The Jordan Journey

Dallas artists help us celebrate 40th anniversary

Lisa — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:07:21 +0000

JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY ANNOUNCES 4 ON 4 ART COMPETITION
WITH DALLAS/FORT WORTH ART COMMUNITY

Texas artists wanted for a chance to win up to $5,000 in cash prizes

In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, iconic California vintner Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4 on 4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city. Rising Gallery will orchestrate the 4 on 4 Dallas competition locally; an art exhibition and Jordan wine tasting event, hosted by D Magazine, will be held April 24.

Over the years, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons—its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate a special dual anniversary this spring—both the founding of the winery and second-generation vintner John Jordan’s 40th birthday—Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to Texas artists in their own backyard, challenging talented professionals to create a special work of art that combines the essence of Jordan with Dallas’s distinct flavors of culture, food and design.

John Jordan and his family have deep connections to the Dallas area. John’s father started his career in the oil business and had an office in Dallas. “I love visiting friends in the Metroplex area,” said John Jordan, chief executive officer and proprietor of Jordan Vineyard & Winery. “I often stop in Fort Worth on my way to the east coast just to eat barbecue at the Railhead. My Texan friends have even inspired me to start raising cattle on the Jordan Estate.”

A panel of expert judges—including Peter Simek, arts editor for D Magazine—will select the top three works of art that meet the competition criteria. Top three winners receive cash prize awards: a grand award ($5,000), first runner-up ($2,000) and second runner-up ($1,000). In addition to cash prizes, winning artists will be featured in an art exhibition, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work of art will be transformed into a limited-edition piece for Jordan’s Dallas/Fort Worth customers.

The deadline for submissions for the 4 on 4 Dallas competition is April 12, 2012, at 5 p.m. CST. Artists must live and work in Dallas/Forth Worth metropolitan area to be eligible. A complete list of competition guidelines can be found on the 4 on 4 Dallas webpage.

“We are excited that Jordan Winery selected Rising Gallery for their 40th anniversary art program,” said Bryan Wetz, co-founder of Rising Gallery. “Rising Gallery is looking forward to working with other local galleries and artists to showcase the best of the Dallas art scene.”

A collection of the top competition entries will be unveiled at 4 on 4 Top 25, a public exhibition and Jordan wine tasting event, which will be held April 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rising Gallery. Hosted by D Magazine, the event will also feature a people’s choice award for the top artwork selected by event guests. The 4 on 4 Top 25 event is complimentary and open to the public. Further exhibition details will be announced in February.

For more information about 4 on 4 Dallas, click here.

For more information about the 4 on 4 Art Competition, please visit our national news release.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow the excitement in Dallas on Twitter and Facebook:
@jordanwinery
@risinggallery
@dmagazine
@D_FrontRow

4 on 4 Hashtag: #40n4art
Facebook.com/jordanwinery
Facebook.com/DMagazineOnline

ABOUT JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY
Inspired by the masterful wine, food and hospitality of France, Tom and Sally Jordan followed their hearts from Colorado to California’s bourgeoning wine country in 1972. That spring, they signed the deed on their first piece of land in Alexander Valley on the very same day their son, John, was born. They quickly planted their first vineyard with a vision for creating a singular Cabernet Sauvignon that could rival the finest wines of Bordeaux. When the first vintage of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon debuted, it was an immediate success due to its elegance and early approachability, as well as its affinity for food. The Jordan family has spent the last four decades quietly building a reputation for relentless quality, graceful ageability and remarkable consistency vintage after vintage. For more information, visit www.jordanwinery.com.

ABOUT RISING GALLERY
Brothers Bryan & Taber Wetz founded RISING in 2008 to represent artists they believed deserved gallery representation in Dallas. Rising has quickly grown into a contemporary gallery representing a stable of artists from across the country, while maintaining representation of regional and local artists in the Dallas community. Recently, the gallery relocated to downtown Dallas in a historic building nestled between the new Omni Convention Center Hotel and Dallas’s historic West End. For more information, please visit www.risinggallery.com.

ABOUT D MAGAZINE
Founded in 1974, D Magazine is a monthly magazine covering business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. D Magazine has been named the “Best City Magazine” in the nation three times by the City and Regional Magazine Association and has also won five Press Club of Dallas Katie Awards. D Magazine also publishes D Home, D CEO, Dallas/Fort Worth Medical Directory, D Weddings, Private School Handbook, and FrontBurner®, a daily weblog written by D Magazine editors and selected guest bloggers. The most recent additions to D Magazine’s suite of websites include the D Weddings blog, Bridal Buzz, and Shop Talk. For more information, visit www.dmagazine.com.

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Jordan 40 storytelling series: Mrs. Jordan describes the aha wine moment in 1971 that changed their lives forever

Lisa — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:30:28 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

As part of our 40th anniversary celebration in 2012, we are creating special storytelling videos with the Jordans and our winemaker, Rob Davis, who has made every vintage of Jordan since the inaugural 1976. Our hope is that these videos will transport you to historical moments in our history with fascinating–and sometimes funny–stories that many fans of Jordan wines have never heard before.

Our first story comes from Sally Jordan, CEO John Jordan’s mother, who shares with us the story behind the aha moment she and Tom Jordan had over a bottle of Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon back in the fall of 1971, which changed their lives forever.

Make sure to visit our From the Heart section of this blog for more Jordan 40 storytelling videos throughout the year.

Valentine’s Day gift wrapping ideas: scarves turn one gift into two

Nitsa — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:03:16 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

How you wrap a Valentine’s Day gift can be just as thoughtful as the gift itself–or even more so with a little creativity. In this video, I’ll show you inventive ways to use scarves for gift wrapping presents, whether giving your loved one chocolates or even a bottle of wine. A scarf wrap looks more elegant than paper and is less wasteful than wrapping with paper–and you get bonus points for giving two gifts in one. And these ideas are relevant year-around. Using scarves to wrap two bottles of wine also makes for a fun way to transport wines to restaurants or house parties.

The silk scarf used to wrap the square box of chocolates is available for $38 from Nordstrom.com; it’s a 44-inch square, which works really well for various square chocolate gift boxes. Coach.com has a new collection of silk scarves priced from $58. For chocolates gift boxes, we recommend San Francisco-based Recchiuti or Richart of Paris, both of which have some lovely options in the $40 range. Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut chocolates, available at Amazon.com for $16, are also an affordable luxury.

