The Crush - February 2019 - 8

[ WGA LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON ]

2018 Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award
JERRY LOHR HONORED FOR HIS NEARLY 50 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND ACHIEVEMENT
Jerry Lohr, of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, was honored with
the third annual 2018 Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award.
The award recognizes an individual who has made major
contributions to the American grape and wine industry and
research, while emulating Smith's defining traits of passion,
commitment and collaboration.
Lohr received the award during a presentation by Claudia, Jason
and Kacy Smith at the Winegrape Growers of America (WGA)
Leadership Luncheon on Jan. 30 in Sacramento - during the
Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. The award is co-sponsored by
WGA, National Grape Research Alliance and WineAmerica.
"It is an honor to present this award to Jerry," said the Smith
family. "His decades of dedication to the industry and all its
facets - research, marketing, policy, science and more - have been
integral to the success of our industry nationwide. Jerry and my
dad sat on many boards and shared a similar passion to do what
is best for the winegrape growing community in a selfless and
dedicated way that is hard to replicate. It gives the family great
pleasure to share this award with Jerry in my dad's name."
Lohr is respected universally by his peers for his intimate
understanding of California winegrowing and for his vast
knowledge, with which he can address all facets of winegrowing,
from the day-to-day details of vineyard management to leadingedge viticultural research. An industry leader and one of the few
remaining substantial independents, he is a fervent advocate for
the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County and for Paso Robles.
Lohr's dedication goes beyond J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. His
work on behalf of the entire industry has included former posts
as director and chair of Wine Institute and chair of the Monterey
Winegrowers Council. He is one of the four founding members of
Wine Vision, an industry group that promotes a long-range view
of the wine industry. Lohr founded the National Grape and Wine
Initiative (now National Grape Research Alliance), a coalition
representing grape growers, processors, wineries and academic
institutions committed to improving the industry. In addition, he
served as founding director, four-time president and marketing
committee chair of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers
Association, and as director and marketing committee chair for
the Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association.
During the past decade, Lohr has received myriad accolades,
including the UC Davis Award of Distinction, California State
Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, CAWG Lifetime Achievement

8 / FEBRUARY 2019

Lawrence Lohr, Jason Smith, Kacy Smith, Jerry Lohr, Claudia Smith and Steve Lohr.

Award, Wine Enthusiast Magazine's American Wine Legend Wine
Star Award and Wine Business Monthly's Innovator of the Year
Award.
ABOUT THE AWARD: Rich Smith was a tireless leader and
advocate for each of the three organizations. He was founder
and co-owner with his wife, Claudia, of Paraiso Vineyards and
Smith Family Wines in California's Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.
He was widely known and revered for his passion for the wine
and grape industry, his commitment to enhancing its future, and
his collaboration with colleagues to achieve collective goals. To
select the award recipient, all three organizations and the Smith
family submitted nominations and, together with the previous
two winners, made the final selection. It is not required that the
recipient be associated with any of the three organizations, just
that he or she has made major contributions to the American
grape and wine industry while demonstrating qualities consistent
with Rich Smith's memory.

The Crush - February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Crush - February 2019