00:00 – INTRO

00:14 – JORDAN ESTATE EXPLAINED FOR THE MAP GEEKS

01:11 – WHO PLANTED SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST ASSYRTIKO VINES?

01:30 – THE HISTORY OF JORDAN ESTATE

02:09 – JORDAN ESTATE IN MODERN TIMES

02:55 – TECHNICALS SPECS THE REAL MCCOY RIESLING

03:13 – WHY IS SOLAR RADIATION IMPORTANT WHEN GROWING RIESLING GRAPES?

03:50 – WHAT DOES THE JORDAN REAL MCCOY RIESLING TASTE LIKE?

Jordan Wine Estate really is in a sweet spot right now. Both physically and viticulturally. It is situated on a specularly multi-faceted patch of land; stretching from the Polkadraai Hills in the west, over the ridge and down into Stellenbosch Kloof to the East. It also happens to possess some delightfully shady south-facing slopes, and some high-lying northen slopes as well. All this variety of aspect provided enormous viticultural potential for Ted Jordan when he began planting vineyards over 40 years ago.

His diligence and insights into the land in the 1980s has meant that today, in 2023, the estate is a glut of incredible old vines and fascinating cultivars. Their Real McCoy Riesling, made from fruit harvest off vines planted in 1987 is a shining example of their winemaking ethos.

Of course, if you have yet to sign up for your Monthly HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription then you won’t be able to taste what we’re talking about. So until you manage to track down a bottle for yourself, here are my tasting notes and some technical specs on the wine.

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👃🏼 The Nose brims with bees Wax, green apple, seville orange rind, and riper mandarin notes.

👄 On the palate, it presents as one of the purest, cleanest, crispest bottlings I’ve tasted in ages. The explosive clearcut elements of granny smith apple and lime marmalade are almost enough to induce synesthesia. And my goodness, it is a lengthy beasty. The apple and lime acidity slices longer than a taxidermist on an anaconda. The tail is also notably textured, with elements of meyer lemon pith and more apple skin.