SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (November 3, 2022) – As Kendall-Jackson celebrates its fortieth anniversary, Head Winemaker Randy Ullom has been named Wine Fanatic’s “American Wine Legend” within the 23rd Annual Wine Fanatic Wine Star Awards. This prestigious class acknowledges a sole nominee and honors their standing as a real icon within the American wine {industry}. The Wine Fanatic Wine Star Awards have develop into probably the most revered world wine {industry} awards, given yearly to commemorate influential members of the worldwide wine, spirits and beverage {industry}.
“It’s a privilege to be acknowledged amongst my friends for work that’s my true ardour. Wine has been a relentless all through my life. As a toddler, I watched my father develop into a hobbyist dwelling winemaker, and his pleasure instilled pleasure in me that has persevered all through my profession. Being named American Wine Legend solely furthers this pleasure, particularly as we sit up for the way forward for our {industry}. Together with the unbelievable winemaking group at Kendall-Jackson, I look ahead to persevering with to push for larger enhancements in site-specific soils, grapes, and farming strategies, as a result of in the end, a winemaker is a farmer first,” mentioned Randy Ullom, Kendall-Jackson Head Winemaker.
Randy Ullom’s distinction as “American Wine Legend” comes on the cusp of his thirtieth 12 months at Kendall-Jackson and the vineyard’s fortieth anniversary. Based by Jess Jackson in 1982, Kendall-Jackson has risen from a single varietal vineyard to producing iconic wines from throughout California’s most prized rising areas and championing {industry} sustainability requirements.
Employed in 1993 by Jackson, Ullom joined Kendall-Jackson after having served as winemaker at DeLoach Vineyards for greater than ten years. In his first few years as winemaker for Kendall-Jackson, he led efforts to open wineries in Mendocino and within the pursuit of alternatives in Monterey and Santa Barbara, he helped set up Kendall-Jackson’s single winery applications which resulted in labels similar to Camelot Highlands Chardonnay, one of many vineyard’s top-tier choices at the moment. As well as, he spearheaded winemaking operations in Chile and began the corporate’s wine endeavors in Australia with the opening of Yangarra Property Winery. In 1997, Ullom was promoted to Head Winemaker for Kendall-Jackson due to his in depth data of the viticultural and winemaking applications. Ullom embraces superior high quality, integrity, authenticity, and consistency because the spine to Kendall-Jackson’s storied winemaking heritage. As the one American wine firm with an possession stake in a French stave mill, Kendall-Jackson, below Ullom’s management, developed a strong and industry-leading barrel program that allows him to decide on exact oak sourcing – the area and the forest – which ensures him entry to the highest-quality, sustainably sourced oak for Kendall-Jackson’s barrels. Moreover, Ullom is liable for pushing boundaries and creating among the most modern initiatives within the wine area at the moment, similar to barrel-fermenting virtually each drop of the flagship Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, the biggest barrel-ferment on the earth for Chardonnay and an unprecedented dedication to artisanal winemaking strategies to realize craft winemaking at scale. His distinguished winemaking expertise have helped Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay keep its place as America’s #1 promoting Chardonnay for 30 years.
“Randy is an integral a part of Kendall-Jackson’s historical past,” mentioned Barbara Banke, Chairman and Proprietor of Jackson Household Wines, the family-owned wine firm she co-founded and now leads together with her household. “He’s an icon who has formed the wine {industry} and his distinctive fashion of Chardonnay. He has enabled Kendall-Jackson’s Vintners Reserve Chardonnay to be the {industry} chief for over 30 years. He’s an authority on all issues Chardonnay and his precision and focus are exceptional.”
A hands-on strategy and time spent day by day within the vineyards has helped Ullom and the Kendall-Jackson group obtain industry-wide recognition as leaders in sustainability. Kendall-Jackson has carried out many winemaking and winery practices below Ullom’s management that help environmental considerations because it conserves pure assets, improves air and water high quality, and protects ecosystems and wildlife habitat. “The higher the soil, the higher the wine,” mentioned Ullom. 100% of Kendall-Jackson’s 10,000 planted acres of property vineyards all through the coastal California area are third-party Licensed Sustainable. The vineyard is powered partly by renewable photo voltaic power and plenty of water conservation practices have been carried out. Moreover, the vineyards are designed to have minimal environmental impression, with over half the entire acreage left to develop wild and unfenced in help of biodiversity and the pure migratory routes of the varied native wildlife. Even with all these practices in place, Ullom personally ensures the standard of every winery by tasting each lot of wine.
Ullom will probably be honored as named Wine Fanatic’s “American Wine Legend” on the Wine Star Awards black-tie gala happening in San Francisco, California in January 2023. For extra data, please go to www.kj.com and www.winemag.com.
About Kendall-Jackson
Kendall-Jackson is one among America’s most beloved family-owned and operated wineries. The vineyard’s flagship wine, the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, has been America’s favourite Chardonnay since 1992. Based by entrepreneur and visionary Jess Jackson in 1982, and now led by his spouse Barbara Banke and the Jackson household, Kendall-Jackson relies in Sonoma County and affords a variety of acclaimed wines grown on the household’s property vineyards alongside the coastal ridges of California. Kendall-Jackson is the benchmark for sustainable wine endeavors, setting the precedent for development in photo voltaic, water, and winery practices. Wine Fanatic Journal lately named Kendall-Jackson the 2017 American Vineyard of the 12 months, one of many wine {industry}’s most distinguished accolades. Acknowledged as a pacesetter within the {industry} for greater than three many years, Kendall-Jackson has constructed a status centered round constant, high-quality wines which might be accessible nationwide in nationwide grocery shops, boutique wine retailers, and eating places. Be taught extra on-line at www.kj.com, and comply with Kendall-Jackson on Fb, Twitter, or Instagram.
About Wine Fanatic
Based in 1979 by Adam and Sybil Strum and composed of Wine Fanatic Media and Wine Fanatic Commerce, Wine Fanatic Corporations is the last word supply of innovation and knowledge round wine. With customized merchandise reaching hundreds of thousands of shoppers globally through junk mail, a thriving e-commerce web site and a business-to-business division, Wine Fanatic Catalog supplies every thing wine lovers have to take pleasure in wine to the fullest of their properties. Wine Fanatic journal is an award-winning print publication and on-line useful resource that showcases wine and meals tendencies, enotravel, and over 25,000 rankings and critiques yearly. Collectively, Wine Fanatic Corporations is the indeniable hub for every thing wine. To be put merely, our firm mission assertion is: We Deliver Wine to Life.