When making a wine bottle wrap, Bordeaux-style bottles, like those used for Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and other medium- to full-bodied red wines, are easiest to wrap because they have higher shoulders. It’s also important to use a fabric another than silk due to the weight of the bottles. A pashmina style, like the Jones pink or Collection XIIX paisley from Macys.com, will work beautifully for under $40. Next time you’re out shopping for wrapping paper, just pick up a few scarves instead and keep them stored at home until it’s time to wrap that next wine bottle or gift box.

On behalf of everyone at Jordan, we hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Video: reducing our energy consumption first

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:13:22 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last fall, California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and respected green business consultant John Garn approached us about collaborating on a video that would highlight our extensive energy efficiency efforts. Director of Facility Operations Tim Spence discusses his massive project to revamp our refrigeration and winery piping systems in this video.

Since 2006, Tim has been retrofitting the winery with the latest technology while preserving the vintage character of the chateau. Installment of new energy-efficient “cool roofs,” refrigeration units, warehouse doors, preinsulated COOL-FIT piping systems and LED lighting helped us achieve our initial energy-reduction goals. PG&E’s ClimateSmart program certified our energy usage carbon neutral in 2009, and Jordan has decreased its carbon footprint by 24 percent since embarking on this project.

Last year, we reached our goal of reducing our energy consumption to the lowest possible levels. It’s the equivalent of removing 67 passenger cars from the road for a year, or planting 74 acres of pine trees. That means the Jordan chateau is finally ready for the next step in business energy efficiency: solar. Rather than rushing to convert to solar–and “solarizing” an inefficient structure–we believed it was important to take steps to reduce consumption before we went off the grid.

It’s really exciting to see all these efforts coming to fruition on the eve of our 40th anniversary in May.

4on4 Art Competition: Dallas artist call for entries, submission guidelines

Lisa — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:36:29 +0000

In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4 on 4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city.

Dallas Call for Artists: 4 on 4: Artists in four cities celebrating four decades of Jordan wine in their community. The four cities include: Miami, New York, Los Angeles & Dallas.

Deadline for Dallas submissions: Thursday, April 12, 2012
40 artists will be called upon to enter. Top 25 artists will be chosen for the show. Rising Gallery will coordinate all artists participating in the show.
All artists will be based in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.

Grand Award/Purchase: ($5,000) and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions, as well as inclusion in post event publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work will be professionally printed as a limited-edition run for Jordan’s Texas customers. Winning original artwork becomes the property of Jordan Winery for display at the chateau and/or donation to a charity auction to be determined.

First Runner-up: ($2,000) and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions and post-event publicity.

Second Runner-up: ($1,000) and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions and post-event publicity.

**A panel of expert judges will select the top three works of art that meet the competition criteria. Judges will be announced in February.

A top 25 will be selected to participate in a public exhibition at Rising Gallery on April 24, 2012, from 5 to 8 p.m. At the public exhibition event, the judges will select their top three artworks, and winners of the grand, first runner-up and second runner-up awards will be announced. The top 3 works will also be shown at a private event on April 25, 2012.

Artists and Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Since 1976, the Jordan family has been heralded for its elegant wines, culinary excellence and gracious hospitality. Over the years, the Jordan’s have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons – its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to Dallas, Texas. Local artists will be challenged to create a commemorative work of art that combines the essence of Jordan wine with Dallas’s distinct culture, design and culinary experiences.

CRITERIA:

Applicants must incorporate an element of Jordan Winery in their artwork. See ELEMENT DOWNLOADS section below.
Artists must incorporate an element of the Dallas area in their artwork, such as architecture, landscape or food culture.
Original artwork must be in a format that is reproducible in lithograph, such as paintings or drawings. 3D/sculpture works unfortunately will NOT be accepted due to nature of project.
Winning artist agrees to sign up to 200 limited-edition lithographs of their artwork in Dallas at a mutually agreed upon date in summer or fall 2012.
Jordan Winery has the first rights to purchase the original first runner-up and second runner-up winning artwork.
Lithographs of the winning artwork become the property of Jordan Winery for use as necessary.
Minimum size of final entry: 18 x 24 inches

SUBMISSIONS:

Please include a brief statement about your artwork, materials used and how it fits within the theme of the competition. Also include your full name and title of work, as well as contact phone number.
Images (both web ready and high resolution) of work must be received by Rising Gallery by email (info@risinggallery.com) no later than Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. CST for use on press materials and D Magazine’s online media coverage.
The top 25 artworks will need to arrive at Rising Gallery no later than Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. CST. Artwork delivery is the responsibility of the artist. All work must be ready to hang and exhibition ready.
A “Viewer’s Choice” will be made available thru D Magazine online.
For additional publicity, entrants may also upload a copy of their submission to the 4on4 Art Competition Flickr page. For Flickr upload instructions, click here.

ELEMENT DOWNLOADS:

Artists must incorporate an artistic element from Jordan wine into their original artwork. Recreation of the Jordan name should be as close as possible to the original, while artistic concepts inspired by the Jordan chateau and Jordan wine label are welcomed. Element options include:

Jordan chateau logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan 40th anniversary logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 1: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 2: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon label (vintage not necessary): download low-res or high-res image.

Inspiration from past artists at Jordan

Jordan Vineyard & Winery 4 on 4 Art Competition

Hosted by Rising Gallery www.risinggallery.com

Deadline: Thursday, April 12, 2012 — All materials due no later than 5 p.m. CST

For more information about Jordan Vineyard & Winery, please visit www.jordanwinery.com.

For more information about the entire 4 on 4 Art Competition, please visit our national news page.

For questions about Jordan Winery’s Dallas 4on4 Art Competition, please call Bryan or Taber Wetz (214.559.4158) or Frankie Garcia (469.774.8936). You can also email Bryan Wetz, Taber Wetz or Frankie Garcia.

Los Angeles artists help us celebrate 40 years

Lisa — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:38:03 +0000

JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY ANNOUNCES 4 ON 4 ART COMPETITION
WITH LOS ANGELES ART COMMUNITY

Southern California artists wanted for a chance to win up to $5,000 in cash prizes

HEALDSBURG, CA (January 17, 2012) – In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, iconic California vintner Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4 on 4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city. The 4 on 4 Los Angeles competition begins today with its call for entries, organized by LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions).

In the past three decades, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons—its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate a special dual anniversary this spring—both the founding of the winery and second-generation vintner John Jordan’s 40th birthday—Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to Southern California artists in their own backyard, challenging talented professionals to create a special work of art that combines the essence of Jordan with Los Angeles’s distinct flavors of culture, food and design.

