Initially, Gar Jordan had no connection to the world of wine. However, this didn’t stop the CEO of Jordan Shoes, and the third generation of a family of shoemakers, from taking the plunge and joining the significant amount of investments into Stellenbosch (in South Africa's Coastal Region) by starting a winery with his wife Sheelagh.
That happened in 1982. And that’s how Jordan was founded, a winery that still operates in South Africa under the leadership of Gal Jordan (the couple’s son) who is in charge of the current 167 hectares. They produce wines like Jordan The Prospector Syrah.
Jordan The Prospector Syrah is the result of the replanting carried out at the beginning by the founding couple. Their philosophy was based on recovering classic varieties and adapting them to the different soils and slopes found in the area. Through this work, we can see how the south and east orientations, which are much cooler than the other two, were reserved for the white varieties, while the rest of the varieties adjusted to the available land. The Syrah vines, averaging 37 years old, were west-facing, with views of the City of Cape Town and Table Mountain. This means the grapes are exposed to the sun in the afternoon, therefore achieving both correct ripening and refreshing acidity. The latter is due in part to the breezes from the Atlantic Ocean.
In terms of the Jordan The Prospector Syrah vinification process, there are two aspects to highlight: both the soft pressing and the malolactic fermentation in French and American oak barrels (where Jordan The Prospector Syrah ages for 16 months).
The result is a wine that is concentrated and powerful, but smooth and round. Pure flavour.