In the News
In the News
August 25, 2010
Press Release
Three Jeff Gordon Wines Awarded Medals at 2010 Indy International Wine Competition
Calistoga, Calif. (August 25, 2010) — Three Jeff Gordon Cellars wines have garnered awards at the 2010 Indy International Wine Competition.
The not-yet-released Jeff Gordon Collection 2006 Joie de Vivre, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, was awarded a Gold Medal in the Red Vinifera Blend category. The varietal will be available soon upon launch of the new Jeff Gordon Wine Club at www.JeffGordonWines.com.
In addition, Jeff Gordon Collection 2007 Ella Sofia Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and 2007 Ella Sofia Carneros Chardonnay were each awarded Bronze medals. Both wines were named in Gordon’s daughter Ella Sofia’s honor.
The Indy International Wine Competition is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States, the world's largest wine market. Jeff Gordon Collection entries were among nearly 2,700 wines in the competition. Wines from 15 countries as far away as France, Australia, Chile and Spain were judged on appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste by 14 panels of judges. In all, 52 judges from the United States and Canada evaluated the entries.
July 8, 2010
Press Release
Two Jeff Gordon Collection Wines Garner Awards at 2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition 
Calistoga, Calif. (July 8, 2010) —- Jeff Gordon Cellars is proud to announce that two of our wines have been awarded medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.
Our winners:
Silver Medal-- Jeff Gordon Collection 2007 Pinot Noir, Ella Sofia, Sonoma Coast (new release)
Bronze Medal-- Jeff Gordon Collection 2007 Chardonnay, Ella Sofia, Carneros
The San Francisco International Wine Competition, the largest, most influential international wine competition in America, is judged by a prestigious panel of nationally recognized wine experts. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure, ensuring competitive integrity as it remains the nation's most respected wine competition.
Celebrating its 30th year, the 2010 competition was held at the distinguished Hotel Nikko in the heart of downtown San Francisco on June 18, 19, and 20. Forty-six wine industry professionals convened to taste, score and rank nearly 4,000 wines submitted by 1,290 wineries in 27 countries and delivered their choices this past week.
Jeff and the staff at Jeff Gordon Cellars are thrilled to have received these honors for two wines that are very special to him, as they are named in his daughter Ella Sofia's honor.
June 21, 2010
Press Release
LATEST JEFF GORDON COLLECTION WINE RELEASE HONORS DAUGHTER OF FOUR-TIME NASCAR CHAMPION
First of four Ella Sofia commemorative varietals releases following high marks at Pebble Beach tasting event
Calistoga, Calif. (June 21, 2010) — On Sunday, Jeff Gordon released the first of four 2007 varietals of his wine to bear the name of his daughter, Ella Sofia. The debut of Jeff Gordon Collection 2007 Ella Sofia Carneros Chardonnay coincided with her third birthday and Father’s Day, making the release extra special to the four-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion.
“This wine is dedicated to my daughter, born in 2007—the only vintage of the Jeff Gordon Collection that will carry her name as it commemorates the happiness she has brought to Ingrid and me,” said Gordon. “I’m very excited about the release, especially since it occurred on her birthday and Father’s Day.”
The 2007 vintage is the fourth release of this most popular varietal. The grapes for this selection come from a 35 year old, Wente Clone Vineyard, planted on the Sonoma County side of Carneros, just south of the town of Sonoma. This wine is pale yellow, straw in color. Aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple & mango mingle with hints of ripe melon, green apple and toasty oak. This wine is well balanced with a full body and moderate oak. Flavors of passion fruit, caramel, and zesty citrus show through in the long finish.
The release follows a big week for Jeff Gordon Collection wine. On Wednesday, there was a private tasting party on the grounds of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with Gordon and winemaker Joe Briggs, followed by a visit to August Briggs Winery and rounded out with the launch of a new direct-to-consumer website.
The next Ella Sofia varietal to be released will be the 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, along with a 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, in July.
To order the new 2007 Ella Sofia Carneros Chardonnay and other available varietals of Jeff Gordon Collection wine, please visit www.JeffGordonWines.com.
June 8, 2010
Charlotte Observer
Toast of the Westin: Jeff Gordon wines
Charlotte hotel hopes to draw NASCAR fans with driver's namesake label.
By Brooke Sutherland
The May NASCAR races are over, but Jeff Gordon fans in Charlotte don't have to look further than their wine glass to get a taste of the big-name driver's work.
The Westin Charlotte hotel is the latest Charlotte venue to feature Gordon's namesake wine label. The hotel introduced the Jeff Gordon Collection Wine in early May and features five varietals on its menu.
"(The wines) are very well-received," said Brian Noel, director of food and beverage for the Westin Charlotte. "They're definitely for a finer taste, a finer palate, if you will."
Just around the corner from the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Westin is counting on Gordon's popularity among NASCAR fans to draw attention to both the wine and the hotel.
Read more: http://www.thatsracin.com/2010/06/08/38085/gordons-wines-to-give-westin-nascar.html#ixzz0t6YLauSB
April, 2009
Bon Appetit: In the Magazine- Jeff Gordon
An exclusive interview with the NASCAR champ and owner of Jeff Gordon Collection wines.
Interview by Melinda Page
When he's not doing 190-mph laps around the track, the four-time NASCAR cup champ splits his time between his home in North Carolina and Napa Valley, where he works on perfecting his Jeff Gordon Collection wines. The Carneros Chardonnay, Napa Valley Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon—and the latest release, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—are limited to 250 cases. But they have already popped up on wine lists at restaurants like Thomas Keller's Per Se and The French Laundry.
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/04/jeff_gordon#ixzz0orZSZ5L4
June 22, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle
Jeff Gordon- NASCAR Driver’s Devotion to Wine
By Deborah Grossman, Special to The Chronicle
The fast pace of Jeff Gordon's life would make most mortals dizzy. In May, Gordon roared past Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s record for most NASCAR wins and leapt into sixth position for career cup victories. Revving up for Sunday's Nextel Toyota/Save Mart 350 competition on the twisting, 10-turn course at Infineon Raceway, the Vallejo native is the cup points leader.
But whether he wins or not, his biggest celebration this week is the birth of his first child with his wife, model Ingrid Vandebosch. Ella Sofia Gordon was born on Wednesday.
What could complement the joy of the birth of his daughter and his shot at a fifth Cup Series Championship? Quaffing his just-released 2004 Jeff Gordon Napa Valley Merlot and 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/22/WIG1HQHTO21.DTL#ixzz0orVmX9Vx
June 20, 2007
Sacramento Bee
Fast food ... and wine: NASCAR star Jeff Gordon takes the pole position in the kitchen.
Byline: Debbie Arrington
Jeff Gordon realizes he's a rolling contradiction. With a taste for gourmet cuisine, the famed race-car driver is a wine sipper in NASCAR Nation.
In a sport known more for beer bellies and tailgate barbecue than cabernet and fine cuisine, the Vallejo native expects to enjoy great wine, food and racing this week when he returns to his favorite stamping ground. On Sunday at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway, Gordon will try to defend his title in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, a race he's won a record five times.
Gordon doesn't limit his wine country pit stops to once a year. With homes in New York City and North Carolina, he can be tempted to fly back to California for a great meal with a favorite chef.
Not afraid of the kitchen, he filmed a cooking segment for the Food Network with Napa's Victor Scargle, the former dean of Julia's Kitchen who now owns Go Fish in St. Helena.
The four-time Nextel Cup champion even has his own wine label, the Jeff Gordon Collection released by August Briggs Wines in Calistoga.
Read more here
October, 2006
Press Release
2005 Jeff Gordon Carneros Chardonnay Release
CALISTOGA, Calif. - The 2005 Jeff Gordon Carneros Chardonnay has just been released and is ready to enjoy. This is the second year of production for this highly acclaimed wine. Moderate crop levels, coupled with a late growing season, allowed these 30-year-old vines from a single vineyard just inside Sonoma County to produce grapes with tropical fruit aromas as well as flavors of citrus, melon, pear and honey. It is well balanced with a full, round finish. The wine was barrel fermented in 100 percent French oak. Only 249 cases were produced.
A limited number of wooden gift boxes, signed by Jeff Gordon himself and each bearing a hologram for signature authenticity, will be available in mid-November on a first-come, first-served basis. Each hinged box contains one bottle of the 2005 Chardonnay and two genuine Riedel Extreme Series Chardonnay glasses packed in soft foam. Individual bottles of wine and glasses are also available for purchase.