“Los Angeles has held a special place in our hearts since the founding of the winery,” said John Jordan, chief executive officer and proprietor of Jordan Vineyard & Winery. “In the 1980s, my parents poured our wines at many high-profile events in Los Angeles, I went to college at Occidental and my sister Judy even hosted the national launch party for J sparkling in LA.”

A panel of expert judges—including Carol Stakenas, director of LACE, and noted critic and LA Canvas art editor Shana Nys Dambrot—will select the top three works of art that meet the competition criteria. Top three winners receive cash prize awards: a grand award ($5,000), first runner-up ($2,000) and second runner-up ($1,000). In addition to cash prizes, winning artists will be featured in an art exhibition, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work of art will be transformed into a limited-edition piece for Jordan’s Southern California customers.

The deadline for submissions for the Los Angeles competition is April 1, 2012, at 5 p.m. EST. Artists must live and work in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino or Riverside counties to be eligible. A complete list of competition guidelines can be found on the 4 on 4 Los Angeles webpage.

“We are delighted to participate in this celebratory event with Jordan Winery,” said Carol Stakenas, executive director of LACE. “The LA art scene’s international ascendancy and its contemporary artistic culture is a perfect match for this esteemed winery to commemorate its 40th anniversary.”

A collection of the top competition entries will be unveiled at 4 on 4 Top 40, a public exhibition and Jordan wine tasting event, which will be hosted in April at Black Cat Gallery, an up-and-coming gallery noted for its relationships with edgy Westside artists, such as Sandow Birk, Andy Moses, Terell Moore and James Mathers. A people’s choice award will also be given for the top artwork selected by event guests. The 4 on 4 Top 40 event is complimentary and open to the public. Further exhibition details will be announced in February.

Timothy Williams, the director and artist-in-residence of Black Cat Gallery, adds: “As a space dedicated to young artists, we are pleased to work with Jordan to bring remuneration and recognition to the competing artists. Working with Jordan and LACE is a welcome step forward for Black Cat.”

For more information about 4 on 4 Los Angeles, click here.

For more information about the 4 on 4 Art Competition, please visit our national news release.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow the excitement in Los Angeles on Twitter and Facebook:
@jordanwinery
@welcometoLACE
4 on 4 Hashtag: #40n4art
Facebook.com/jordanwinery
Facebook.com/welcometoLACE

ABOUT LOS ANGELES CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS
LACE both champions and challenges the art of our time by fostering artists who innovate, explore, and risk. We move within and beyond our four walls to provide opportunities for diverse publics to engage deeply with contemporary art. In doing so, we further dialogue and participation between and among artists and those audiences. For more information, please visit http://welcometolace.org.

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4on4 Art Competition: Los Angeles artist call for entries, submission guidelines

Lisa — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:35:52 +0000

In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4on4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Dallas that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city. 4on4 Los Angeles will be hosted in conjunction with LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions).

4on4 Los Angeles Call for Artists: Artists in four cities celebrating four decades of Jordan wine in their community.

Deadline for Los Angeles submissions: April 1, 2012
Must be an artist living and working in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino or Riverside counties

Grand Award: $5,000 and the opportunity to be featured in an art exhibition, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work will be transformed into a limited-edition piece for Jordan’s loyal customers across Southern California.

First Runner-up: $2,000 and the opportunity to be featured in an art exhibition and post-event publicity.

Second Runner-up: $1,000 and the opportunity to be featured in an art exhibition and post-event publicity.

Artists and Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Since 1976, the Jordan family has been heralded for its elegant wines, culinary excellence and gracious hospitality. Over the years, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons – its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to Los Angeles artists in their own backyard, challenging these talented professionals to create a commemorative work of art that combines the essence of Jordan with Los Angeles’ distinct flavors of culture, food and design.

A panel of expert judges–including LACE director Carol Stakenas and noted art critic Shana Nys Dambrot of LA Canvas–will select the top three works of art that meet the competition criteria. A top 40 will be selected to participate in a public exhibition presented by LACE at Black Cat Gallery in April. The grand prize, first runner-up and second runner-up winners will be announced at this event and showcased at a private Jordan Winery event in Los Angeles later that month.

CRITERIA:

Applications must live and work in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino or Riverside counties.
Applicants must incorporate an element of Jordan Winery in their artwork. See “ELEMENT DOWNLOADS” below for a list of elements and download instructions
Applicants must incorporate an element of their local community in their artwork, such as Los Angeles architecture, landscapes or food culture.
Original artwork must be in a format that is reproducible in lithograph, such as paintings or drawings.
Winning artists agree to sign up to 200 limited-edition lithographs of their artwork in Los Angeles at a mutually agreed upon date in summer or fall 2012.
Winning artwork becomes the property of Jordan Winery for display at the chateau and/or donation to a charity auction to be determined.

SUBMISSIONS:

Applicants should submit ONE high-resolution image (jpeg) of artwork via email to 4on4LosAngeles@jordanwinery.com (maximum size: 10 MB).
In the body of your email, please include details including your first and last name, title of work, year, media and dimensions. Please also include your daytime phone number, your mailing address and your email address.
Please also include a brief statement (200 words) about your artwork and how it fits within the theme of the competition.
Minimum size of final entry: 18 x 24 inches
For additional publicity, entrants may also upload a copy of their submission to the 4on4 Art Competition Flickr page. For Flickr upload instructions, click here.

ELEMENT DOWNLOADS:

Jordan chateau logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan 40th anniversary logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 1: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 2: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon label (vintage not necessary): download low-res or high-res image.

Inspiration from past artists at Jordan

For more information about the 4on4 Art Competition, please view our national news release.

For questions about Los Angeles’ 4on4 Art Competition, please contact Susan von Seggern by email or call 213-840-0077.

Miami kicks off Jordan Winery 4 on 4 Art Competition

Lisa — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:15:43 +0000

JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY LAUNCHES 4 ON 4 ART COMPETITION WITH MIAMI ART COMMUNITY

South Florida artists wanted for a chance to win up to $5,000 in cash prizes

HEALDSBURG, CA (January 9, 2012) – In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, California icon Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4 on 4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city. The competition kicks off January 15 with the 4 on 4 Miami call for entries, organized by the Bakehouse Art Complex.

In the past three decades, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons—its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate a special dual anniversary this spring—both the founding of the winery and second-generation vintner John Jordan’s 40th birthday—Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to South Florida artists in their own backyard, challenging talented professionals to create a special work of art that combines the essence of Jordan wine with Miami’s distinct flavors of wine, food and design.

