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Jordan Winery launches socially distanced hikes and picnics

Jordan Winery in Sonoma County is getting the jump on competition in the reopening stakes by offering wine lovers the chance to hike through its vineyards then enjoy a wine-fuelled picnic.

Jordan Winey in the Napa Valley is launching a vineyard hike and picnic package

California regulations are still keeping Napa Valley and Sonoma County wineries and tasting rooms closed to guests, but Jordan Winery in Sonoma County has launched an outdoor adventure that’s as restricted as trying to make love in the back seat of a Volkswagen Bug.

Tasting rooms and winery tours are still off-limits but this Thursday, Jordan is offering a four-mile guided hike around the winery’s 1,200-acre estate – an estimated 3-hour walk – followed by a takeaway gourmet picnic basket with two bottles of wine for $220 per couple.

But there’s a catch – you can’t munch a piece of cheese or pop a cork until you’ve left the property.

“Governor Gavin Newsom announced the reopening of wineries and restaurants on Tuesday with Covid-19 safety guidelines, but only wineries that serve sit-down meals are allowed, which means Jordan definitely qualifies under this order,” said Lisa Mattson, Jordan’s director of marketing and communications.

Food-focused wineries can only reopen if their counties have passed the governor’s six ‘readiness criteria.’ One of those criteria involves no virus deaths within the past 14 days in a county before it can petition for reopening, which neither Napa nor Sonoma counties can yet claim.

Jordan’s great adventure will debut on 23 May, and will continue weekly on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays until the winery’s tourist facilities are allowed to re-open.

Features of the hike, which Mattson terms as ‘moderate’ in terms of difficulty, include in addition to vineyards, views from a hilltop lookout, a walk through olive groves, a trek across cow pastures and a visit to the winery garden and apiary.

The picnic basket will include one bottle of 2018 Jordan Chardonnay and 2016 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, four Journeyman salumi selections, two artisanal cheeses, salad greens from the Jordan garden, marinated olives, spiced nuts, crostini and bread.

The number of hikes will be limited each day, and no more than five hiking couples – all socially distanced – will be allowed to take part.

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