Upon arrival at the Jordan Winery estate in Healdsburg, California, guests are met with rolling hills dotted with rows of grape vines. Atop the winding drive sits the iconic Jordan Vineyard Chateau. Painted in a French country yellow and covered in green ivy, this massive estate surveys the land and its visitors. When the vineyard was established in 1972, the interiors reflected the era with dark woods, rich colors and French accents in homage to the style in which Jordan crafts their signature wines. When wine production was deemed “non-essential” during the pandemic, Lisa Mattson, Jordan’s Director of Marketing & Communications, led a renovation project to update Jordan’s member suites and tasting rooms as a way to lean on the hospitality side of the vineyard. Helmed by interior designer Maria Haidamus, the chateau’s three guest suites were transformed into contemporary accommodations, drawing inspiration from the Louis-era antiques acquired by the Jordan family in the 70s.
The Vendange Suite, Jordan’s largest room, boasts soaring ceilings ribbed with exposed beams and a tremendous stone fireplace. Flanking each end of the living room are picturesque views of the distant vineyards and an aerial view of the working barrel room. Each suite is graced with small vignettes that make the room into so much more than just a bed and bath. Thoughtful window seats and settees perched on juliet balconies provide an idyllic vantage to take in the breathtaking views of the property with a glass of wine.
Views aside, the bedrooms offer a cozy respite amid the spacious suites. Charming picture windows and custom beds by Alfonso Marina and Baker Milling Road create an almost fairytale-esque experience. The Vendange and Chêne suites feature Botanical wallpapers by Schumacher and Peter Fasano, a nod to the vineyard’s lush 1,000 acres of wild foliage and manicured vines.
Below, Lisa Mattson of Jordan Winery and Interior Designer Maria Haidamus discuss what makes the suites so special.
What’s the most requested room?
Lisa Mattson: The Vendange suite because its living/dining room overlooks Jordan’s towering oak tank room. When you open the French doors onto the balcony above those oak tanks, you can smell the wine most months of the year.
The Chateau Suites at Jordan Winery
What is your favorite part of the renovation?
Maria Haidamus: It is so unbelievably satisfying to see the design vision come together in real life. All of the design work from start to finish was done during lockdown. We could not go anywhere for inspiration, and we were meeting with masks on. We were also on a very tight schedule, hoping to complete the whole construction and furnishing in less than nine months. After all the planning, design, hard work, specifying and ordering, seeing it all come together is my favorite part of the project.
LM: My favorite part is the armoire conversions. I love the element of surprise and delight for our guests when they open an antique cabinet and find a vintage vinyl collection and record player or a stocked wet bar, depending on the suite. I am also very proud of the fact that we were able to take armoires that existed purely as beautiful antiques to admire from afar and turned them into functional pieces that bring pleasure to our guests beyond their visual beauty.
The Chateau Suites at Jordan Winery
What is the rate?
Overnight stays in the Jordan Winery guest suites are available exclusively to Gold and Platinum members of the Jordan Estate Rewards loyalty program. Membership is complementary and automatic when you join the mailing list. Members pay a redemption fee plus points to redeem an overnight stay reward. Prices and points are per person. Gold: $150 + 5,000 points and Platinum: $100 + 5,000 points.
The Chateau Suites at Jordan Winery
Did you pull inspiration from a specific French chateau?
MH: The space had amazing bones and I had to work with an incredible space and this beautiful existing architecture and exquisite pieces of furniture that Mrs. Jordan collected in the 1970s. The space itself was inspiring, so I never felt the need to go search anywhere else.
LM: Because the architectural features were already so striking and we had many Louis XV pieces of historical and sentimental significance, the inspiration for me was more about finding French furniture styles that would complement the antiques that the winery’s proprietor John Jordan’s parents acquired more than 40 years ago. Neoclassical pieces of the Louis XVI period and barley twist elements from the Louis XIII period were the two styles that Maria and I both looked at to bring the old antiques, new antiques and custom-made pieces together. They are also more masculine in style than the carved, curvy designs associated with Louis XV, creating an interior design that blends two generations of furniture sourced by both mother and son.
The Chateau Suites at Jordan Winery
What room is your personal favorite?
MH: This is a very hard question; I really like all three suites for different reasons. I love the Vendange suite for the ceiling beams and wallpaper in the bedroom; the Cépage suite for Mrs. Jordan’s grand Trumeau mirror and the antique armoire; and the Chêne suite for the Mallorquina bed. My favorite bathroom is the one in Chêne. I love this panoramic wallpaper, the freestanding tub and the sage green terra-cotta tiles.
LM: The Chêne suite is my favorite because it includes two stunning antiques: the 19th century Louis XVI armoire wet bar and the early 18th-century Trumeau mirror. But my favorite bathroom is in the Vendange suite. I love how elegant the bathtub is and how guests see the gorgeous Drummond Wye bateau tub and the 19th-century French farm life oil paintings as soon as they enter the bedroom. Every person I’ve taken on a tour of that room gasps when they turn the corner.
