Precision in Every Pour: Maggie Kruse Crafts Elegance at Jordan Winery

With just two wines each vintage, winemaker Maggie Kruse embraces balance over bravado, guiding Jordan’s Chardonnay and Cabernet to age-worthy finesse and timeless appeal.

JOrdan’s expansive 1,200 acre estate.

With just two opportunities each vintage, Maggie Kruse has to lock in.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery produces only two wines, a Russian River Valley Chardonnay and an Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which means there’s no room for shortcuts or missteps.

Exactly how Kruse, now in her 18th vintage at Jordan, prefers it.

“The goal has always been to make balanced wines with finesse, not flash,” Kruse said. “Tom and Sally Jordan founded this winery wanting to create Bordeaux-style wine in California. That’s still our No. 1 goal.”

The Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bordeaux-style blend, benefits from Pacific Ocean cooling rather than the San Pablo Bay influence seen in Napa. The 2021 ($60) had a wild, feral nature that tapped into the untamed side of Cabernet with its deep purple color, flavors of black cherry, currant, wild fennel and hints of iron. There’s silky tannins and a core of acidity that wraps everything up in a tidy bow.

“That ocean fog cools things down after a warm day,” Kruse said. “It gives the wine this crispness, a freshness. The acidity just pops. Bright, fresh cherry and earthy hillside graphite. It’s a great spot to grow Cabernet.”

Jordan winemaker Maggie Kruse.