Learn more on their website.

Social Impact Summer Dinners at Jordan Winery

Under the shade of lumbering oak trees, guests gathered for a series of alfresco wine pairing dinners at the Jordan Winery Chateau. Every few weeks, a different social impact event highlighted a cause that the John Jordan Foundation has supported over the last decade. From protecting the academic futures of our youth to rescuing animals from inhumane conditions, guests heard the heartfelt stories about the lives that have been transformed through each charity’s work, all while enjoying an elegant, five-course meal with wine pairings served on the Jordan terrace.

Social impact event spotlight organizations included:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America—A long-time supporter of this venerable nonprofit, the John Jordan Foundation pledged $1.5 million as the lead gift in the capital campaign to fund the construction of a new club in Healdsburg, Calif.
• Council on Aging— This organization has operated the largest meal program for seniors in Sonoma Country serving more than 285,000 meals annually, with a commitment to reducing food insecurity for the elderly. Programs supported by JJF include the well-known Meals on Wheels program, as well as Kibbles for Kindness, which provides dog and cat food to support the health and wellbeing of pets.
• 10,000 Degrees— John Jordan Foundation is proud to be a member of the Sonoma County Founders Circle at 10,000 Degrees, which provides low-income students a successful path through college and beyond.
• Soi Dog Foundation—John Jordan Foundation has invested in for the last two years. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to improving the welfare of dogs and cats in Asia, which was honored on the eve of international dog day in August. In 2020, Soi Dog treated 11,657 sick or injured animals—4,655 of the most severe cases in the Phuket dog and cat hospitals.

Join us for more social impact events in the future. Visit our events calendar for details.