Livermore, Calif. (July 25, 2022) – Murrieta’s Well, the boutique Livermore Valley wine estate defined by its distinctive wines, stunning location, and a rich heritage that began at the dawn of California’s modern wine industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jordan Wente as Brand Manager, overseeing brand development for the historic property.
Jordan comes from a long line of Wente winegrowers, all of whom have helped establish the Livermore Valley into a world class wine region just outside San Francisco. As the eldest daughter of fourth generation winegrower Phil Wente, who established the Murrieta’s Well brand in 1990, Jordan first joined the family business in 2015 and has been instrumental in the renovation and ambitious vision of the storied estate.
“I’m honored to accept my new role as Brand Manager of Murrieta’s Well,” said Jordan. “It’s so exciting to work alongside our talented winemaker, Robbie Meyer, who shares my vision to push the quality envelope with every vintage that passes. I’m especially committed to continuing the legacy my dad preserved so well, while also taking this historic property to new heights. I am excited about what the future holds.”
Originally built in the 1880s by Livermore Valley pioneer Louis Mel, the old stone winery building is a timeless example of early California architecture. Mel built a gravity flow winery into the hillside and planted a vineyard from cuttings from two of Bordeaux’s most legendary estates: Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux. Today, descendants of those original vines still grow on the estate adjacent to the original gravity flow winery building, which also now serves as the estate tasting room.
Set in the heart of the Livermore Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), as well as the greater San Francisco Bay AVA, Murrieta’s Well is located 35 miles east of San Francisco. The legendary gold rush era bandito Joaquin Murrieta is known to have frequented the artesian well in front the winery, and the name Murrieta’s Well pays homage to the pioneering spirit surrounding his folklore.
In 1940, Ernest Wente purchased the property, and it has been a part of the Wente family’s estate ever since. In 1990, Phil Wente and winemaker Sergio Traverso partnered together to revive the historic winery. Now, with Jordan at the helm, Murrieta’s Well looks ahead to a new chapter.
“Murrieta’s Well has always been close to my heart and I’m proud that Jordan is now overseeing this storied wine estate, carrying on our family’s legacy for future generations,” said Phil Wente. “She has ambitious goals for the estate, and I can’t wait to see those dreams come into fruition.”
In her new role, Jordan oversees both marketing and sales while implementing innovative programming and overseeing the Families and Regions Portfolio, which consists of imported brands which complement and share aligned values with the Wente Family Estates (WFE) portfolio of wines. Previously, Jordan oversaw supply chain and project management for WFE and was charged with the execution and implementation of new projects, initiatives, brands, and labels, all while ensuring products made it from grape to bottle and running the company’s sales and operations planning process.
A longtime artist and patron of the arts, Jordan has served as a Board Members for the Wente Foundation for Arts and Education (WFAE) since 2014. She has also served on the board for the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association.
Prior to joining the family business, Jordan served as Chief Operations Officer for Californians Dedicated to Education (CDE) Foundation in Sacramento, where she worked to improve California’s public education system as well as health and education outcomes for students. Jordan managed the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and worked with the board of directors to implement and shape the organization’s goals.
As chief ambassador and spokesperson for Murrieta’s Well, Jordan joins winemaker Robbie Meyer and her father Phil Wente, who will stay on as chief historian for the estate.
About Murrieta’s Well
Murrieta’s Well is one of California’s original wine estates and has been growing grapes since the 1800s in the Livermore Valley. Started with cuttings from Bordeaux’s famed Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux vineyards in France, the wine estate is defined by its distinctive wines, stunning location, and a rich heritage. In 1990, Murrieta’s Well proprietor and fourth generation winegrower Phil Wente and Sergio Traverso partnered together to revive the winery. Today, Phil’s daughter, fifth generation winegrower, Jordan Wente leads as Brand Manager while decorated wine veteran Robbie Meyer oversees all winemaking.
Murrieta’s Well’s 500 acres include plantings of traditional Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petite Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay and less traditional varieties like Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Souzao, Touriga Francesca, Touriga Nacional, Malvasia Bianca, Orange Muscat and Viognier. Murrieta’s Well’s flagship wines include The Spur, Sauvignon Blanc, Zarzuela, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Murrieta’s Well is open Thursday through Sunday from 11am – 5pm. Reservations are recommended for the seated tasting experience while the tasting bar and patio are open for walk in guests. Guests under 21 are not allowed, including infants and children. Only Certified Service Animals are permitted, no other pets. For more information, please visit: www.murrietaswell.com