“It’s fitting that we’re kicking off our 40^th anniversary in Miami because in many ways the success of Jordan wines really started in South Florida,” said John Jordan, chief executive officer and proprietor of Jordan Vineyard & Winery. “Harvey Chaplin and Mel Dick were building the wine portfolio at Southern Wine & Spirits back in the 1970s and 1980s, and my parents developed a relationship with them early on. Since the inaugural 1976 vintage, the attention that Jordan received from Southern leadership and the restaurateurs in the Miami area really made a big difference in terms of carving out the niche that we’ve occupied so successfully for decades.”

4 on 4 Miami Judges

In addition to cash prizes, winning artists will be featured in two art exhibitions, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work of art will be transformed into a limited-edition piece for Jordan’s South Florida customers.

The deadline for submissions for the Miami competition is March 10, 2012, at 5 p.m. EST. Artists must live and work in Broward, Miami-Dade or Monroe county to be eligible. For a complete list of competition guidelines, click here. A collection of the top competition entries will be unveiled at 4 on 4 Top 40, a public exhibition and Jordan wine tasting event, to be hosted at the Bakehouse Art Complex on March 29, 2012, from 5 to 7 p.m. A people’s choice award will also be given for the top artwork selected by event guests. The 4 on 4 Top 40 event is complimentary and open to the public.

“We are delighted to participate in this celebratory event with Jordan Winery,” said Arlys W. Raymond, executive director of the Bakehouse Art Complex. “Miami’s international vibrancy and its contemporary artistic culture is a perfect match for this esteemed winery to commemorate its 40^th anniversary.”

For more information about 4 on 4 Miami, please visit the call for entries and submission guidelines page.

For more information about the 4 on 4 Art Competition, please visit our national news release.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow the excitement in Miami on Twitter and Facebook:

Jordan Vineyard & Winery – @jordanwinery

Bakehouse Art Complex – @BACMiami

4 on 4 Hashtag: #40n4art

Facebook.com/jordanwinery

Facebook.com/bakehouseartcomplex

ABOUT JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY

Inspired by the masterful wine, food and hospitality of France, Tom and Sally Jordan followed their hearts from Colorado to California’s bourgeoning wine country in 1972. That spring, they signed the deed on their first piece of land in Alexander Valley on the very same day their son, John, was born. They quickly planted their first vineyard with a vision for creating a singular Cabernet Sauvignon that could rival the finest wines of Bordeaux. When the first vintage of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon debuted, it was an immediate success due to its elegance and early approachability, as well as its affinity for food. The Jordan family has spent the last four decades quietly building a reputation for relentless quality, graceful ageability and remarkable consistency vintage after vintage. For more information, visit www.jordanwinery.com.

ABOUT BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX

From its inception in the 1980s, the Bakehouse Art Complex has provided emerging and mid-career artists with the opportunity to creatively explore and develop their artistic endeavors through its inventive, South Florida workplace. The non-profit organization is dedicated to attracting artists to a distinctive, engaging environment that is not only inspiring and collaborative, but also features affordable studios, exhibition galleries and professional development opportunities. For more information, please visit www.bacfl.org.

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Jordan celebrates 40th anniversary with 4on4 Art Competition

Lisa — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:01:30 +0000

JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY LAUNCHES 4 ON 4 ART COMPETITION

Kicking off 40th anniversary festivities with art initiative in four cities awarding nearly $35,000 in cash prizes

HEALDSBURG, CA (January 9, 2012) — In honor of its 40^th anniversary in 2012, California icon Jordan Vineyard & Winery has created the 4 on 4 Art Competition, a four-city initiative that challenges local artists to create a commemorative work of art that blends the elegance of Jordan wines with the flavor of each city. The four cities include: Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Dallas.

Over the years, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons—its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate a special dual anniversary this spring—both the founding of the winery and second-generation vintner John Jordan’s 40th birthday—Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to artists in their own backyards, challenging talented professionals to conceive a work of art that combines the essence of Jordan wine with each city’s distinct flavors of wine, food and design. This art competition is the first of several exciting initiatives the venerable winery has planned in 2012.

A panel of expert judges from each city’s art and food communities will select the top three works of art that meet competition criteria. Prizes in each city include: $5,000 for the grand award, $2,000 for first runner-up and $1,000 for second runner-up, with slightly varied prize levels in the New York competition. Nationwide, the competition will award nearly $35,000 in cash to artists. In addition to cash prizes, winning artists will be featured in 1-2 art exhibitions, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The grand award-winning works of art will be transformed into four, limited-edition pieces for the winery’s customers.

4 on 4 from Coast to Coast

MIAMI: The competition began January 5 with the 4 on 4 Miami call for entries, organized by the Bakehouse Art Complex. The Bakehouse will also host a public exhibition and Jordan wine tasting at its gallery in Miami on March 29, 2012. For more information about the 4 on 4 Miami Art Competition, click here.

NEW YORK: Hosted by the New York Foundation for the Arts, 4 on 4 New York’s call for artist entries begins January 9, with winners announced at a private Jordan 40th anniversary event in New York the first week of April. New York prizes vary slightly from other participating cities. For more information about the 4 on 4 New York Art Competition, click here.

LOS ANGELES: Organized by LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions), 4 on 4 Los Angeles’s call for entries commenced January 17. A public exhibition and Jordan wine tasting will be hosted in April. For more information on 4 on 4 Los Angeles, click here.

DALLAS: 4 on 4 Dallas will be hosted in conjunction with D Magazine and Rising Gallery. Its call for artist entries runs through March 30, 2012, with winners announced at a private Jordan 40th anniversary event in Dallas the last week of April. A public exhibition event and Jordan wine tasting will be held at Rising Gallery on April 24, 2012. More details will be announced this week.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow the latest updates on the 4 on 4 Art Competition via Twitter:

Hashtag: #4on4art
Jordan Vineyard & Winery – @jordanwinery
Bakehouse Art Complex – @BACMiami
New York Foundation for the Arts – @nyfacurrent
LACE – @welcometoLACE
D Magazine – @DMagazine
Rising Gallery – @RISINGgallery

Or visit our Facebook pages:

Facebook.com/jordanwinery
Facebook.com/bakehouseartcomplex
Facebook.com/NYFAface
Facebook.com/welcometoLACE
Facebook.com/DMagazineOnline

Additional 40th anniversary news and events will be announced in February.

ABOUT JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY

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4on4 Art Competition: New York artist call for entries, submission guidelines

Lisa — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:04:20 +0000

New York: Guidelines and Application

Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012 — All materials due by 11:59 p.m.

