Story of Jess Jackson
Do you love the buttery rich style of California Chardonnay?
Many Americans feel that this style, widely attributed to Jess Jackson, is the typical California style.
Yet before the 1980s, grocery store shelves groaned with “fake” Chardonnay made from grapes such as Ugni Blanc, grown in Central California.
And most consumers simply bought was on the shelf.
Man and His Mountain is the story of how Jess Jackson created this “typical” style of Chardonnay is chronicled in the excellent book, Man and His Mountain, by Edward Humes.
Author Humes shows the reader how Jackson’s imagination and fortitude, despite risks and downturns can result in success.
Through this book, wine lovers too young to remember the wine world of the previous century will see how much wine styles and wine marketing have changed.
Jess Jackson: The Wine World Before 2000
It’s natural to assume that founder Jess Jackson had an easy time of creating the Kendall-Jackson brand.
A lawyer by profession he could certainly read a vineyard contract. Yet it was quite a challenge to launch his vision of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay.
His goal was to create a style of Chardonnay that Americans could enjoy and afford. A “mass market” style of wine that tasted like of an upscale Burgundian Chardonnay …
… at least to the taste of Americans at the time, who likely never experienced that wine or visited that region.
Jess Jackson wanted “accessible” flavors. This translated to wines with richness from malolactic fermentation (MLF). MLF is a winemaking technique that gives wines a softer, creamy aroma and texture.
Knowing the delicious aromas and flavors of butter and toast aging in French oak barrique can give a wine, Jackson insisted on using French oak in the maturation process.He even developed a partnership with a cooperage in France so that he would be better able to achieve consistency in the style.
Another driving force in the development of the KJ signature style is that Jackson wanted to make a wine from Chardonnay grapes grown in many diverse California regions.
In this way, the finished wine would have a specific flavor profile that could be achieved year after year.
Jess Jackson: The Salesmanship Factor
Though a talented businessman, Jackson was also a good salesman. He knew his market – middle-class Americans who wanted a “French Chardonnay” at a good price point. This ability to “know his customer” is one reason he found success.
Recent Wine History
Before the 1980s most wine was sold in supermarkets. This is still true today … but at that time virtually all the wine were domestic wines at a low price tag.
Popular wine labels at the time included names like Gallo Hearty Burgundy (even though it consisted of grapes from California), and Italian Swiss Colony. Yes, consumers could buy fine Burgundy, but only in the rare wine shops that existed at the time.
Jackson’s Big Break
Author Humes details the struggles Jackson had in selling his Chardonnay. Jackson’s break came at New York’s famed Oyster Bar restaurant, a busy place in bustling Grand Central Station. Charming his way inside the door, and pouring his delicious wine, Jackson convinced the owner to buy a case of KJ Chardonnay.
Then even better, KJ’s tasting room assistant submitted the KJ Chardonnay to wine competitions. Kendall-Jackson walked away with the first platinum award for American Chardonnay at the American Wine Competition.
Jess Jackson & Presidential Tastemakers
Nancy Reagan, President Reagan’s wife, happened to taste the Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay that was served at a 1982 White House dinner. Responding to the delicious scent of French oak and the buttery style, she told reporters she loved the KJ wine.
This launched a new flurry of publicity for KJ Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay.
Then Herb Caen, columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, began to call the KJ Chardonnay “Nancy’s Wine.”
Jackson’s 1982 vintage sold out, and the KJ Chardonnay soon became the leading Chardonnay of the USA.
Final Thoughts
I read this book on a weekend in Los Angeles, and became quite engrossed in the story. I had met various KJ winemakers over the years and had been to properties now owned by the Jackson family, yet until reading the book I had no idea about the struggles Jackson faced in developing his brand.
It took a lot of courage for Jackson to risk the financial security of his family to launch the KJ brand. Every time one turns the page in this book, Jackson’s empire seemed on the verge of collapse. Yet he kept going.
I hope that you will click on the links below to the interview I had with Randy Ullum and also the podcast.
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If you like this article you will like:
— Dominus Estate
— Chappellet Family Winery
— Hess Collection
— Frog’s Leap
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About Author Marisa D’Vari
D’Vari contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post, and more.
She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators … to see it all, please click on bio