Kendall-Jackson
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Winery, Vineyard |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Jess Jackson, Jane Kendall Wadlow Jackson |
| Headquarters | Santa Rosa , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Rick Tigner (CEO), Don Hartford (former CEO), Barbara Banke (board member) |
| Products | Wine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Muscat Canelli) |
Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates is a vineyard and winery located in Santa Rosa, California, within the renowned Sonoma Valley wine region. By 2010, Kendall-Jackson had become the leading "super-premium" wine brand in the United States, frequently receiving comparisons to Burgundy’s 1er Cru wines.
History
In 1974, Jess Jackson, a San Francisco-based lawyer, together with his wife Jane Kendall Wadlow Jackson, transformed an 80-acre pear and walnut orchard in Lakeport, California, into a vineyard. Initially, they sold grapes to nearby wineries while Jackson crafted wine under the Chateau du Lac label as a personal interest. Confronted with a decline in the grape market in 1982, they introduced the Kendall-Jackson brand to produce their own wines.
Jackson recruited winemaker Jed Steele from Edmeades Winery. An unintended stuck fermentation of the 1982 Chardonnay resulted in an off-dry style that quickly gained popularity. This wine was sent to the Reagan White House in 1984, becoming First Lady Nancy Reagan’s preferred choice and earning the nickname "Nancy’s wine."
Although Chardonnay remained their signature offering, by 1986 Kendall-Jackson had broadened its range to feature Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Muscat Canelli. Under Steele’s guidance, production escalated from 35,000 cases in 1982 to more than 700,000 cases by 1991.
Steele was promoted to director of winemaking in 1990 but departed shortly thereafter due to internal conflicts. In 1991, Jackson accused him of misappropriating trade secrets; ensuing legal proceedings led to a precedent-setting decision confirming that winemaking techniques are proprietary trade secrets owned by the winery.
Throughout the 1980s, Kendall-Jackson focused on blending wines sourced from various regions rather than emphasizing single-vineyard designations or terroir characteristics. This approach evolved during the mid-2000s toward enhancing quality and adopting terroir-focused labeling under the broader Jackson Family Wines portfolio.
Lew Platt, after retiring from Hewlett-Packard, held the CEO position from 2000 until mid-2001. The Jackson family introduced White Rocket Wine Co. in Napa Valley in 2006 to appeal specifically to millennial consumers.
Founder Jess Jackson passed away from cancer in April 2011 at age 81. Don Hartford, his son-in-law, had served as CEO; subsequently, president Rick Tigner was appointed CEO as part of a succession plan. Hartford and Barbara Banke remain actively involved in managing family interests on the company board.
In April 2024, Kendall-Jackson formed a partnership with La Crema as the Official Wine Sponsor for USA Basketball.