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Jeff Meier
Jerry Lohr
Wine Club
Tasting Room
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Daily
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Daily
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
South Bay
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
1000 Lenzen Avenue
San Jose 95126United States
(408) 288-5057
Three decades ago, the California Central Coast had yet to emerge as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of an early handful of pioneers, Jerry Lohr was among the first to realize the vast, untapped potential of this now-acclaimed region with the establishment of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
In the late 1960s, Jerry began an extensive investigation of California grape growing regions while searching for the ideal location for a vineyard. Raised on a South Dakota farm, his agricultural roots armed him with an innate sense for the intricacies of climate, soil quality and location. His research and instincts led him to the Central Coast, a unique location with one of the longest growing seasons in all of California. Selecting the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County for his first vineyard, Jerry planted his original 280 acres of varietal grapes in 1972 and 1973, and unveiled his San Jose winery in 1974.
J. Lohr remains one of the few estate-focused wineries of its size, and one of the last substantial independents to benefit from the longevity of management and the passion of a second generation of family members. Though it is operated with the loving care of a boutique winery, J. Lohr welcomes guests at two wine centers, one in San Jose and another in Paso Robles.
Jeff Meier
Jeff Meier,
Director of Winemaking, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, J. Lohr Winery
J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines
Jeff Meier’s legacy as a world-class winemaker has seen him through twenty-five harvests with J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, and today as the EVP/COO for J. Lohr Winery, Jeff directs all aspects of winemaking, while also leading efforts in sales, marketing, operations and production.
Viticulture has been a part of Jeff’s life since his childhood. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jeff would often accompany his parents on wine tasting trips to Napa and Sonoma counties during his youth. Although he was too young to taste, Jeff fell in love with the beauty and tranquility of the vineyards, which led to a lifelong passion for wine. This passion eventually steered Jeff to the University of California, Davis, where he was inspired to become a winemaker and earn a degree in viticulture and enology.
In 1984, after a brief stint as a sales representative for a wine and spirits distributor, Jeff went to work harvest at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. Recognized for his aptitude and education, Jeff was offered the position of bottling line supervisor. Two years later, he was promoted to assistant winemaker. Jeff quickly became active in every aspect of the winemaking process, and in 1995, eleven years after he worked his first harvest, Jeff was appointed winemaker.
With over a quarter century of experience in the California wine industry, Jeff understands that some of his most valuable time is spent in the vineyards. Jeff’s winemaking values go to the core of Jerry Lohr’s grape growing philosophy: that the quality of wine is directly related to what goes into the vineyards. Jeff believes a winemaker is truly a tenant of the earth, acknowledging, “There’s not a heck of a lot I can do as a winemaker to make great wine out of poor starting material.”
Jeff asserts, “Having estate vineyards gives J. Lohr an advantage. Because we have complete control over our vineyards, we can develop each block with the right clones and rootstock, and monitor our yields to maximize grape flavor. Because of our experience and experimentation, we are able to consistently harvest exceptional fruit, and in turn these grapes allow us to make wines of greater intensity and finesse.”
An active member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, Jeff is also working on tannin management experiments in conjunction with the University of California, Davis. Constantly challenging himself, he enjoys the freedom to experiment creatively. Jeff’s staunch commitment to making the absolute best wines he can is reflected in his work and the rich flavorful depth of the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines portfolio. This portfolio, which Jeff has helped to develop in partnership with Jerry Lohr, has yielded such celebrated brands as J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Vineyard Series and J. Lohr Cuvée Series, each invoking the best possible flavors from J. Lohr’s 3,000 acres of estate vineyards.
“With wine there is a sense of something — of place, of people, of Mother Nature, of soul. In its creation comes a winemaker’s collection of life experiences to guide and nurture and interpret each vintage and its opportunities to create something new, something genuine. Just a simple bottle with someone’s heart and soul inside,
for all to enjoy.” - Jeff Meier, Winemaker
Jerry Lohr
J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Double Gold - 97 Points
2011 California State Fair
J. Lohr October Night
Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco
Gold - 95 Points
2011 California State Fair
J. Lohr Estates Los Osos
Merlot, Paso Robles
Double Gold - 98 Points - Best of California - Best of Class South-Central Coast Appellations
2011 California State Fair
J. Lohr Tower Road
Petite Sirah, Paso Robles
Double Gold - 98 Points - Best of Class South-Central Appellations
2011 California State Fair
J. Lohr Cuvée Series
POM ~ PAU ~ ST. E
J. Lohr Estates
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Merlot
Syrah
Valdiguié
Riesling
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Wines
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Flavorful wines, quite literally “wines full of flavor” are the mission at J. Lohr. Our unwavering focus on flavors sounds so simple, yet it’s surprisingly complex. Achieving the best flavor demands total control, every step of the way, and is the result of planting each site to its ideal grape variety and applying artisanal winemaking techniques, including extended maceration, barrel and malolactic fermentation, among others.
