F R E S HDIRT

SPRING 2016 INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 7

Fresh Dirt is an annual publication. It is our way at J. Lohr of sharing with our valued industry partners the special occurrences that are noteworthy from the previous year, as well as an opportunity to present an ‘Insider’s View’ of our vision for the future. We hope that you enjoy our 2016 edition. As always, thank you for being an ambassador of J. Lohr!

IN THE VINEYARDSIn the past few years we have either developed or finished developing four vineyards. The most northerly of these vineyards is located in the San Miguel District of the Paso Robles AVA. Jones Ranch is roughly 400 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. This ranch was planted in three phases during the spring of 2013, 2014 and 2015. The grapes harvested from the 2013 planting will be used in the 2015 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon.

Three miles south of the Jones Ranch, in the Paso Robles Estrella District, is our newly-planted Star Farms Ranch. It contains 89 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 2015.

As you travel another three miles south, you will find our Carminati Vineyard. It is a 57 acre property also planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon. It was planted in 2014 and we expect to harvest a small amount of fruit from this ranch in 2016.

The final new development is eight miles to the south of Carminati and is located in the El Pomar District. Shotwell Vineyard supports 260 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 4.5 acres of Malbec. It was planted in three phases during the spring of 2013, 2014 and 2015. The fruit harvested from this property in 2015 was of stellar quality. It will be included in our 2015 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvgnon.

“PRODUCED AND BOTTLED”J. Lohr’s 2016 Distributor Camp Experience

September 12-15, 2016 With two years of successful Perfectly Pinot™ Distributor camps in our back pockets, we are pleased to announce J. Lohr’s latest distributor camp iteration, titled Produced and Bottled, which will take place September 12-15, 2016. We’ll take an in-depth look at what the produced and bottled by statement on the back of every J. Lohr bottle really means. Campers will learn why “produced by” is important, how it differentiates us from many of our competitors, and the foundational significance of this statement to our winemaking program.

Once again starting in Monterey and then moving to Paso Robles, the 2016 camp will focus on J. Lohr’s Chardonnay and Cabernet programs, and provide campers with a wealth of educational seminars and take-home tools to help sell J. Lohr competitively in the marketplace. Campers will also get hands-on in our Paso Robles winery (and in the kitchen!) and will have a lot of fun along the way! This camp is by invi-tation only and we will be reaching out to potential campers beginning in April, so keep an eye on your inbox.

J. LOHR WINES TAKE CENTER STAGEP R E S S H I G H L I G H T S

2013 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon90pts | Very Highly Recommended ~ California Grapevine,

Nick Ponomareff 11/1/15

2013 J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot94pts | Gold | Best of Class of Region

~ 2015 California State Fair

2013 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay92pts | Excellent; Highly Recommended | Best of Year 2015

~ Wine Enthusiast 12/1/15

2012 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon95pts | Double Gold ~ 2015 SF Chronicle Wine Competition

92pts ~ The Tasting Panel, Anthony Dias Blue 10/1/15

2013 J. Lohr Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir4+ Stars: Excellent Quality for its Type ~ Restaurant Wine, Ronn Wiegand 8/1/15

2013 J. Lohr Highlands Bench Pinot Noir (coming soon)4+ Stars: Excellent Quality for its Type ~ Restaurant Wine, Ronn Wiegand 8/1/15

2013 J. Lohr Tower Road Petite Sirah92pts ~ Wine Review Online, Rich Cook 12/29/15

2012 J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon96pts | Chairman’s Trophy ~ 2015 Ultimate Wine Challenge94pts | Outstanding ~ The Tasting Panel, Anthony Dias Blue 9/1/15

PASO ROBLES CAB COLLECTIVEThe Momentum Continues

As you know, we have been excited to share with you our efforts with the Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective, particularly as we’ve gained momentum and traction leading up to our efforts this spring.

We formed the collective in 2012 to promote the full potential of the Paso Robles AVA in producing superior quality, age-wor-thy, classic Cabernet and red Bordeaux varietals to consumers and media worldwide. J. Lohr, along with JUSTIN and DAOU, was one of three founding members, and we’ve been honored to help steward the organization since inception. Cynthia Lohr was a founding board member and continues to serve in this capacity.

The PRCC will promote the quality of its wines by hosting media, trade and consumer events in Paso Robles and other key locations throughout California in 2016. CABs of Distinction Media & Trade Events, held April 12 - 14 at the newly opened Allegretto Vineyard Resort, will feature panel discussions led by distinguished sommeliers; comparative tastings of top Bordeaux producing regions; En Primeur and

J. LOHR OUT AND ABOUTJ. Lohr wines touch, and are enjoyed by, trade, media and consumers across the country as we participate in hosted gatherings and symposiums throughout the year. Our latest calendar highlights our presence in 150+ events throughout the U.S. and internationally in 2016!

You’re sure to find our winemakers and family members speaking on panels and sharing our wines with many. Below, we showcase just a few upcoming events throughout 2016:

• J. Lohr returns to the esteemed Pebble Beach Food & Wine March 31 – April 3 and to the Aspen Food & Wine Classic June 17 – 19.

• Join J. Lohr’s delicious presence at the International Chardonnay Symposium in Pismo Beach and Avila Beach, May 12 – 14.

• The International Cabernet Symposium draws a global group of Cabernet superstars June 20 – 23 in Napa, of which J. Lohr is proud to be a part.

