Kendall-Jackson released two co-branded, limited-edition wines to honor a partnership in which Kendall-Jackson is the Preferred Wine of the Kentucky Derby. Blending the Jackson family’s legacy for award-winning winemaking and Thoroughbred horse racing, the commemorative Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the first of several releases planned to launch annually, leading up to the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in 2024.
“Our family’s legacy in winemaking runs deep, and while many wine enthusiasts across the nation recognize Kendall-Jackson as the makers of America’s favorite Chardonnay, our family’s endeavors in the horse racing world are lesser known,” said Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor, Jackson Family Wines. “Jess’ [Jackson] passion for horse racing was ignited as a young boy when he watched Seabiscuit win the 1938 Bay Meadows Handicap from atop his uncle’s shoulders. Many years later, our success in the wine business afforded us the opportunity to indulge in his passion, which is now mine, for Thoroughbred racing.”
The Jackson family opened Stonestreet Farm, a Thoroughbred horse breeding and training operation, in 2005 on premium farmland in the famous Bluegrass region of Lexington, Ky. Since then, Stonestreet has become the leading North American commercial Thoroughbred breeder of yearlings 10 times. This year’s limited-edition Kentucky Derby x Kendall-Jackson wines will prominently feature the Kentucky Derby icon along with an artist’s rendering of Stonestreet’s homebred champion Good Magic, who ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and finished second behind Justify, who went on to win the Triple Crown.
“It feels like a natural connection to bring our two great passions together on the global stage at the Kentucky Derby. Although Good Magic is now retired, we wanted to highlight his remarkable accomplishments,” Banke said.
Available for purchase online and in select retailers nationwide, the commemorative Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines highlight two of California’s coastal winegrowing regions: Kentucky Derby x Kendall-Jackson 2020 Mendocino County Chardonnay ($17 SRP) and Kentucky Derby x Kendall-Jackson 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($28 SRP).
Kendall-Jackson wines will be poured at all Churchill Downs Racetrack events and highlighted in a variety of events as one of the Preferred Wines of the Kentucky Derby through the 150th Run for the Roses in 2024. Each year, consumers can expect to see new commemorative bottles as part of this multi-year partnership with Kentucky Derby.
In addition to this year’s special release wines, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Sonoma County will host a Kentucky Derby watch party on Saturday, May 7, the official West Coast Kentucky Derby celebration. The event will showcase everything to love about the Derby, including fashion contests, an on-site milliner, and Derby-inspired Southern cuisine paired with award-winning Kendall-Jackson wines. Tickets to the watch party can be purchased at www.kj.com/events/kentucky-derby-party.