Cellar Profile
The vineyards of family-owned Jordan River Wines are located on the Mafraq Plateau, on a mountain 80 km north of Amman. This is a holy site to the Abrahamic religions and the World Heritage site of Umm El-Jimal. The iron-rich, organically-poor soil sits upon a massive basalt slab that makes the vines work feverishly to reach the water table. Jordan is ranked as the 3rd most water poor country on earth and the region receives scant rainfall during the dry summers. However, the adjacent Massive Jabal Al-Arab glacier feeds glacial melt into 400-metre-deep aquifers that sustain the vineyards. 330 sunny days per year, on average, allow for full phenolic ripeness in the skins. These grapes are grown at elevation (almost 3000ft), with huge diurnal temperature shifts that impart freshness and acidity in the wines produced. Over 45 different Italian, French and Spanish varieties are planted.
Region
Based at an altitude of 840 meters region, dominated by an extinct volcano, the Mafraq Plateau in the northern region of Jordan is the most fertile land in the country. The wine industry, created in 1975, sees all of the countries two wineries based at Mafraq.
Vineyard
Over 40 types of world-renowned vines, of the best quality, thrive in the mineral rich volcanic soil of the Basalt Desert. Not knowing what works in Jordan, all forty are growing in this ideal mixture, ultimately producing elegant wines. The rain and melting snow, flowing off the 1800m-high Jabal Al-Arab, travels under the volcanic desert surface and accumulates in 400-meters deep aquifers. This water is brought to the surface and used to supply the 120 hectares of ‘dry-farmed’ vineyards.
Winemaking
Fermented in stainless steel tanks at a maximum of 19°C for two to three weeks.
Varieties
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that produces good yields and is known for deep colour, full body, low tannins and high levels of acid. When young, the wines offer a very intense aroma of fresh red cherries and blackberries. In the lightest versions, there are notes of cherries, raspberries and blueberries. In wines made of more ripe grapes, blackberry and black cherries dominate. Many producers employ the use of toasted oak barrels, which provides for increased complexity and aging potential.
Tasting Notes
Medium-bodied, ruby red, with beautiful aromas of blackberries, plums, black pepper and a hint of cinnamon. Delicious red fruit flavors with a fresh, crisp finish.