A part of the Hartford winemaking team since 2010, Tiaan Lordan has become completely immersed in the intricacies of growing and tending Pinot Noir. However, the South Africa native and nature enthusiast had originally planned a career in conservation. While completing his degree in Conservation Ecology at the University Stellenbosch, Tiaan was drawn into the wine world while working in the tasting rooms of friends’ family wineries. In 2005, two years after graduation, he officially entered the wine industry and worked a South African harvest, as well a harvest at Limerick Lane in Healdsburg. While in California, he met his wife, Deirdre, and the two returned to South Africa wherein 2006, Tiaan enrolled at the Elsenburg Agricultural College for a degree in viticulture and enology.
After completing his second degree in 2008, Tiaan was hired as Associate Winemaker under Christian Dauriac at the French-owned Marianne Wine Estate. When the time came for Tiaan and Deirdre to return to California, they knew exactly where they wanted to go. The couple returned to Sonoma, where Tiaan interned at Hartford Family Wines during the 2010 harvest under Jeff Mangahas. “I quickly learned the attention to detail involved especially in the making of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, from vineyards to bottle. The sensitivity of the grape and the wine, and then the subsequent show of character so specific to site keeps me forever intrigued!”
In 2011, Tiaan was appointed Assistant Winemaker working with Jeff Stewart, in 2014 became Associate Winemaker, and in 2018 became Winemaker, where today he is working along with the rest of the production team on crafting exciting Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah and finally Chenin Blanc that show their traits of origin.