Email application materials to NYFA’s Curatorial Program: Curatorial@nyfa.org

Call for Artists: 4 on 4 Art Competition: Artists in four cities celebrating four decades of Jordan wine in their community. The four cities include: Miami, New York, Los Angeles & Dallas. Artists submit a proposed artwork for a chance to win cash prizes up to $7,000 and a chance to have their winning work transformed into a Jordan 40^th anniversary limited-edition, commemorative piece.

Artists and Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Since 1976, the Jordan family has been heralded for its elegant wines, culinary excellence and gracious hospitality. Over the years, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons – its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to New York artists in their own backyard, challenging these talented professionals to create a commemorative work of art that combines the essence of Jordan wine with New York’s distinct flavors of wine, food and design.

A panel of expert judges will select the top five proposed works of art that meet the competition criteria. Artists will be asked to execute their proposed artworks over the course of five weeks. These five finished artworks will be shown at a private Jordan Winery 40th anniversary event in New York City on April 5, 2012, where the grand prize, first runners-up and second runners-up winners will be announced.

Grand Award: $7,000 and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work will be transformed into a limited-edition piece for Jordan’s loyal customers.

Two 1st Runners-up: $1,000 each and the opportunity to be featured in 1-2 art exhibitions and post-event publicity.

Two 2nd Runners-up: $500 each and the opportunity to be featured in 1-2 exhibitions and post-event publicity.

CRITERIA:

Must be a NYFA Fellow living and working in New York.
Applicants must incorporate an element of Jordan Winery in their artwork. A list of elements and download instructions are included below.
Applicants must incorporate an element of their local community in their artwork, such as New York architecture, landscapes or food culture.
Original artwork must be in a format that is reproducible in lithograph, such as paintings or drawings.
Winning artists agree to sign up to 200 limited-edition lithographs of their artwork in New York at a mutually agreed upon date in summer or fall 2012.
Grand award-winning artwork becomes the property of Jordan Winery for display at the chateau and/or donation to a charity auction to be determined.

SUBMISSIONS:

Applicants should submit ONE high-resolution image (jpeg) of proposed artwork via email to Curatorial@nyfa.org.
In the body of your email please include artwork details including your first and last name, title of work, year, media and dimensions. Please also include your daytime phone number, your mailing address and your email address.
Please also include a brief statement (200 words) about your artwork and how it fits within the theme of the competition.
Please submit a sketch only and indicate the medium in which it will be executed (acrylic/watercolor/collage etc); artists will be selected to execute their proposed piece in early March 2012.
Executed work must be 18” x 24” or larger.

ELEMENT DOWNLOADS:

Jordan chateau logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan 40th anniversary logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 1: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 2: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon label (vintage not necessary): download low-res or high-res image.

Inspiration from past artists at Jordan

Jordan Vineyard & Winery 4 on 4 Art Competition

Hosted by New York Foundation for the Arts

Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012 — All materials due by 11:59 p.m.

Email application materials to NYFA’s Curatorial Program: Curatorial@nyfa.org

About NYFA’s Curatorial Program

NYFA’s curatorial services help organizations, corporations and individuals find engaging artwork for their offices, homes, festivals, events and other spaces. Over the past 40 years, NYFA has worked with thousands of visual, literary and performing artists working in all styles and disciplines. For more information on NYFA’s Curatorial services, please visit NYFA’s Curatorial page or contact David Terry.

For more information about Jordan Vineyard & Winery, please visit www.jordanwinery.com.

For more information about the entire 4 on 4 Art Competition, please visit our national news page.

4on4 Art Competition: Miami artist call for entries, contest overview, submission guidelines

Lisa — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:47:23 +0000

Call for Artists: 4 on 4 Art Competition: Artists in four cities celebrating four decades of Jordan wine in their community. The four cities include: Miami, New York, Los Angeles & Dallas.

Deadline for Miami submissions: March 10, 2012
Must be an artist living and working in Broward, Miami-Dade or Monroe county

Grand Award: $5,000 and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions, publicity campaigns and Jordan 40^th anniversary commemorative gifts. The winning work will be transformed into a limited-edition piece which will be distributed to Jordan’s loyal customers across South Florida.

First Runner-up: $2,000 and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions and post-event publicity.

Second Runner-up: $1,000 and the opportunity to be featured in two art exhibitions and post-event publicity.

Artists and Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Since 1976, the Jordan family has been heralded for its elegant wines, culinary excellence and gracious hospitality. Over the years, the Jordans have commissioned artists to capture the beauty of the winery chateau through the seasons – its ivy-draped façade, window boxes sprouting spring flowers, the antique clock above a sweeping balcony. To celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2012, Jordan Vineyard & Winery is bringing wine country to Miami artists in their own backyard, challenging these talented professionals to create a commemorative work of art that combines the elegant art of Jordan wine with Miami’s distinct flavors of wine, food and design.

A panel of expert judges—including Roxanne Vargas, co-anchor of NBC Miami’s “Live Miami;” Nina Johnson, director at Gallery Diet; Susanne Birbragher, associate publisher of ArtNexus; and Chef Michael Schwartz, proprietor of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink—will select the top three works of art that meet the competition criteria. Top three winners receive cash prize awards: a grand award ($5,000), first runner-up ($2,000) and second runner-up ($1,000). A top 40 will be selected to participate in a public exhibition at the Bakehouse Art Complex (BAC) on March 29, 2012. From there, the judges will select their top ten artworks that will be shown at a private, VIP event at the Soho House on Miami Beach on April 2, 2012, where the grand prize, first runner-up and second runner-up winners will be announced.

4 on 4 Miami Judges

CRITERIA:

Applicants must incorporate an element of Jordan Winery in their artwork. For details, see “Element Downloads” below.
Applicants must incorporate an element of their local community in their artwork, such as Miami architecture, landscapes or food culture.
Original artwork must be in a format that is reproducible in lithograph, such as paintings or drawings.
Winning artists agree to sign up to 200 limited-edition lithographs of their artwork in South Florida at a mutually agreed upon date in summer or fall 2012.
Winning artwork becomes the property of Jordan Winery for display at the chateau and/or donation to a charity auction to be determined.

SUBMISSIONS:

Applicants should submit a CD (jpeg) of a high-resolution image of proposed artwork. Please include artist name, title of work, year, media and dimensions.
There is a limit of ONE image per artist.
Please also include a brief statement about your artwork and how it fits within the theme of the competition.
Artists who cannot submit a CD via mail, may upload high-resolution images (300 dpi, 8×10 minimum) to the 4on4 Art Competition Flickr page using submission guidelines. Before uploading a file, entrants must view our Flickr upload instructions and guidelines. Entrants who use Flickr must still email their contact information to info@bacfl.org to ensure notifications occur.
If selected for the top 40 exhibition, artwork will need to arrive at the BAC no later than March 20, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Artwork delivery is the responsibility of the artist. All work must be ready to hang and exhibition ready.