We offer four tiers of J. Lohr signature wines which reflect our focus on flavor from vineyard to bottle:
J. Lohr Cuvée Series
The Artistic Expression of Flavor
This magnificent trio of wines features three distinct blends, and represents an artistic approach to winemaking using similar blending philosophies practiced by the Grand Cru Chateaux from Pauillac, St. Emilion and Pomerol—yet with a distinctly California accent. Our J. Lohr Cuvée PAU is Cabernet Sauvignon-based with Bordeaux varietal blenders, which may include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Cabernet Franc is the backbone for our Cuvée St. E, which is complemented by similar varietal blenders. With its base in Merlot, our Cuvée POM gains vibrancy with the addition of these spice-rack varietals.
J. Lohr Vineyard Series
The Ultimate Expression of Flavor
Also limited in production and finessed with meticulously-executed artisan winemaking techniques, wines from J. Lohr Vineyards Series showcase the highest-caliber fruit from small vineyard enclaves nestled in the world-class winegrowing regions of Paso Robles, Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco, and St. Helena, Napa Valley. Each parcel of land is the winemaker’s playground, where the most suitable grape variety is chosen to showcase its unique growing environment, then is lavished with constant attention.
Known for its extreme growing conditions, Paso Robles is one of three California appellations producing Cabernet and Petite Sirah worthy of international acclaim. Fifty-degree temperature swings between dawn and afternoon combined with scant moisture ensure fruit concentration, and deep, supple and sumptuous flavors. To lovers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco region is utopia. Its rare confluence of soil and cool climate conditions work in harmony to create tremendous fruit intensity. And reminiscent of Bordeaux, the gravelly loam soils of 34-acre Carol’s Vineyard in northern St. Helena, Napa Valley, offer superb growing conditions for Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Here, Cabernet is defined by deep black cherry aromas and flavors and offers a varietal expression different from the velvety dark berry and cherry flavors of Hilltop Cabernet, from our highest and best-drained slopes among our Paso Robles holdings.
J. Lohr Estates
Flavor Second to None
Wines from J. Lohr Estates are quality, estate-grown varietals from vineyards in Monterey County and Paso Robles. Each vineyard is planted to leverage the conditions that enable a particular varietal to thrive, resulting in optimal flavors. Chardonnay excels in the deep and rocky soils of the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County, Merlot achieves a notably lavish and nuanced expression in Paso Robles. Even the oaks in Paso struggle to survive the hot days and chilly nights, yet the extreme temperature swings are best-suited to Cabernet. The ideal grape planted to its ideal location—that’s why J. Lohr Estates offers flavor second to none.
J. Lohr Gesture
A Unique Token of Thanks
Originally conceived as a token of appreciation for our loyal wine club members and visitors to our two tasting rooms, J. Lohr Gesture debuted in August 2009 as three limited-release, Rhône-inspired varietals and blends showcasing the distinctive microclimates of western Paso Robles. Gesture GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) boasts 50% Grenache wild berry fruit flavors and aromatics, balanced with 38% Syrah and 12% Mourvèdre. Gesture Syrah is a robust, 100% pure varietal expression of dark fruit aromas complemented by seductive, oaky flavor. Last but certainly not least, our Gesture Mourvèdre showcases this earthy, structured grape, enhanced with 15% Syrah, making it a classic, Rhône-style blend with velvety palate weight and berry and cherry flavors.
Each year, J. Lohr Gesture wines reflect the vineyard-driven inspiration of our winemakers, so be sure to order a coveted bottle (or two) of J. Lohr Gesture to enjoy with friends as a symbol of your gratitude—and ours.
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