May 6 2007
In this part of the country ‘A Taste of the Truth’ can usually be had after enough drinks at the recreational occasion of your choice. The start of the party season usually begins in the month of May—beginning with a bang with the Kentucky Derby taking place about two hours south of Indianapolis, in Louisville, KY and ending with a roar with the Indianapolis 500 at the end of the month over Memorial Day weekend.
May is one of the nicest months of the year in the Midwest—temperatures are moderate, the humidity doesn’t cling in the air like a thick, choking water blanket and bugs are refreshingly limited. May also happens to be a great time to sit outside and drink some wine—or some mint juleps, the signature drink of the Derby. Though, perhaps, grabbing a Budweiser if you go to the track for 500 is your best bet.
What, you ask, is my drink of choice for this 31 day precursor to the summer months? Generally speaking, in lieu of a mint julep or a cold, frosty one, I prefer a nice Riesling or a Chardonnay; perhaps some Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve—a tasty, reliable quaff.
Speaking of a K-J quaff, congratulations are in order for Jess Jackson, a horse lover of some repute and owner of Kendall-Jackson, for his third place finish at the Derby this past weekend. Though, if you asked him for a ‘Taste of the Truth’—the signature tag line to his K-J wine advertising campaign, after his defeat, you may not care to hear the response.
Curlin, Jackson’s horse acquired in February for a reported $3.5M, was the odds on (7-2) favorite to win the race according to an article in the Santa Rose Press-Democrat found here.
Third place, by all accounts, however, is a respectable job.
Despite the crushing defeat at the Derby, Jackson still has a lot to be proud of. In fact, May ’07 represents the 25th anniversary of Kendall-Jackson. Their onslaught of advertising continues, as well, touting “A Taste of the Truth” becoming near ubiquitous.
Two interrelated facts exist that link good wine and good horses and that’s provenance. Wine must come from good vines in good soil and good horses come from a line of good horses.
Jackson seems to understand the essential truth of provenance for both of his passions in spades
Trading California wine country “terroir” for Kentucky bluegrass seems to suit Jackson, but he doesn’t seem to have forgotten what helped him find such success.
Open any food and wine oriented magazine and you’ll see the aforementioned Kendall-Jackson advertisements—most of the ads center on the unique or interesting aspects of the land from which the grapes come for Kendall-Jackson.
One recent ad from K-J regarding terroir says:
Terroir can be defined as that mystical melding of light, water, soil, air and human touch. It’s is a definition I often use. The simple fact is, you must have a world-class grape in order to make a world class wine. And when it comes to grapes, their source, the land is what matters.
In fact, in support of this, a member of the K-J team published a book called “The Art of Terroir” off press just the other day, May 3rd, which highlights photography of the K-J vineyards.
In addition, Jackson is quoted in a recent Appellationamerica.com article saying
“We have to bring each generation of American consumers up to the knowledge and ability to make their own choices and accept responsibility for what they’re choosing. Unless they know where the good grapes come from … consumers should be educated to know that wines from Mt. Veeder or Howell Mountain are where great grapes come from.
“Terroir cares.”
Terroir may care, but a whole lot of consumers do, as well. K-J is one of the few nationally distributed brands (Bogle being another) that I pick up with some regularity. Congrats to Jess Jackson for understanding quality and provenance and a commitment to excellence—a commitment that yielded the valiant effort at the Derby and has sustained his growing wine business through 25 years of success. That’s ‘A Taste of the Truth’ we can all appreciate.
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