Her career began just out of college, when a burgeoning interest landed her a job as a server at Danny Meyer's famed Gramercy Tavern in New York City. From there, she expanded her interest in wine to work in various capacities, first for a wine importer, then moving to Napa Valley, where she immersed herself in the nexus of U.S. winemaking.
Pickral, who has held various roles over the past decade, is now the brand ambassador and educator for Jackson Family Wines, a global collection of vineyards and wineries that in addition to Califonia, includes properties in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, France, Italy, Chile, Australia, and South Africa.
This year, Pickral will be in attendance at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, where she’ll select wines to showcase during two events: the Bread-Making Master Class hosted by Sullivan Street Bakery, and a dinner hosted by Dean Fearing, Jonathan Waxman, and Juan Cabezas.
If you won’t be joining Pickral at the festival (both events are sold out), you can still pick up a few pointers: The master sommelier shared tips for enjoying the latest wine trends and what’s new for 2022 from Jackson Family Wines, including a growing range of under-the-radar regions and sustainable wineries.
Sustainable Wines
Try: Wines from Carmel Road, Cambria Estate, Matanzas Creek, and Penner-Ash Wine Cellars“Not many people know that Jackson has a long history of environmental responsibility, and even works to support other wineries to follow suit,” Pickral says. “The company’s plan to fight climate change encompasses a wide range of goals that stand as some of the most ambitious efforts ever from a global wine producer.”
In 2021, Jackson Family released one of the largest sustainability reports in the wine industry. Entitled "Rooted For Good," it outlined the company’s efforts to act on various areas of impact — from greenhouse gas emission reductions, land conservation, and supply chain management to renewable energy development, water conservation, and zero-waste initiatives.
Today, Jackson Family's boldest commitment is to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2030 and become "climate positive" by 2050 — a goal to not only achieve net-zero emission of greenhouse gases but also to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
If you’re concerned about how your imbibing impacts the environment, Pickral suggests supporting the Rooted For Good initiative by purchasing vintages from Jackson Family wineries that are part of the efforts, including Carmel Road (Monterey), Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery (Santa Barbara), Matanzas Creek Winery (Sonoma), and Penner-Ash Wine Cellars (Oregon).
California Sauvignon Blanc
Try: 2020 La Crema sauvignon blanc ($25)While varietals and wine trends are known to flow in and out of popularity, a recent newcomer is quickly outpacing other options in the white wine category, according to Pickral.
With supply-chain issues slowing the sale of wines from New Zealand, the gap has opened the door for Jackson Family to showcase the potential of California sauvignon blanc as an emerging category and a solid offering in its own right.
“The climate and soils of northern Sonoma County are ideal for producing world-class Bordeaux varietals, particularly sauvignon blanc,” notes Pickral, adding that La Crema’s new offering offers hints of subtle fruit and delicate acidity without the grassy herbaceousness typical of other regions. “It’s an exciting new offering that’s crisp and refreshing.”
Following a small test release last year, Sonoma County-based La Crema is making a sauvignon blanc that is being made available to a national audience. Established in 1979, the winery is best known for chardonnay and pinot noir.
Oregon Chardonnay
Try: 2018 Gran Moraine Yamhill-Carlton chardonnay ($85)Although its Oregon wineries — the first of which was acquired in 2012 — account for less than 5 percent of Jackson Family Wines’ production, they've become integral to the company’s portfolio.
The Oregon chardonnay is part of a new wave of wines being produced in the maritime climate known for its cooling winds and sandstone-volcanic soil that make for an ideal grape-growing landscape.
Oregon ranks third among the nation's top wine-producing states, trailing only California and Washington. Many of Oregon's 400-plus wineries specialize in the most planted grape of the region: pinot noir.
“Over the past few years, it’s been very fun to be a part of developing and marketing those wineries like Gran Moraine and WillaKenzie,” Pickral says. “The idea was not to change these mom-and-pop producers, but rather invest some capital to elevate and expose them to more consumers.”
Part of that has been supporting new varietal initiatives, including Oregon chardonnay, with plantings that are uniquely different from what you’ll find further south. While Oregon has hung its white wine hat, so to speak, on pinot gris, the Jackson Family exposure has given a handful of wineries access to cloned chardonnay vines from Burgundy, Pickral says, and they’ve performed extremely well.
“Think of wine from Chablis: tons of acid-driven notes of lemon and underripe fruit, making these wines incredibly light, food-friendly, and absolutely delicious,” Pickral says. “These wines are beautifully made, well-balanced, and deserve a wider audience. They’re really the archetype of what Oregon chardonnay is quickly becoming known for.”
Bread-Making Master Class Hosted by Sullivan Street Bakery. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, February 26, at Sullivan Street Bakery, 555 NE Fourth St., Miami. Sold out.
Dinner Hosted by Dean Fearing, Jonathan Waxman, and Juan Carlos Cabezas. 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, February 24, at Fuego y Mar at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, 1 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. Sold out.
