Jerry Lohr receives Wine Enthusiast’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award
The founder of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has been recognized for more than five decades of work in American wine, from developing Paso Robles and Arroyo Seco to advancing sustainable viticulture, education and research.
Wine Enthusiast has named Jerry Lohr, founder and CFO of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, the recipient of its 2026 Wine Star Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor recognizes more than five decades of contributions to American wine, including his role in developing Paso Robles and Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco, his leadership in sustainable winegrowing, support for viticultural education and research, and commitment to family ownership and local communities.1
Lohr began traveling to Monterey County in the late 1960s and made his first vineyard plantings in the early 1970s. He initially sought to grow, make and bottle Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco, later adding Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. The company credits his early investment with helping the two emerging areas become internationally recognized appellations and creating opportunities for growers, winemakers and agricultural communities.1
From South Dakota farming to California wine
Raised on a family farm in South Dakota, Lohr developed an early connection to agriculture and land stewardship. His education and professional experience in civil engineering and homebuilding subsequently informed an approach that combined scientific inquiry, farming knowledge and entrepreneurship in California’s developing wine sector.1
Lohr said the award recognized not only his original vision for Arroyo Seco Chardonnay and Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, but also his family’s and team’s continuing work to improve viticultural and enological practices and serve wine consumers. He said the Lohr family intended to carry that work forward.1
Sustainability, education and industry leadership
In 2002, Lohr worked with Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers on the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices, which later provided the foundation for the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. His approach linked conservation of natural resources with the economic and social welfare of agricultural communities.1
His support for education and research includes the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Fermentation Room and J. Lohr Sensory Room at UC Davis; the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine & Viticulture and the Lohr Family Winery at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, opened in 2021; and the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering and Jerome J. Lohr Building at South Dakota State University.1
Lohr’s industry service has included terms as a director and chair of Wine Institute, the founding of the Monterey Winegrowers Council and four terms as its chair, roles with the Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association, and involvement in establishing Wine Vision and the National Grape and Wine Initiative.1
Breast-cancer screening and family succession
After Lohr’s wife, Carol, died in 2008 from complications related to breast cancer, the family created the J. Lohr Touching Lives initiative with National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Supported by sales of J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard wines and by distributor, retail and consumer partners, it has contributed more than $1 million directly to the foundation and helped finance more than 8,000 mammograms for women who might otherwise lack access to screening.1
Jerry Lohr’s children Steve, Cynthia and Lawrence are now co-owners of J. Lohr, with daily executive responsibilities for the independent, fully vertically integrated winery. President and CEO Steve Lohr said his father’s legacy encompasses both the Central Coast’s development and the opportunities created for generations of growers, winemakers, students and communities.1
Jerry Lohr will turn 90 on January 1, 2027. The company says he remains active in its vineyards and wineries, as well as in educational institutions and wine-industry organizations.1
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Founded by Jerry Lohr in 1974, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines remains family-owned and operated. It grows, makes and bottles wine from more than 4,000 acres of Certified California Sustainable estate vineyards in Arroyo Seco and the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County, Paso Robles, and St. Helena in Napa Valley.1
The producer lists eight ranges: J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, J. Lohr Cuvée Series, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Gesture, J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine, J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Monterey Roots and ARIEL Vineyards.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