Submissions must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on March 10, 2012.

CD submissions must be mailed to:
4 on 4, Bakehouse Art Complex, 561 NW 32^nd Street, Miami, FL 33127
Electronic submissions must be uploaded to the 4 on 4 Flickr account, as noted above.

ELEMENT DOWNLOADS:

Jordan chateau logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan 40th anniversary logo: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 1: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan winery chateau option 2: download low-res or high-res image.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon label (vintage not necessary): download low-res or high-res image.

Inspiration from past artists at Jordan

For questions about Miami’s 4 on 4 Art Competition, please contact Lauren Wagner, Director of Exhibitions for Bakehouse Art Complex, by 305.576.2828 or email.

For more information about Miami 4 on 4, view our news release. For more information on the entire 4 on 4 project, visit our national news page.

Time-lapse video: winery chateau from fall to winter

Lisa — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:29:47 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

When winter officially arrived on December 22, the winery was already closed for the holidays. We’re now back to work–plowing through hundreds of emails, pruning the vineyards, tasting young wines in barrel.

To welcome the new year (and a few more months of winter), we thought it would be fun to share a time-lapse video of the Jordan winery chateau, as it undergoes its seasonal transformation from summer to fall to winter. We captured the footage with a Canon 5D Mark II DSLR camera and a Canon TC-80N3 timer. Still photos were taken once a day at first, then once every hour as the leaves began to rapidly change color. The camera movement is because we mounted the tripod fluid head to a wood platform on one of our sycamore trees, and the head moved slightly when we attached and removed the camera every morning and night. We couldn’t risk leaving our Canon outside overnight to brave the elements.

And here’s what the chateau looks like today. The chateau’s Boston ivy will awaken from its sleep in March. Happy New Year!

Our video Christmas carol to you

Lisa — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:04:11 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

The entire family at Jordan Vineyard & Winery would like to wish you the happiest of holidays filled with great wine, good food and wonderful company.

The winery closes this Thursday for holiday vacation and will reopen for tours and tastings on January 3, 2012.

Cheers to 2012!

Grape gondola carries 1,000 pounds of toys to kids in need

Lisa — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:48:29 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

John Jordan added a festive twist to our annual Toys for Tots donations drive this year by transforming a retired grape gondola into a Christmas sleigh.

Director of Operations Tim Spence has kept a few old gondolas in a shed for many years; these five-ton trailers were used to transport grapes from our vineyards to the winery in the 1980s. Tim’s staff painted and decorated the gondola, then a challenge was issued to all employees to help fill the sleigh with toys by the morning of December 12. John kicked things off by filling one end of the sleigh with toys worth $3,000.

Vineyard Manager Dana Grande created a friendly competition between departments for who could collect the most toys, and employees flocked to the sleigh with bikes, balls, board games and puzzles. The over-flowing gondola sleigh rolled into downtown Healdsburg just before noon on Monday, stopping at the Healdsburg Fire Department to meet with Toys for Tots officials and transfer all donations to the organization.

Nearly 1,000 pounds of toys were collected by Jordan employees and Jordan Estate Rewards members.

“It’s incumbent upon local businesses to take up the challenge of improving our community and improving the lives of our more vulnerable fellow citizens,” John said. ”Now we have a goal we can strive to exceed. And we have a few more old gondolas ready to start a second career as Santa’s sleighs next year.”

It brings a whole new meaning to the term, “late harvest,” and we couldn’t be more proud.

Healdsburg Patch published a news story and photo gallery about our Toys for Tots gondola project.

Watch the gondola’s transformation in our Flickr slideshow:

Holiday cookie recipe ideas and tips: French Macaroons

Lisa — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:50:32 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Looking for new cookie recipes for your Christmas cookie exchange or holiday dinner party? We asked our estate baker, Cristina Valencia, to share one of her favorite cookie recipes this week, and she selected French Macaroons. In this video, you’ll find tips and techniques for baking these delicate cookies, which aren’t as difficult to make as one might think. The key is finding the right recipe and following each step Cristina shares–from sifting techniques and preparing your ingredients in advance to whipping the perfect macaroon texture to piping precise cookie shapes onto baking sheets. Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Recipe: French Macaroon Cookies

Summary: These delectable cookies in soft, sherbet-toned hues make a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert ensemble. Create an endless array of flavors and colors by simply adding different fillings and colorings. Recipe adapted from a Martha Stewart Living favorite.

Ingredients ~

For the cookie:

1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 egg whites, room temperature
Pinch cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar
Food coloring
Flavored extract

For basic meringue filling:

6 egg whites, large
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions ~

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. The key to this recipe is in the preparation – have all ingredients measured and ready before you begin. Separate the eggs whites and keep at room temperature until ready to incorporate.
In a food processor, pulse powdered sugar and almond flour. Sift combined mixture 2 times. Whip the room-temperature egg whites on high with a mixer until foamy and then add cream of tartar. Slowly stream in superfine sugar and whip until stiff and shiny, about 2 minutes on high.
Gently fold in desired food coloring and/or flavor extract, sugar and flour mixture into egg white mixture. Fold the ingredients as little as possible until it is smooth, shiny and slightly runny. If it holds its form, it is under mixed. Scoop into piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
Pipe onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, holding the piping bag in one place while applying pressure. Release pressure when a 1” cookie has been formed and gently swirl the tip out of the mixture without forming a peak. This will allow the cookie to remain smooth on top. Let stand at room temperature 30-40 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until cookies are firm and crisp. Be sure to keep a close eye on the cookies – they should not brown on top. Remove cookies from oven and cool.
For a basic meringue filling, place egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, whip on high speed until mixture is cool and stiff peaks form, approximately 6 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Use immediately.
Sandwich 2 same-size macaroons with 1 teaspoon meringue, flavored buttercream or other desired filing. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap well in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Preparation time: 1 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12 (makes 36 cookies)

Bottled art photo contest winners announced

Lisa — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:52:13 +0000

Winners have been selected in our first bottled art photography contest. You can view the entire collection of photo submissions here:

And the winning photos selected by our panel of judges are …

GRAND PRIZE:
Jordan Catapano for “Wine Literacy”

FIRST RUNNER UP:
Kristen Gibbins for “Celebrating Family with Jordan”

SECOND RUNNER UP:
Eric Hwang for “Just Desserts”

Jordan receives a framed, limited-edition lithograph of Jordan chateau label; Kristen and Eric both receive a Jordan label artwork photograph on stretched canvas by renowned photographer Matt Armendariz.

