Jackson Family Wines is on the hunt for Australian pinot noir vines.
The company, which produces the US biggest selling chardonnay, is on a huge expansion drive that has seen its portfolio grow to 40 vineyards in the US, Italy, France, South Africa, Australia and Chile.
Company head Barbara Bankes has told The Australian she wants to start producing JFW’s first Australian pinot noir.
The company already owns the Yangara winery in McLaren Vale (purchased 20 years ago) and bought Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard in 2012, now Banke is inspecting vineyards in Victoria and Tasmania.
“The Australian palate needs some lighter, brighter wines as well as the wonderful shiraz and grenache that are made here,” she said. “Pinot is something that we know really well and would go really well with some of the Australian cuisine.”
In October, Banke told Decanter she saw big potential for Australian wines in the US: “Brand Australia has been through its ups and downs and high end Australian wine is a difficult sell in the US. But I think that will change in time as the quality coming out Australia’s fine wine sector is very strong.”
She took over as chairman of JFW when her husband, Jess Stonestreet Jackson died of cancer in 2011 at age 81.
Banke, 64, has no plans to retire from the family business.
“To me it is making the best wine,’’ she says of the motivation to keep working. “And also the hopes that you win the Magic Millions race or the Golden Slipper, the Melbourne Cup or the Triple Crown.
“I am always looking for the next big challenge. So hopefully next year I will have a chance to participate in some of the big races in Australia. It’s true I think that the Australian racing industry is more vibrant than the US racing industry.”
“The racing venues are better and there is more excitement around it.”
