The former land use and constitutional law attorney spent more than a decade arguing cases before the United States Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal. In addition to the flagship Kendall-Jackson Winery, Barbara and Jess developed two dozen small, high-image wineries located in Sonoma, Napa, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Mendocino counties, including Arrowood, Byron, Cambria, Cardinale, Carmel Road, Edmeades, Freemark Abbey, Hartford, La Crema, La Jota, Lokoya, Matanzas Creek, Stonestreet and Verite. The Jackson Family Wines portfolio also includes the international properties of Chateau Lassegue in Bordeaux, Tenuta di Arceno in Tuscany, Calina in Chile and Yangarra Estates in Australia.

Barbara is also a passionate advocate for education in California. The active philanthropist co-founded the Sonoma Paradiso Wine Auction, the United States’ third largest wine country charity, and helped build the Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa. Today she serves as a founding board member for Sonoma Academy, a Santa Rosa-based independent college-prep high school recognized for its rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum.