Profiles in wine: Randy Ullom named an ‘American Wine Legend’ by Wine Enthusiast

Randy Ullom is at the helm of crafting the most popular chardonnay in America.

Even though he makes a colossal amount of Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, he reels in 90-plus scores from esteemed wine critics.

The senior vice president and wine master for all Kendall-Jackson wines — the biggest division of Jackson Family Wines — was named an “American Wine Legend” in Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 Wine Star Awards.

The annual awards recognize innovation by individuals and companies in wine and spirits. Winners run the gamut from spirit producers to sommeliers to CEOs. More than a dozen were recognized in 2022, including William Foley, founder and owner of Foley Family Wines, for Lifetime Achievement; Jeff O’Neill, CEO and founder of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, for Person of the Year; and Nicole Hitchcock, winemaker of J Vineyards and Winery, for Winemaker of the Year.

From his base in Santa Rosa, Ullom oversees a massive operation of three winery facilities, a team of winemakers and more than 10,000 estate vineyards, certified sustainable, throughout coastal California. He works closely with vineyard managers and growers, tasting the quality of the grapes before approving them to be bottled under the Kendall-Jackson brand. In addition, the employees working at Jackson’s operations in Chile also answer to Ullom.

“More than anything, (I pride myself on) keeping up with (the late founder) Jess Jackson, his stamina, his expectations, his drive, his munificent leadership, his foresight and his energy,” Ullom said.

Jess Stonestreet Jackson, who died in 2011, was a Sonoma County billionaire and a lawyer before he became a vintner. He and his first wife, Jane Kendall Jackson, began Kendall-Jackson in 1974 with the purchase of a pear and walnut farm in Lakeport which they converted into a vineyard. Forbes magazine, in 2010, listed Jackson as the 536th wealthiest person in the world, with $1.9 billion in assets.

In 1982, Jackson surprised the wine industry when he introduced the Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, which quickly became a roaring success. With 2.5-plus million cases produced a year, the 2021 vintage continues to be the bestselling chardonnay in America. For the last six releases of the chardonnay, which sells for $17 or less a bottle, Ullom and his team scored 90-plus in the Wine Enthusiast’s blind tastings.

Interestingly, the chardonnay was the result of a mistake. The chardonnay had a “struck” fermentation, which means the yeast didn’t consume as much of the sugar in the grapes as expected. This slightly sweeter version of chardonnay resonated with a broad number of Americans who were said to have “soda-pop palates.”

Vintner Bob Cabral, owner and winemaker of Bob Cabral Wines, worked with Ullom at Santa Rosa’s DeLoach Vineyards in the late 1980s as his assistant winemaker. Cabral said Ullom inspired him by leading by example.

“We saw the commitment of winemaking,” Cabral said. “The work didn’t just stop because it was 5 p.m. We stayed until the wines were properly taken care of, until they were in a safe, stable place where you could leave them. … It didn’t seem like work because we were all searching for the common goal of making great wines.”

Ullom, 70, joined Kendall-Jackson in 1993 and was impressed by Jackson’s entrepreneurial spirit. Ullom grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and developed his interest in wine in his 20s while traveling through the wine regions of Chile. When he returned to the U.S., he earned an associate degree in viticulture and enology at Ohio State University, moving to California in 1981.

Ullom expanded on his recognition by Wine Enthusiast and the challenges of his job.

Question: What was your reaction to the recognition from Wine Enthusiast?

Answer: I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it. I’m thankful and grateful.

Q: How do you meet the demands of your expansive job?

A: By taking the challenge of successful growth, at times rapid growth, calmly and with a smile.

Q: Since the Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay was a “mistake” that met with incredible success, have you changed your philosophy of things coined mistakes?

A: One does learn that not all mistakes have a bad ending. Look at Bordeaux-specific varietal reds and planned or unplanned tank mixing of Meritage blends during harvest pump-overs. You still end up with a wonderful blend. … Keep an open mind always. Experiment. Try again if needed, always learning along the way.

You can reach wine writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.