• In partnership with Sunset magazine, J. Lohr exemplifies a quintessential California lifestyle experience both at Sunset Celebration Weekend May 14 and 15 and later this summer as a key sponsor of the Sunset Idea House, August 5 – September 11.

current vintage tastings, and tours of member wineries and vineyards. Media, sommeliers, restaurateurs, retail buyers, and other trade from around the country will be invited to participate in the celebration. Out-of-market events which the PRCC will participate in span from San Diego to Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara and more.

J. LOHR VINEYARD SERIES ADVERTISING

In August 2015, we launched a new advertising campaign designed to build brand awareness for the J. Lohr Vineyard Series tier for both trade and consumer audiences across print, digital, social media, and web.

“Sip Series”Consumer

The high-end luxury feel of this campaign is intended to elevate the consumer experience and perception of J. Lohr Vineyard Series wines. The woman in the ad could be in her late twenties to early forties, she’s polished and self-assured, enjoying a glass of J. Lohr wine. The tagline, “Love at first sip,” plays on the notion that you never forget your first sip, which is all it takes to fall in love with J. Lohr Vineyard Series wines.

“Restaurant Series” Trade

Intended to speak to wine buyers, sommeliers and restaurant managers, this ad is designed to show how the wines are presented to the consumer. The ad portrays the interaction between the restaurant staff and their patrons, with the simple tagline of “Excellent choice.” Supporting body copy reinforces sense of place, quality, and the limited-production of our J. Lohr Vineyard Series wines.

What is on the marketing and sales horizon for J. Lohr over the next several months of 2016? We are pleased to announce the kick-off of the #YouKnowJLohr campaign. The first com-ponents of the program will run from June – August 2016 and will highlight J. Lohr’s long-time and dedicated presence in Monterey, with an emphasis on J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay. The campaign will have extended reach from August – October 2016 when the #YouKnowJLohr program will levereage across our deep roots in Paso Robles and showcase our J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon.

A variety of tools, as outlined in the campaign sell sheet, will be produced to promote the program. Everything from neckers, shelf talkers, supporting print and digital advertising and branded merchandise will be available to help you promote the program! So what is #YouKnowJLohr? The campaign promotes that fact that it pays to know J. Lohr. J. Lohr isn’t just your go-to wine for every occasion, from impressing your first date to hubby’s night in the kitchen. It’s a friend, a neighbor, a time-honored member of the family. J. Lohr means quality, unbeatable flavor, and dependability you can count on, vintage after vintage. When it comes time to choose the perfect wine, you’ll always be glad that #YouKnowJLohr! Please contact your J. Lohr sales representative for further details on the program.

MEET KRISTEN Winemaker, White Wine

We were so pleased to welcome Kristen Barnhisel aboard the J. Lohr wine-making team in July 2015, just in time for her to get her bearings before a fast and furious harvest began. Known for her gifted palate and technical skill, Kristen uses her expertise with a range of white wine varieties, styles and winemaking methods to guide J. Lohr’s white wine portfolio. A graduate of UC Davis, Kristen has an impressive resume, which includes 8 years

as co-winemaker at Handley Cellars in Anderson Valley, and, prior to joining our team, she held the position of quality control manager at Inglenook, ensuring the wine quality of their flagship Cabernet, Rubicon, as well as Blancaneaux, the winery’s top white wine. When not working at our Greenfield facility, Kristen can most likely be found heading out on a rock climbing adventure. An avid outdoorswoman, she has climbed Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Whitney, and has Mt. Rainier up next on her to-do list. Luckily, there is great climbing in Greenfield’s backyard at Pinnacles National Park. Her energy and love for her craft are immediately apparent, and we look forward to her influence on our white wine program. “I love the challenge of making serious white wines that reflect their vineyard roots,” says Kristen. “It is incredibly rewarding to take an inherently transparent grape and to find that perfect place where fruit flavors, alcohol, texture and palate length all come into perfect balance.” J. Lohr President/COO and longtime Director of Winemaking Jeff Meier says of Kristen, “We are a winery that values leadership, experience and a willingness to experiment. From her work in multiple countries and appellations to her role as a director at the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, Kristen has shown a remarkable commitment to research and experimentation. She’s also a phenomenal winemaker.”

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If you have any questions about the content provided in Fresh Dirtor would like additional copies, please contact Rhonda Motil at rmotil@jlohr.com.

1000 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126jlohr.com

Most all of us can think of a wine or two we loved early in our career that somehow lost some swagger as the brand grew in size and allowed quality to slide. At J. Lohr we have not and will not allow that to happen to our wines.

Did you know that J. Lohr has doubled the case production of Seven Oaks Cabernet not once, but twice since the 2000 vintage? While we have enjoyed this growth in sales, we have done so with an abundance of respect for this hallmark wine by not only growing ever-better grapes each year, but by also keeping our barrel-purchasing program intact – we use the same percentage of new oak barrels today as we did over a decade and a half ago. If you’ve had the opportunity to come visit us and taken a tour of our winery in Paso Robles lately, you know… that’s a lot of barrels!

Fun Facts:

10 – the number of coopers producing barrels for Seven Oaks.

20 – the percentage of new barrels used each vintage for Seven Oaks.

25 – the number of cases of wine in a barrel.30 – the number of different barrel types used in

Seven Oaks.58 – the perfect Fahrenheit degree temperature in

the barrel room for aging Cabernet Sauvignon.400 – the average dollar cost of a new American

Oak barrel.36,000 – the number of barrels of 2014 Seven Oaks

Cabernet produced.

We believe that this kind of commitment to quality produc-tion is just another reason why people keep coming back for J. Lohr wines.

RED WINEMAKER STEVE PECK REFLECTS ON THE POWER

OF BARRELS