Congratulations to Jordan, Kristin and Eric. There was stiff competition, especially from other judge favorites who missed second runner-up by just a few votes. So, we’d like to give three honorable mention awards:

HONORABLE MENTION:
Denise Woodward for “Time to Unwind with Jordan”

HONORABLE MENTION:
Kathy Patalsky for “My Favorite After Work Delight”

HONORABLE MENTION:
Dan Dowell for “The end to a perfect day”

Thank you to all who entered photographs, including those professional photographers with gorgeous entries, which were ineligible in this amateur photo contest.

And a special thank you to our panel of judges, including photographers Matt Armendariz and Damon Mattson.

Happy holidays!

Dungeness crab holiday dinner recipe to welcome crab season

Lisa — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:59:41 +0000

Get your salt water ready. It’s time to boil.

After almost two weeks of strikes, California fisherman finally struck a deal on pricing this week, and Dungeness crab is expected to arrive in markets before the weekend. To celebrate the unofficial-official start to crab season, we’re sharing two recipes from Jordan Executive Chef Todd Knoll to inspire your next crab dinner or holiday menu.

Our friends at Mutineer Magazine loved these recipes so much, they highlighted them in a Knoll family “Off Duty” feature in Mutineer’s newly released holiday issue. The full article is available to Mutineer subscribers and can be viewed in jordanwinery.com’s news highlights.

“Executive Chef Todd Knoll of Jordan Winery in Healdsburg, California, may just be one of the luckiest guys in the business. After a long year slinging sous-vide green almonds and milk-fed lamb, he gets a break to enjoy the holidays with friends and family. Every year, Todd and his wife, Nitsa, host their family for a Christmas Eve crab boil. They chose crab because it only requires minimal work, leaving them time to relax with family. The flavor payload is off the charts.” – Erin Jimcosky, Mutineer Magazine

DUNGENESS CRAB BOIL

Ingredients:

6 live Dungeness crabs
3 gallons of seawater or a seasoned equivalent
2 fennel fronds, roughly chopped
3 lemons, sliced
4 bay leaves
2 tbs. black peppercorns, crushed
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups of Jordan Chardonnay

Instructions:

Have a large ice bath at the ready.
In a stockpot, combine all aromatics, Chardonnay and water. Bring to a full boil.
Carefully grasp crabs by the back legs and lower them into the boiling liquid. Cover and cook for 14 minutes.
Remove and chill in ice bath.
Separate the top shell or carapace— it comes off easily— then discard the gills and mouthparts before removing the abdominal flap at the rear.
Reserve the crab butter: it makes for a great spread over sourdough crostini (Cognac and sel gris wouldn’t hurt).
Split the crabs in two and crack with a mallet or the flat side of a heavy cleaver.
Carefully pick and enjoy!

DUNGENESS CRAB BUTTER

Ingredients:

½ cup butter
2 Tbs. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 clove of elephant garlic, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
zest of one orange
4 sprigs of lemon thyme
½ cup of Jordan Chardonnay

Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine butter, old bay, ancho, garlic, shallots, orange zest and thyme.
Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add the Chardonnay and continue to simmer for five minutes.
Serve immediately. Yields one cup.

Photography by Phil Jimcosky. Find more of his delicious work at FoodAperture.com.

Chardonnay batonnage demonstration barrel: winemaking in action

Patrick — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:17:20 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have you ever wanted to see what happens inside a wine barrel? You’re not alone. Last summer, our Guest Services staff asked us if it would be possible to create a special see-through barrel, so trade tour and tasting guests could get an inside look at the old-world winemaking art of batonnage. I worked with one of our local cooperages to create Jordan’s first demonstration barrel, available for viewing during our 3 p.m. private trade tours from October through April, when our youngest vintage of Chardonnay is aging in barrel.

Batonnage, or stirring of the lees, is practiced for every vintage of Jordan Chardonnay. By hand-stirring the lees, we release compounds from the dying yeast cells into the wine, which contribute to a creamy, smoother mouthfeel. These compounds help to integrate the oak flavors into the wine and soften the oak tannins.

One of our most popular video blog posts of 2011 describes batonnage in detail.

Pumpkin desserts reinvented and other sweet recipes for the holidays

Lisa — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:01:57 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Executive Chef Todd Knoll has been on vacation for a few weeks, so we asked our baker extraordinaire, Cristina Valencia, to share some easy dessert recipe ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner table. From mini pumpkin rolls and pumpkin pie with pumpkin seed mousse and to petite presentations for apple pies and streusel, these elegantly presented desserts are both simple and festive. Most ingredients can be prepared in advance–and you get to surprise your guests with an alternative to the typical pumpkin pie. Recipes for the two pumpkin desserts are included below. Happy holidays!

Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Roll with Phyllo Crisps

Summary: Bring a bit of elegance to your fall desserts with this simple recipe, which will have holiday dinner party guests raving. It’s a refreshing spin on the traditional pumpkin pie.

Ingredients ~

For the roll:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the garnish:

4 sheets phyllo dough
Melted, clarified butter
Cinnamon-sugar mixture
Candied walnuts (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions ~

To make the pumpkin roll cake, combine eggs and sugar in a bowl. Beat until thick, then stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, then gently fold into puree and egg mixture.
Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper and spray well with a non-stick cooking spray. Spread cake batter out evenly between both pans. Bake for 8 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.
For the filling, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg in a food processor and combine until smooth.
Remove cakes from oven and immediately flip each onto a thin towel that is generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cut down the center lengthwise. Using the towel, roll from each end. You will have four rolls total. Let rest until cool to the touch then carefully unroll and remove the towel.
Spread on filling mixture and reroll the cake. Wrap individual rolls in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for easier cutting. Slice logs into 1 1/4-inch pieces, giving you 10-12, three piece servings.
For the garnish, brush the first layer of phyllo dough lightly with butter, sprinkle on an even dusting of equal parts cinnamon and sugar and place second layer of phyllo dough on top. Repeat until the fourth sheet of phyllo dough is on top and press firmly. Cut into desired shapes, freehand with a knife or using a cookie cutter. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then place an additional layer of parchment paper over the dough shapes and an additional cookie sheet on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 6-8 minutes.
To plate, arrange 3 slices of pumpkin roll and garnish with phyllo dough shapes. You can also place a sprinkling of candied walnuts topped with a dollop of whipped cream on the side for additional texture.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 16 minute(s)

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Pumpkin Seed Mousse and Candied Seeds

Summary: Thanksgiving is not complete without the perfect pumpkin pie. This rendition combines the sweet simplicity of graham cracker crust with the festive touch of pumpkin seed mousse and candied seeds. With its beautiful presentation, this dessert and is sure to become a perennial favorite.

