Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates is a vineyard and winery, under the Kendall-Jackson brand, located in Santa Rosa, California in the Sonoma Valley wine country. As of 2010 Kendall-Jackson was the highest-selling brand of "super-premium" wine (retailing for more than US$15 per bottle) in the United States, often compared in blind tastings to 1er Cru wines of Volnay, Burgundy.[1]
| Kendall-Jackson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Santa Rosa, California, US |
| Coordinates | 38°29′00″N 122°46′07″W / 38.48333°N 122.76861°W |
| Appellation | North Coast AVA |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Key people |
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| Known for | Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay |
| Varietals | Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Meritage, Malbec, Cabernet Franc |
| Distribution | Worldwide |
| Tasting | Kendall-Jackson Wine Center (Santa Rosa, California); Kendall-Jackson Tasting Room (Healdsburg, California) |
| Website | kj |
History
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2018) |
In 1974, San Francisco land-use attorney Jess Jackson and his wife Jane Kendall Wadlow Jackson converted an 80-acre (32-hectare) pear and walnut orchard in Lakeport, California to a vineyard and sold wine grapes to local wineries.[2] In 1982, a downturn in the grape market led them to produce their own wine instead of selling the grapes, and the Kendall-Jackson brand was established. That label now continues under the umbrella company, Jackson Family Wines, that Jackson later created.[3]
In the 1980s, Kendall-Jackson rejected the California wine industry's trend toward vineyard-specific wine labeling. It ignored the concept of terroir in favor of blending wines from different regions to achieve desired wine characteristics. They reversed that direction in the mid-2000s, along with a push to upgrade their quality.[4]
After retiring from Hewlett-Packard, Lew Platt was the company's CEO from 2000 to mid-2001.[5]
In late 2006, the Jackson family launched White Rocket Wine Co. in Napa Valley to target the millennial generation of wine drinkers.[6]
In April 2011 Jess Jackson died from cancer at the age of 81.[2][7] His son-in-law, Don Hartford, had been serving as CEO of the company. The company disclosed a succession plan in March 2011, announcing that president Rick Tigner would be transitioning into the position of CEO. Tigner was featured on the third season, second episode of Undercover Boss. Don Hartford and Barbara Banke oversee the family's interests on the board of directors.
References
edit
- ^ Dan Levy, Bloomberg News (2010-03-08). "Napa wineries fall under foreclosure crush". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26.
- ^ a b O'Connor, Clare. "Jess Jackson, Billionaire Winemaker, Dies At 81". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
- ^ Grimes, William (22 April 2011). "Jess Jackson Dies at 81, a Wine Grower With a Taste for Thoroughbred Racing". New York Times. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ Murphy, Linda (19 February 2004). "Mountain man / A 'retired' Jess Jackson heads for the hills to revamp Kendall-Jackson". San Francisco Chronicle. p. D1. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ LaPedus, Mark (September 9, 2005). "Lew Platt, former HP CEO, dies at 64". EE Times. UBM Tech. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
- ^ Scott, H. Morgan (31 December 2006). "Kendall-Jackson Founder Targets Younger Wine Drinker". Wine Spectator. p. 15.
- ^ "Horse owner Jess Jackson dies at age 81". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2020-08-17.