Kenwood Vineyards

Kenwood Vineyards was established in 1970 at the site of the former Pagani Brothers Winery, a historic wine cellar built in 1906. It was founded in 1970 by John Sheela and his brothers-in-law, Mike and Marty Lee. They converted the jug wine facility into a modern winery. In 1976, Kenwood Vineyards acquired the exclusive rights to source grapes from the historic vineyards of Jack London Ranch. In 1978, local artist David Lance Goines was commissioned to create an original artwork to be used for the label of the 1975 reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the first vintage of the Artist Series. In 1996, F. Korbel & Bros., Inc. acquired a 50 percent stake in the winery. In 1999, Korbel acquired the remaining 50 percent and bought out the founders. Under Korbel's management, Kenwood nearly doubled in size. In 1996, they produced less than 300,000 cases. In 1999, they produced more than 500,000 cases. In 2011, co-founder and winemaker Mike Lee died. Lee was called a "visionary winemaker" and a "master vintner" by The Press Democrat. In the 1970s, Lee helped establish Sonoma Valley as one of the first American Viticultural Areas at a time when the region was known for jug wine. The deal had been announced in March 2012, but fell apart by July 2012. The deal would have included Kenwood’s winery, 22 acres of estate vineyards and all other assets. The reason for the failed purchase was not disclosed due to confidentiality agreements and the expected purchase price was not disclosed. Korbel owner and president Gary Heck explained that the rationale for wanting to sell the company was to prioritize the company's sparkling wine business. ==Wines==

The Sonoma Series wines were the first produced at Kenwood Vineyards. The first two varietals were Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Merlot, and Pinot Noir followed in later years. Artwork styles include impressionist, romantic, modern, and abstract. The first vintage was 1975. The Artist Series was highly regarded, according to Wine Spectator, and received critical acclaim. The Artist Series was California's first artist created wine label. Labels have featured art by Charles Mingus (1978), Joan Miró (1987), Pablo Picasso (1989), Henry Miller (1992), Alexander Calder (1993), Wayne Thiebaud (1996), Shepard Fairey (2004), Paul Klee (2006), and Dave Kinsey (2007). Original art by David Lance Goines was commissioned for the label for the first vintage (1975). The piece, "Reclining Nude in Vineyard," was deemed "obscene and indecent" by the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms, the federal government regulatory agency that approved wine labeling, under 27 CFR 4.39 in the Code of Federal Regulations. The "naked lady label," as it came to be known, was eventually featured as the art for the 1994 vintage. The winery focused on "small lot" winemaking, with each lot from each vineyard kept separate throughout the winemaking process. Kenwood Vineyards was the exclusive producer of wines from the historic vineyards of Jack London Ranch, located on the western slope of Sonoma Valley in Glen Ellen, California. ==See also==