by Andrew Chalk
It was quite a night at Dallas chef Kent Rathbun’s home earlier this week when he and Jordan Winery hosted a huge send off party for the American Heart Association’s Côtes du Coeur Wine Auction. The auction and gala, taking place May 4th, is the largest wine auction in Dallas and the largest fundraising event in the nation for the AHA. In its 27-year history it has raised over $38 million to fund cardiovascular research.
Rathbun is probably best known nationally for defeating, with his brother Kevin, Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. He is also the founder of several restaurants in Dallas before and since.
This event was, formally, the 2015 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Release Party. Jordan Associate Winemaker, Maggie Kruse, explained that this vintage was especially significant for the winery because it marked the first year that Jordan used French, rather than American, oak in the ageing of the wine. That is something that can be expected to change the flavor profile of the Alexander Valley stalwart. The release is set for May 1st.
For comparison, Kruse supplied the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage in a Melchior (2 cases of standard bottles) superbottle. White wines were the 2017 Jordan Chardonnay, from Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, and Jordan Cuvée Champagne from AR Lenoble.
Especially for the event, Dallas artist Richard Maxwell created a “wine luge” artwork down which was poured 2015 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon. The striking edifice was auctioned off at the end and generous winning bidders paid $7,500 for the Heath Robinson-inspired contraption, a special event at the winery, and a meal cooked by Kent Rathbun.
After speeches, and the auction, guests dined on succulent lamb chops and desserts created by a veritable fleet of Kent Rathbun’s culinary staff.