Ullom: Planting in Cali used to be like shooting a gun

Grape growers in California used to take a scattergun approach but have finally started to plant varieties in the right terroirs according to one leading winemaker.

Speaking to the drinks business during a recent visit to London, Randy Ullom, chief winemaker of Kendall-Jackson, said:

“People used to plant in California like shooting a gun – you’d have Cabernet next to Chardonnay, but now the right grapes are being planted in the right spots.

“The Anderson Valley in Mendocino has become the hottest spot for Pinot Noir and the wines from there are getting a lot of attention.

“I think the most exciting spots for Chardonnay are the Santa Rita Hills, the Russian River Valley, Carneros and Santa Barbara. Pinot Noir is schizophrenic and has a mind of its own – I prefer making Chardonnay.”

Saying that, Jackson Family Wines (owners of the Kendall-Jackson brand) has just bought 200 acres in the Santa Rita Hills where the company plans to plant Pinot.

Jackson Family Wines’ passion for coastal plantings means pushing grapes to the limit in terms of ripening.

“You can see the ocean at some of our vineyards – we push it to the limit. Sometimes the grapes don’t fully ripen, but when they do you’re left with something wonderful,” Ullom revealed.

During his 20-year tenure as chief winemaker at Kendall-Jackson, Ullom has seen wines from California become more refined.

“People are using the right yeasts that help to bring texture to the wines, and Clonal research has really improved,” he said.

As for the recent water shortages in California, Ullom reports that things are looking up. “There’s snow on the Sierras this year and we’ve had more rain so the drought is coming to an end,” he told db.

With regards to whether Napa or Sonoma make better Cabernet, Ullom thinks it’s a matter of taste, but that Sonoma offers more terroir diversity from which to craft it.

“Napa Cabs are fleshier and Sonoma Cabs are less juicy and more serious. The terroirs in Sonoma are more diverse than Napa, which is quite flat, so there’s more opportunity to make great Cabernet there,” he said.