Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/297564
W i n e s & V i n e s M AY 2 0 1 4 59 as well as either buying or constructing new wineries. That balance is really key, and we'll keep our eyes open for new acquisition opportunities. In terms of managing potential future shortages, Jackson Family Wines is in a strong position, and we control more of our supply than many wine companies. The Jackson family owns 13,000 planted acres along the cool coastal ridges of Cali- fornia. The majority of our annual fruit requirements are sourced from our estate vineyards: Two-thirds of our fruit is sourced from the family's vineyards. W&V: Are imports a real threat for Jack- son Family Wines or for the California wine industry in general? Reimers: We do not see imports as a threat for Jackson Family Wines. In fact, we wel- come the influx of imports into the domes- tic market given the demand reality. Much of the import growth targets the under-$10 category. As a luxury wine company, we are focused above $15 per bottle in wine regions that produce the world's best wines. Beyond our wineries and vineyards across California, the Jackson family has spent the past 30 years carefully assembling an excep- tional international portfolio of estates: Chateau Lassegue in the St. Emilion region of Bordeaux, Villa Arceno in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, Yangarra Estate Vineyard and the recently purchased Hick- inbotham Estate, both in McLaren Vale, South Australia, and Vina Calina in the Maule region of Chile. Regardless of locale, we are searching for those rare sites that can grow exceptional quality. W&V: Last year, Jackson Family Wines bought a winery and 1,365 acres of vine- yards in Oregon. Why is the company making such a big investment there? Reimers: There are few places in the world that can grow world-class Pinot Varietal mix evolves W ith its wide range of brands, Jack- son Family Wines works with a lot of grape varieties. Executive vice presi- dent and chief operating officer Hugh Reimers says the varietal mix is chang- ing some, but not much. "We have experienced strong growth in Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon and continue to see Chardonnay perform well," Reimers says. "We are also bullish on high-end Sauvignon Blanc." He adds that the success of Cabernet Sauvignon has led the company to be in- terested in additional invest- ment in California vineyards with red Bordeaux varieties. Reimers also thinks that Merlot is bouncing back. The company has jumped on the Pinot Gris/Grigio bandwagon with its bottling under the La Crema label, which Reimers says has been well-received. He says no grape va- rieties are being reduced or phased out. L.D. M A N A G E M E N T