Ingredients ~

For the crust:

2 cups crushed graham crackers
4 tablespoons melted butter
For the filling:
15 ounces pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 ounces melted butter

For the candied pumpkin seeds:

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup green pumpkin seeds

For the whipped cream and pumpkin seed mousse:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seeds

Instructions ~

To make the crust, combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a bowl until well incorporated. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of a parchment lined 15”x10” pan.
In a food processor, mix pumpkin puree, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix again until smooth. Add melted butter last and combine.
Pour entire filling mixture into crust and place in an oven preheated to 325 degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
For the candied pumpkin seeds, bring sugar and water to a boil. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat and add salt and pumpkin seeds. Stir until seeds are crystallized and well coated with sugar. Spread seeds in one layer on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and let cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to plate.
In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Divide whipped cream and reserve half for garnish. To make the pumpkin seed mousse, stir ground pumpkin seeds into remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate both until ready to plate.
To make your pumpkin pie easy to cut, refrigerate and cut when cold. On individual plates, dress each slice with candied seeds, whipped cream and mousse.

Preparation time: 50 minute(s)

Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Fun ways to dress up apple pie and streusel:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Food photography shoot: behind the scenes with Matt Armendariz

Lisa — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:58:43 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last year, we hired legendary food photographer Matt Armendariz to capture gorgeous food, wine and hospitality photographs for the 2011 edition of our annual newsletter, Estate Tales. We loved working with him and were so impressed with his photography skills (as expected) that we invited him back to help us develop the stories for our 2012 Estate Tales, which will debut next March.

Matt just published a blog post with his warm and witty account of our two-day photo shoot together in October. We also created the above video, which takes you behind the scenes to see Matt in action photographing the vineyards at sunrise, corralling the cows after two attempts and styling sets for four food scenes. You’ll also get a glimpse at some of his final photographs, which accompany stories that will appear in Estate Tales, including the art of dehydration in the kitchen, our philosophy of blending terroirs from different vineyard sites, the Jordan cattle project, our gourmet picnic and harvest luncheons (available to Jordan Estate Rewards members) and more.

We learn so much from Matt’s techniques–and get a real boost from his bottomless supply of optimism and energy. Whether it’s freezing cold outside or the models (in this case our new herd of cows) aren’t cooperating, nothing can hamper Matt’s cheery mood or awe-inspiring creativity.

A few tips and learnings we took away from Matt’s visit this year:

Shooting video is a lot easier than shoot photographs. (We already knew this, but the reminder is always humbling.)
Back-lighting food shots with natural light is ideal. Watch Matt’s location in our hallway, how the French doors are open and where he places the food.
It’s always good to have a pieces of white foam core boards or scrims on hand during a food photo shoot. The foam core we’d purchased in anticipation of the shoot was used throughout our photo sessions for Executive Chef Todd Knoll’s dehydrated fruits and vegetables, as well as his favorite exotic spices.
Matt says never leave home without a X-Rite Color Checker Passport. One of my 2012 resolutions will be learning more about color accuracy and white balance in photography, and the tools available to photographers to master the two, which are necessary to continue elevating our in-house photography for Chef Knoll’s seasonal recipes.
Canon 50mm or 100mm lens are great for shooting food photography. We originally purchased a Canon 85mm fixed lens; now I’m thinking a 100mm macro would have been a better choice.
Canon 5D Mark II users (like us) — Yes, the mantra is to always shoot in manual mode, but there’s nothing wrong with using auto mode when composing a shot to see what aperture, shutter speed and ISO the camera thinks it should be using. After seeing Matt check shots in auto before switching to manual, I used this technique for most of our harvest videos this year. And I realized it’s actually more effective for us to shoot harvest videos in auto mode. Last year, I spent way too much time readjusting my settings between shots while shooting night harvest or sunrise harvesting when the light (either from head lamps or the sun) is changing constantly. Tons of great moments weren’t captured in 2010 while I was tinkering with camera settings. This year, we believe we captured better harvest footage in auto mode.

Time lapse of gourmet picnic and harvest lunch shots (watch us trying to escape the direct sun):

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Jordan Journey

Dallas artists help us celebrate 40th anniversary

Jordan 40 storytelling series: Mrs. Jordan describes the aha wine moment in 1971 that changed their lives forever

Valentine’s Day gift wrapping ideas: scarves turn one gift into two

Video: reducing our energy consumption first

4on4 Art Competition: Dallas artist call for entries, submission guidelines

Los Angeles artists help us celebrate 40 years

4on4 Art Competition: Los Angeles artist call for entries, submission guidelines

Miami kicks off Jordan Winery 4 on 4 Art Competition

Jordan celebrates 40th anniversary with 4on4 Art Competition

4 on 4 from Coast to Coast

4on4 Art Competition: New York artist call for entries, submission guidelines

New York: Guidelines and Application

Hosted by New York Foundation for the Arts

About NYFA’s Curatorial Program

4on4 Art Competition: Miami artist call for entries, contest overview, submission guidelines

Time-lapse video: winery chateau from fall to winter

Our video Christmas carol to you

Grape gondola carries 1,000 pounds of toys to kids in need

Holiday cookie recipe ideas and tips: French Macaroons

Ingredients ~

For the cookie:

For basic meringue filling:

Instructions ~

Bottled art photo contest winners announced

Dungeness crab holiday dinner recipe to welcome crab season

DUNGENESS CRAB BOIL

Ingredients:

Instructions:

DUNGENESS CRAB BUTTER

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Chardonnay batonnage demonstration barrel: winemaking in action

Pumpkin desserts reinvented and other sweet recipes for the holidays

Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Roll with Phyllo Crisps

Ingredients ~

Instructions ~

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Pumpkin Seed Mousse and Candied Seeds

Ingredients ~

Instructions ~

Fun ways to dress up apple pie and streusel:

Food photography shoot: behind the scenes with Matt Armendariz

Time lapse of gourmet picnic and harvest lunch shots (watch us trying to escape the direct sun):

Behind the scenes photo slideshow from the entire shoot: