Jordan Wines Inspector Peringuey Chenin Blanc

Description

Jordan Wines Inspector Peringuey Chenin Blanc is the name for Jordan Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc. Named in homage to Louis Peringuey, a South African entomologist who later became inspector-general of vineyards in South Africa in the 1880s. Peringuey led the fight against Phylloxera and supervised the importation of American rootstocks onto which the various vineyard varieties were grafted.

The Jordan Wine estate is located in Stellenbosch Kloof. The estate was founded in 1982 when Ted and Sheelagh Jordan, bought the 164 hectare Stellenbosch property. Ted’s son and daughter in law Gary and Kathy Jordan took over the reins of the estate in 1993. Gary was a geologist by training and Kathy an economist. Both had worked in the family winery until 1988 when they both went overseas to study at University of California, Davis. Garh studied the Programme in Viticulture and Enology and as did Kathy who also studied marketing courses in the Department of Agricultural Economics. They returnd to South Africa in the early 1990s, built the winery in 1992 and started the journey to becoming the phenomenal husband and wife winemaking team they are today.

Ted Jordan embarked on an extensive replanting programme in the 1980s concentrating on planting classic varieties. Today the vineyards are planted with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Assytiko for the white wines and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Petit Verdot for the red wines. The wines are borne out of fastidious vineyard management innovative canopy management and selecting varieties and clones specifically suited to the various soils and slopes. Cool hillside vineyards were planted to classic varieties, and a modern family-run winery have combined to produce distinctive wines displaying the ripe concentrated fruity accessibility of the New World, with the complex elegance of classic wine. There are several ranges of wines including the classic estate vareital range and the flagship range including Cobbler’s Hill and Nine Yards.

Jordan Wines Inspector Peringuey Chenin Blanc is produced from 100% Chenin Blanc grapes harvested from approximately 35 year old, cool south- and east-facing vineyards with decomposed granite and loam soils. After harvest the grapes are gently pressed and left to cold-settle for 2 days. The juice is then barrel-fermented in 228L in 30% third-fill & 70% Burgundian-shaped barrels, and matured “sur-lie” in the barrel for 8 months with occasional “barrel rolling” to add richness to the palate. During the sur lie ageing, there is occasional “barrel rolling” to mix the lees and impart further complexity and richness to the wine. To help accentuate fresher, citrus character the the barrel fermented Chenin Blanc is blended with 38% non barrel-fermented, tank aged Chenin Blanc.