Kendall-Jackson
Encyclopedia
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 (an industry term referring to wine retailing for more than $15 per bottle) in the United States.
to a vineyard and sold wine grapes to local wineries. 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.
In the 1980s, Kendall-Jackson rejected the California wine
industry's trend toward vineyard-specific wine label
ing. 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.
In late 2006, the Jackson family launched White Rocket Wine Co. in Napa Valley
to target the millennial generation of wine drinkers.
In April 2011 Jess Jackson passed away in his sleep at his Geyserville estate after a battle with cancer. He was 81. His son-in-law, Don Hartford, had been already serving as chief executive officer of the company. The company disclosed a succession plan in March, announcing that president Rick Tigner would be transitioning into the position of CEO. Don Hartford and Barbara Banke will oversee the family's interests on the board of directors.
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
and winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
, under the Kendall-Jackson brand, located in Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
in the Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California wine industry and often called The Valley of the Moon. Sonoma Valley is home to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state, some of which survived the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870s and the impact of Prohibition...
wine country. As of 2010 Kendall-Jackson was the highest-selling brand of "super-premium" wine (an industry term referring to wine retailing for more than $15 per bottle) in the United States.
History
In 1974, San Francisco land-use attorney Jess Jackson and his wife Jane Kendall converted an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) pear and walnut orchard in Lakeport, CaliforniaLakeport, California
Lakeport is an incorporated city and county seat of Lake County, California. Lakeport is located on the west shore of Clear Lake, at an elevation of 1355 feet...
to a vineyard and sold wine grapes to local wineries. 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.
In the 1980s, Kendall-Jackson rejected the California wine
California wine
California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest wine. While wine is made in all fifty U.S. states, up to 90% of American wine is produced in the state...
industry's trend toward vineyard-specific wine label
Wine label
Wine labels are important sources of information for consumers since they tell the type and origin of the wine. The label is often the only resource a buyer has for evaluating the wine before purchasing it...
ing. It ignored the concept of terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
in favor of blending wines from different regions to achieve desired wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
characteristics. They reversed that direction in the mid-2000s, along with a push to upgrade their quality.
In late 2006, the Jackson family launched White Rocket Wine Co. in Napa Valley
Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
to target the millennial generation of wine drinkers.
In April 2011 Jess Jackson passed away in his sleep at his Geyserville estate after a battle with cancer. He was 81. His son-in-law, Don Hartford, had been already serving as chief executive officer of the company. The company disclosed a succession plan in March, announcing that president Rick Tigner would be transitioning into the position of CEO. Don Hartford and Barbara Banke will oversee the family's interests on the board of directors.