Agreement Signed to Promote Historic Vineyards.

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 1996--A prominent California vintner and a well-known Napa Valley vineyard owner have signed a long-term contract to preserve and develop a portion of the original To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, also known as Beaulieu Vineyard No. 4, adjacent to the Robert Mondavi Winery and a second vineyard in Rutherford historically known as Beaulieu Vineyard No. 3.

Jess Jackson, founder and proprietor of Kendall-Jackson Vineyards & Winery, said he plans to launch a new series of single vineyard designated wines to showcase and promote the grapes.

Andy Beckstoffer purchased the Rutherford property in 1988 and the Oakville property in 1993 and immediately began replanting the phylloxera-bitten ground. The Rutherford property has 250 acres planted to cabernet sauvignon.

The Oakville vineyard includes 89 acres of the original 240-acre To-Kalon vineyard. It will be planted to cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot when the project is completed next spring.

"These are not only two of the most historic vineyards in all of California, but also two of the finest in the world," Jackson said. "I admire and eagerly look forward to working with this fruit, as I look forward to working with someone like Andy, who has consistently been on the cutting edge of viticultural quality."

The Rutherford vineyard was purchased by Georges de Latour in 1928 and was known as Beaulieu No. 3 until 1988. Beckstoffer replanted that property to four different clones of cabernet sauvignon from 1990 through 1994.

The Oakville land was purchased in 1868 by Hamilton Crabb, who gained a reputation as a pioneer of viticultural experimentation by eventually planting more than 200 different grape varietals. In an 1889 interview, Crabb said he chose the name To-Kalon for its Greek translation, "the highest beauty, or the highest good."

Beckstoffer called the agreement with Jackson a partnership of two families dedicated to quality.

"These vineyards have been in the hands of some of the finest winemakers in the world, and have produced some of the very best Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon wines, but they've generally been blended with grapes from other vineyards," he said.

"Historically, some of the world's finest wines have expressed the character and terroir of single vineyard sites and, with the help of Jess and his winemaking team, I am proud and excited to think we will finally see what these great vineyards are really about."

The Beckstoffer family began farming California vineyards in 1969; today they own approximately 1,000 acres in Napa Valley and another 1,000 acres in Mendocino County.

Kendall-Jackson, founded in 1982, is one of California's premier family-owned wineries.

CONTACT: Kendall-Jackson Vineyards & Winery

Kerry Godes, 707/525-6229