In 2019, Jordan Vineyard & Winery published a tasting map that listed almost 40 Napa and Sonoma wineries known for making elegant, lower-alcohol wines with less than 14% abv. Among them were producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, such as Corison and Nalle as well as Jordan itself, that have remained steadfast in their dedication to a house style more influenced by the wines of Bordeaux than by the über-ripe, higher-alcohol Cabs that emerged from Napa Valley in the 1980s.

Jordan’s style was established from the moment founders and Francophiles Tom and Sally Jordan planted vines in 1972 and undertook their first harvest in 1976; that inaugural vintage weighed in at 12.8% alcohol, setting the precedent for the winery’s Cabernets.

When newly elected President Ronald Reagan served Jordan’s wines at state dinners in 1980, they became synonymous with the quality, style, and potential of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. “Consumers seem to think Cabernet Sauvignon–based wines are all the same,” second-generation owner John Jordan notes. “[But] Cabernet is grown in very different climates around the world that result in a broad range of styles. Alexander Valley Cabs are noted for being more red-fruited and lighter-drinking.”

Committment to lower-alcohol

One notable example of the winery’s commitment to restraint is its 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, the first to be made from the estate’s hillside vineyards, which I had the opportunity to try at aretrospective tasting of wines from producers celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2022. At 12.8% alcohol, the blend of 76.8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23.2% Merlot was the product of a “rebound” vintage after the notoriously cool 1998; showing a marvelously deep garnet core moving to a narrow garnet rim, it opened with aromas of lighter red fruits and black olives that progressed to a nuanced palate of black cherry, tobacco, and vanilla.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, when Napa Valley was most famous for high-octane fruit bombs, “Jordan wasn’t trendy,” John admits. “We never chased the big-wine trend. Ours has always been a leaner style and one Author Deborah Parker Wong considers the 1999 vintage a notable example of Jordan’s commitment to restraint. One that’s true to the terroir.”

But with interest in lower-alcohol wines growing among consumers, producers like Jordan are back in the limelight. “Our Bordeaux-style Cabernet and Burgundy-style Chardonnay wines range between 12.6% and 13.8% [alcohol], compared to the California average of 14.5%,” says Jordan winemaker Maggie Kruse. “This represents far more than numbers; lower-alcohol wines have a more balanced flavor profile.”

Kruse cites advancing harvest dates and rising sugar levels as key challenges. “Over the last five to ten years, the leading fine wine regions throughout Europe, including Bordeaux and Tuscany, have experienced slight increases in alcohol levels . . . due to changing weather and climate factors,” she notes.

At Jordan, vineyard selection plays a crucial role in achieving the house style. “Alexander Valley benefits from the cooling and intricate influences of the Pacific Ocean that move through the Petaluma Gap and Russian River Valley, reaching various elevations,” explains Kruse. “This allows the grapes to reach optimal maturity without excessive sugar accumulation.”

The result: wines with lower alcohol content. But making a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon depends on skill as much as terroir. Historically, when grown in cooler climates, Cabernet Sauvignon has often yielded green and underripe wines. Thanks to technological advances as well as the warming climate, what were once marginal growing areas for the variety can now produce wines that are physiologically ripe and free of overt pyrazines—though they still pale in comparison to the wines of vibrancy and intensity produced in superlative Cabernet growing regions like Alexander Valley.

The current release of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019, represents the first official vintage for Kruse. Although challenging, it was nevertheless a great vintage for restrained Cabernet Sauvignon. According to Kruse, cool spring and average summer temperatures set the stage for slow and steady fruit development, keeping sugars in check. At the point of veraison, managing yields for optimal quality became a priority, and any unevenly ripening clusters were dropped, resulting in a smaller, higher-quality crop that was harvested in September.

Kruse describes the resulting blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec as structured, balanced, and elegant at just 13.8% alcohol, a combination that will ensure its evolution for years to come.

One of the key attributes of lower alcohol Cabernet Sauvignon wines is their flexibility at the table. Jordan’s executive chef, Jesse Mallgren, advocates for pairing the 2019 with lighter fare like miso-glazed salmon and vegetable dishes, including mushroom risotto and ratatouille. Mallgren draws inspiration from the estate’s potager while also foraging for wild ingredients on the 1,200-acre property, where he interacts with guests of Jordan’s bespoke culinary experiences—which naturally celebrate the house style.