Vintner and Owner-Pilot John Jordan
John Jordan’s aviation journey is not unlike that of many reading this article. His childhood fascination with model airplanes eventually led him behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 as a teenager. Since earning his Private Pilot Certificate in 1989, Jordan has owned more than half-dozen piston and turbine airplanes.
Today, he is routinely behind the yoke of three vastly different aircraft – each with its own uniqueness and reasons behind being in Jordan’s personal fleet. Between his 2021 Maule Tricycle Gear Model 235, 2017 Cessna Citation M2 and 1995 Gulfstream GIV-SP, Jordan can select from a full body of speed, range and payload.
The fleet complements and supports his profession as a vintner and proprietor of Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma County, California. This business was founded by his parents, Tom and Sally, in 1972. Whether it is a low aerial hop over the 1,200-acre winery property to survey soil and vine vigor (a job well suited for the high-wing piston), a transatlantic flight to showcase the brand’s newest offerings (the GIV-SP’s perfect calling), or something in between (the M2 takes the cake), aviation has benefited the business in many facets.
Jordan’s integration of flying and business traces back to his career’s formative years. While a student at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he continued to fly and added several ratings during that period. His time spent at the university culminated with both an economics degree and ATP certification once he turned 23.
Several years after graduating from Occidental, Jordan ventured back to the northern part of the state and enrolled at the University of San Francisco and Empire College School of Law. During that time, he also joined the Navy Reserves. Over the next three years, he concurrently pursued both a Master of Business and a Juris Doctorate degree.
Jordan spent as many hours as he could in the sky, with flying being a welcome distraction from the rigors of the classroom. The integration of flying and daily life continued after graduation when Jordan joined the Santa Rosa-based firm he clerked when a law student. After two years of working there, he opened his own firm in Sonoma County, which specialized in civil litigation law.
As he neared 33 years old, the call of pairing his varied business and legal experience in a new manner unexpectedly came to fruition. His father Tom was ready to formally transition the business to the next generation and asked his son to take over operations. The winery was approaching the same age as John Jordan, having also been born in 1972. It was positioned for continued growth into new and existing markets.
After some consideration (as he wasn’t expecting this new potential career change), Jordan accepted and stepped away from practicing law and assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer of the vineyard in 2005. Having been involved with the business since day one, even from a distance, he was able to easily guide the business using much the same flight plan it had followed for decades.
Jordan Winery’s original vision focused on chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and hospitality. To this day, the brand remains committed to these aspects and sees the drink differently than many other wineries. “We believe that wine should not overpower the food at your table but act as the bridge that connects all the little details of a memorable meal. The longevity of our wines, the diversity of our land, and the creativity of our people ensure that Jordan is more than a bottle of wine.”
Jordan has continued a tradition of sustainably providing food, wine and hospitality while concurrently overseeing various improvements throughout his tenure as general manager. Introducing aviation and increasing integration into winery operations are the more notable improvements to the previous business model.
Flying has enabled the company to meet with clients and attend business meetings more easily. As he noted, “The aircraft enables me to make a day trip where otherwise it would be a two- or three-day trip that wouldn’t be worth the time.”
Prior to his current three aircraft, Jordan owned many other models, including a Mooney 231, Beechcraft Bonanza, Piper Cheyenne 1A, Beechcraft King Air F90, Gulfstream G3 and TBM 900. The latter was replaced by his current Cessna Citation M2 because he desired the speed and redundancy of the Citation. As he said, “There are a lot of trips that I can comfortably do in the multi-engine Citation that I could not do in the TBM.”
With around 7,500 flight hours across various aircraft types and models, Jordan is impressed by his M2. When asked what he enjoys most about the aircraft, he noted reliability and the Garmin G3000 avionics suite. Prior to its acquisition, he considered another light jet, the Embraer Phenom 100. While it too had Garmin avionics (G1000), he ultimately chose the Cessna due to Textron Aviation’s support network as well as its speed and offering of hot wings over boots.
Jordan purchased the M2 in 2017 directly from the manufacturer, and it finds regular use, being flown roughly 300 hours a year. While he flies to various destinations all across the continental United States, some more frequent landing locations are Las Vegas, Denver, Los Angeles, Coeur d’ Alene and Miami.
While the M2 has been instrumental in his business travels, Jordan also utilizes it for leisure and other purposes, including carrying friends and family. His mother, Sally, is a common passenger and often flies on the aircraft to visit the winery she and her husband designed from scratch. Being a driving force for the original vineyard dining room and longtime advocate for visitor experience, they flew to see the dining room after its remodel in early 2021. Her enthusiastic blessing was the final touch prior to guests enjoying the redesigned space.
Other common passengers on Jordan’s M2 are rescue and service dogs. Over the years, he has flown for several organizations as a volunteer pilot, like Wings of Rescue and Canine Companions. A recent trip took Jordan from STS (Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport) to APA (Centennial) with two Labrador Retrievers in tow. These puppies were being transported to their new homes in the Denver area. There, they started their 18-month service dog training with Canine Companions’ volunteer puppy raisers.
Jordan’s own rescue Labradors can be seen roaming the winery grounds with his home and airstrip (for the Maule) located adjacent to the property. Other animals, such as chickens, also reside at the winery. The farm and gardens onsite are relied upon heavily as sources for the freshly prepared dishes that are artfully paired with Jordan wines at special dinners.
Jordan himself is a regular attendee of these events. He is proud to showcase his family heritage and fulfill their mission to bring great wine, food and hospitality to others.
For more information about Jordan Vineyard & Winery, visit jordanwinery.com.
