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Taking inspiration from the famed wines of Bordeaux, their
goal was to craft supple and appealing Cabernet Sauvignons
with lush, generous fruit and velvety textures. To achieve this,
Jerry understood early on, what many others discovered
later—the land picks the grape.
With its well-drained, gravelly, and sometimes chalky limestone
soils, Jerry knew that Paso Robles was ideal for Bordeaux
varieties. There, long, sun-kissed days and temperature swings
of 45 to 50 degrees from early morning to midday offered
perfect conditions for coaxing rich, voluptuous flavors from
the grapes. Just as these unique conditions made the flavors
sing, they also tamed the tannins, yielding voluminous silky
wines that glided across the palate.
When Jerry planted his first vineyards in Paso Robles in 1986,
there were just a few dozen wineries in the region. Over the
next two years, J. Lohr built a winery in Paso Robles and made
the debut vintage of J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet
Sauvignon, with then-director of winemaking Jeff Meier, who's
been by Jerry's side for over 35 vintages and is president and
COO today. With its luxurious flavors of blueberry, cherry, and
chocolate, Seven Oaks quickly established itself as a perennial
American favorite, introducing millions of wine drinkers to
the joy of Paso Robles Cabernet. In the years that followed,
the J. Lohr team dedicated itself to introducing the finest
modern winegrowing methods, including innovative farming
TOP: An oak tree framed by J. Lohr's estate grapevines in the Creston District
of Paso Robles.
BELOW: A true family-run winery, two dedicated generations of the Lohr
family guide the company's day-to-day operations. (Left to right) Lawrence
Lohr, Co-owner, Steve Lohr, CEO & Co-owner, Jerry Lohr, Founder, Cynthia
Lohr, Trade and Brand Advocate, Co-owner.
LEFT: Our Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ripen in one of our Paso
Robles vineyards.
Photographs courtesy of J. Lohr Vineyards
