Love him or Hate him, you still had to respect him. Jess Jackson has died.

April 21, 2011

http://wineindustryinsight.com/?p=25005

ORIGINAL ARTICLE (DRAFTED 6:07 A.M.)

Jess Jackson has died.

Details from the company and family are not yet available. Multiple sources have confirmed to Wine Industry Insight that an email went to company employees shortly before 6 a.m. PDT informing them that he had passed away.

No cause of death or other details are available at this time.

From the Kendall-Jackson Web site:

Born in 1930, Jackson was raised in San Francisco and graduated from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Law School. In 1974, Jess and his family bought an 80-acre pear and walnut orchard in Lakeport, California. After converting the orchard to a vineyard, Jess began selling his grapes to local wineries. In 1982, he produced his first bottle of wine under the Kendall-Jackson label. Jess, a founding member of Family Winemakers of California, his wife Barbara Banke, and his family still run the day-to-day business of the winery.

Regardless of your opinion of the man, there is no question that Jess Jackson was second only to Robert Mondavi in his impact on the wine business in the US.  Kendall-Jackson was and is a household word, despite the opinions of some, and his business practices are industry standard today.

Raise a glass gentle Reader and Join Yr Mst Hmble & Obdt Svt in toasting the memory of one of the true Giants of Wine in the United States.

RIP Mr. Jackson. You will not be soon forgotten.

Rob Moshein
AWG