Kendall-Jackson is most famous, and deservedly so, for our Vintner’s Reserve collection of varietal wines. We’ve now taken a huge step, one that we want our fans to know about: We launched a new collection of wines in the Kendall-Jackson portfolio that we consider the latest chapter of our unfolding story.

The new collection is Kendall-Jackson Jackson Estate wines. Last year, we released our first Jackson Estate wines: ultra-small quantities of three vineyard-designated wines from three of our most celebrated regions. All from the 2012 vintage, they are:

Outland Ridge Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Hawkeye Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

Camelot Highlands Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley

Winemaster Randy Ullom, who’s worked with these vineyards for many years, understands them as well as he understands his own kids. (Maybe better!) He’s sought to express their unique terroir through the wines — and we think he definitely succeeded!

This summer, we’re pleased to announce the release of three appellation series of Jackson Estate wines:

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

You can see that the varietals and appellations are the same as in the vineyard-designated tier. While the appellation series wines aren’t sourced 100% from the named vineyards, much of their fruit is from those sites. And both series of wines — the appellation series and the vineyard series — highlight the terroir of their origins, at different price points. (And, of course, the family’s vineyards are certified sustainable.)

Why did we choose to take this Jackson Estate step at this time, when more people than ever are enjoying K-J Vintner’s Reserve? Because our story continues to evolve. Each and every day, our entire team, led Randy Ullom, is discovering details in our vineyards, and even in the blocks within our vineyards, that tell the story in a better, purer, more expressive way. After all these wonderful years spent together, people think they know the K-J story — and, as far as Vintner’s Reserve is concerned, they do. Vintner’s Reserve won’t change a bit, except to get better.

But within the K-J story is another plot line, one of ongoing commitment to quality, to a sense of place or terroir, to winemaking excellence. This additional plot line is Jackson Estate. It’s the next step in Jess Jackson’s vision for a family winery legacy spanning the centuries. We invite you to explore Jackson Estate with us.

Salud!

Steve Heimoff is one of America’s most respected and well-known wine writers. The former West Coast Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine and a contributor to Wine Spectator, he has also authored two books on the subject of California wine, including “New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff,” published in the fall of 2007.