Kendall-Jackson and La Crema were designated Preferred Wines of the Kentucky Derby and will be poured at all Churchill Downs Racetrack events from 2021 until 2024, beginning with Derby Week anchored by the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2021.
When founder Jess Jackson started Kendall-Jackson in the early 1980s, he quickly became a pioneer in the California Chardonnay movement. His first vintage of the signature Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay was rich in style and it became the benchmark for this leading variety.
Out of this newfound success as a vintner emerged the opportunity to expand and acquire other wineries, such as La Crema. The two sister wineries became powerhouses, setting precedent in the wine industry for their unwavering commitment to quality and land stewardship, and leading the wine category in popularity year after year.
Kendall-Jackson has been the No. 1 selling Chardonnay in America since 1992 and La Crema’s impact on the wine industry is equally significant by helping to establish prominence for the enviable winegrowing region of Russian River Valley. More notable, La Crema played a fundamental role in propelling single-vineyard wines from cool-climate appellations and was an integral part of the Sonoma Coast’s rise to winemaking fame as one of the first wineries to craft Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this previously unfamiliar region.
“Our winemaking reputation is built on a vision that through a commitment to excellence, hard work, and integrity, you can accomplish great things,” said Barbara Banke, Chairman and Proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, the family-owned wine company that founded Kendall-Jackson winery in 1982. “Not only do we embrace these ideals as the backbone of our 40-year wine business, but also our approach to Thoroughbred horse racing. To bring two of our greatest passions together on the global stage at the Kentucky Derby is monumental for us, and we couldn’t be happier to be partners with Churchill Downs.”
The Jackson family’s storied legacy in winemaking runs deep, and while many wine enthusiasts across the nation recognize Kendall-Jackson as the makers of America’s favorite Chardonnay, and La Crema, as one of the pioneering wineries in Russian River Valley, the family’s endeavors in the elite horse racing world are lesser known.
Inspired by the world of horse racing, Jackson ignited a life-long dream in 2005, when he and Banke established Stonestreet Farm on premium farmland in the famous bluegrass hills of Lexington, Kentucky. Since then, Stonestreet Farm has been named the leading North American commercial breeder of Thoroughbred yearlings nine times. Stonestreet has bred and raised the winners of 80 graded stakes including record-setting Gamine and champions Good Magic, Lady Aurelia, and My Miss Aurelia, and enjoyed racing the Hall of Fame inductees Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.
“To have passionate leaders in the horse racing community like Barbara Banke and the Jackson family support the Kentucky Derby with Kendall-Jackson and La Crema, two of their most prominent, critically-acclaimed wineries, just reinforces the tradition of excellence to which we are committed here at Churchill Downs,” said Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack.