Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/807387
50 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2017 { trendspotting } However alluring, the prospect of producing sparkling wine again at Jordan wasn't feasible. "I couldn't squeeze another drop of wine out of this facility if I tried," John says. "We are at maximum capacity and we want to remain focused on our still wines." Not wanting to outsource production, John was inspired to go directly to the source and find an independent Champagne house they could partner with. When Jordan winemaker Rob Davis met Anne Malassagne and her brother, Antoine, who directs the viticulture and winemaking at AR Lenoble, through a friend and former winery intern, "it was like three kids playing in a sandbox," he says. Not only do they share many common values and philosophies—from independent ownership and focus on intensity of fruit and balance in the wines to extended bottle aging, sustainability and adaptive farming practices—but also, he says, "We're aligned in the way we pursue winegrowing and winemaking." One of the rare producers in Champagne that has been consistently family- owned throughout its entire history, AR Lenoble was established in 1920 by Armand-Raphaël Graser, who had moved from Alsace to the village of Damery in Champagne during the First World War. Today, AR Lenoble is jointly owned and operated by Graser's great-grandchil - dren, siblings Anne and Antoine, fourth-generation vintners who took the reins from their father in the mid-1990s. The family owns 18 hectares (44.5 acres) in Champagne, including ten hectares (24.7 acres) in the Grand Cru village of Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs and six hectares (14.8 acres) in the Premier Cru village of Bisseuil between Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Tours-sur-Marne. Shortly after the 2016 harvest and during one of the first trade tast - ings of Jordan Cuvée, Antoine shared his views on AR Lenoble's house style. Chardonnay from Chouilly is Champagne's Puligny-Montrachet, and our round, rich and creamy house style reflects that." Malassagne prefers large-format (50 h/l) neutral barrels for aging and a more aerobic style of winemaking that lets the vintage speak. "We believe small, independent businesses like ours are stronger if we stick together in an increasingly globalized world," says Antoine. "An ocean might sepa - rate us, but both Jordan and AR Lenoble are united by our commitment to remain- ing independent and focused on crafting wines of elegance without compromise." Jordan Cuvée Champagne waiting for guests at Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Healdsburg. PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY Winemaker Rob Davis walking to AR Lenoble's vineyards in Bisseuil with Christian Holthausen of AR Lenoble. Siblings Antoine and Anne Malassagne with Jordan winemaker Rob Davis outside of AR Lenoble in Damery, Champagne.