Enchanting Handcrafted Art Piece – Comprised of Over 100 Sculpted Porcelain Blooms – Debuts as Newest Addition to Winery’s Recently Renovated Chateau Lobby
Healdsburg, Calif. (February 2024) – Jordan Vineyard & Winery, the distinguished producer of French-inspired chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wines in Sonoma County’s wine country, proudly announces the unveiling of Flore de Jordan – a meticulously handcrafted sculpture by acclaimed Parisian artist, Alice Riehl. The captivating masterpiece, comprised of over 100 sculpted porcelain blooms, marks the latest addition to the winery’s recently renovated French-inspired chateau lobby.
Following an elaborate 11-month development process, from research to installation, Riehl found inspiration within the native flora thriving across Jordan’s vast 1,200-acre estate, along with the rich tapestries adorning the walls of the winery chateau. The result is a stunning integration of nature and art, embodying the essence of Jordan.
“Although it was a departure from that of my previous pieces, this project felt very natural to me,” shared Riehl. “I’ve never created a mural that spans three walls and a curved ceiling, and it was exciting to sculpt the unique flora like the Claire Austin rose found at Jordan, along with drawing a connection between beautiful Parisian tapestries and Jordan’s innate sense of place. I had to be mindful of the scale in such an unusual shape of canvas to bring those plants to life. The idea of engaging all the senses, and the role plants play in that experience, truly resonated with the Jordan ethos, and I was grateful for the opportunity to bring that story to life in Flore de Jordan.”
Representing Riehl’s first installation open to the public in the United States, the nature-centric Flore de Jordan graces the alcove walls upon entry into the chateau lobby and features a collection of 36 large porcelain sculptures complemented by over 100 intricately crafted intimate sculptures. The side walls of the alcove pay homage to the estate with miniature figures of Boston Ivy ascending the walls and shaped into the distinctive letter “J” for Jordan – a nod to the Boston Ivy that adorns the exterior of the chateau. At the heart of the piece, a towering valley oak tree is surrounded by an ensemble of native and cultivated plants from the Jordan Estate Garden – lupine and red clover, elegant Claire Austin roses and pomegranates.
Riehl’s creative journey for the piece involved a detailed study of the greenery at the estate for 90 days, as well as drawing inspiration from antique French tapestries known for their vivid flora. She poured over photos of the estate’s clover and other wildflowers, along with the many varieties of roses, dahlias and peonies found in the cutting garden. Back home, Riehl foraged through the rural Parisian countryside to identify distant relatives of the California plants in France, then collected samples and carefully crafted dried-leaf presses of each before creating two-dimensional drawings to scale the proportions precisely ahead of beginning the sculpting process. The completed sculpture, measuring approximately eight feet in height and spanning 16 feet in width, commands the attention of guests upon entrance to the chateau lobby, with its brilliance and incomparable detail. The piece is not only a testament to Riehl’s artistic mastery, but also perfectly depicts an unfolding narrative of the estate’s bountiful flora and fauna with a romantic, Parisian flare.
John Jordan, Chief Executive Officer at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The unveiling of Flore de Jordan marks a significant milestone for Jordan. We are pleased to extend an even warmer welcome to our guests, inviting them to fully immerse themselves in our French-inspired ambiance from the instant they arrive to the chateau to the moment they bid farewell. Alice Riehl’s extraordinary contribution to the lobby represents a critical enhancement, elevating the overall guest experience and further illustrating our passion and investment in unique storytelling through art and design.”
The installation of Flore de Jordan serves as the crowning touch to the iconic Jordan Chateau Lobby, on the heels of a significant renovation completed in summer 2023. Led by San Francisco-based interior designer, Maria Khouri Haidamus, the chateau lobby exudes a vision of exquisite French elegance, with sumptuous design touchpoints, venerable antiques and precious art that delight visitors across its entry hall, grand salon, hallway and retail boutique, providing visitors with a bespoke arrival experience.
About Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Jordan Vineyard & Winery pays homage to the great wine estates of France and the timeless connection between food, wine and hospitality. Under the guidance of second-generation proprietor John Jordan, Jordan Estate is an extension of these traditions, with its iconic chateau, breathtaking views, sustainably farmed vineyards, natural habitat for wildlife and gardens for the chef’s inventive cuisine, offering a distinctive sense of place in Sonoma County wine country. A significant portion of the winery’s revenue funds the John Jordan Foundation, which works to provide disadvantaged youth and young adults with the tools needed to succeed educationally and professionally. Follow along at @jordanwinery on Instagram.
About Alice Riehl
Nature comes to life and blooms into Alice Riehl’s work. The intricate pattern of her wall art is an invitation to a journey through an imaginary garden, in which human behaviors are exposed. She embraces the heritage of French Decorative Arts, ornamental and porcelain, and turns it into a sculptural material that continues endlessly. Alice moved beyond her professional corporate life when she met porcelain during her training at the French Ceramics Institute in Sèvres in 2003. Porcelain is soft and unpredictable. The strength of the material unveils itself in harmonies of white shades, and soft tones, reflecting light indefinitely. Nurtured by the memory of her grandmother’s needlework, she explored the combination of porcelain and laces, and turned the peculiar texture of this blend into the signature of her early work. Developing her mural work, Alice’s imagination has been nourished by the large Middle Age tapestries and their narrative patterns. They became a new crossover between textile and porcelain into the creative process. Alice Riehl lives and works in Paris, France.