June, 2006
Press Release
Napa Valley Merlot and Cabernet Are Newest Jeff Gordon Collection Releases
CALISTOGA, Calif. – The second stage of the Jeff Gordon Collection of fine wines has been released for public sale. Two vintage 2004 red wines – Napa Valley Merlot and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, both having been anxiously awaited by consumers – are available in upscale retail shops, wine bars and restaurants. Neither is available in supermarkets. Only 199 cases of each varietal were produced for Jeff Gordon Cellars by August "Joe" Briggs of Briggs & Sons Winemaking Co., Calistoga, Calif., one of the nation's foremost makers of quality, esoteric wines. The first stage of the collection, Jeff Gordon Carneros Chardonnay, was produced in 2004, and the recently-released 2005 Chardonnay remains available. The third stage, a 2004 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, named Joie de Vivre and sold only in magnums, will debut in late 2007. The fourth stage, a 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, will be released in the spring of 2008. Each varietal will continue to be released at various stages of each succeeding year.
The Merlot was fermented in stainless steel for 14 days and then aged in French oak for 18 months and bottle-aged for 14 months. The fruit came from a single vineyard in the mountain foothills in northern Napa County. The wine is described as being very "big" in tannin and extraction. It's ready to drink now but has the anatomy to last for the long term. The Cabernet Sauvignon also was fermented in stainless steel for 14 days and aged 18 months in oak – 50 percent French and 50 percent American. It is much like the Merlot in stature but more elegant and rich on the palate, showing a complex construction of flavors that run from black currant and plum to a bit raspberry ripeness with a touch of toasted oak that transforms into a creamy finish.
November 15, 2005Wine Spectator
Fast Cars and Fine Wine: When NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon leaves the racetrack, he heads for wine country
By Bruce Schoenfeld
The most successful driver on the NASCAR circuit answers the door of his Charlotte, N.C., condominium in a gray knit shirt and black slacks, not cowboy boots and jeans. His living room is filled with the punk-pop jangle of Yellowcard's "Ocean Avenue"—more Southern Californian than Southern. A magnum of Opus One sits on a kitchen counter, flanked by a bottle of Hourglass and a bottle of Hundred Acre, two boutique Napa Cabernets. There isn’t a beer can in sight.
Read more
October, 2005
Press Release
Announcing the First Release of Jeff Gordon Collection Wine
CALISTOGA, Calif. - The 2004 vintage of Jeff Gordon Carneros Chardonnay, the first release of a series of wines in the Jeff Gordon Collection, is now available. Only 201 cases were made and, therefore, highly allocated in order that it may be enjoyed by as many of Jeff's fans as possible.
The Chardonnay can be obtained via Internet order on a first-come, first-served basis. Simply click on www.Reids.com for further instructions.
The wine will also be available, in limited quantities, in selected restaurants and retail stores in California, Colorado, Indiana, New York and North Carolina. Additionally, as an item commemorative of this first release, 105 wooden gift boxes, each personally signed and numbered by Jeff himself, will be available exclusively at www.Reids.com. The boxes, branded with the Jeff Gordon name and logo and with a rope carrying handle, contain one bottle of the Chardonnay and two Riedel Crystal glasses embossed with Jeff's name and logo.
March, 2005
Press Release
Jeff Gordon Announces Winemaking Venture
CALISTOGA, Calif. – Jeff Gordon will market a series of upscale wines under a label bearing his own name, the championship race car driver announced today. Gordon, a celebrity who often appears as co-host on "Live With Regis and Kelly" as well as making frequent appearances on other network and cable television shows, said the first wine, a 2004 Carneros Chardonnay, will be available in October, 2005. Two red wines, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a Napa Valley Merlot, also of the 2004 vintage, will be released after proper aging, in January, 2007.
From that point, Chardonnay will be released each October and the Cabernet and Merlot each January. The wines, labeled Jeff Gordon Collection, are being made by August "Joe" Briggs, owner of Briggs & Sons Winemaking Co., of Calistoga at the north end of the world-famous Napa Valley. "These wines are not intended to be a novelty item, and they are not connected whatsoever with souvenir sales," said Gordon. "Instead, they're being sold in the 'fine wine' market such as restaurants and upscale wine shops." "Production is very limited, and this is one of the reasons I chose Joe Briggs to make the wines. All of Joe's August Briggs brand of wines are consistently very good because Joe limits his production in pursuit of the highest quality." Initially, the wines will be sold in only a few states. Fine Wine Trading Company of Charlotte, N.C., has been chosen as the exclusive broker. "Jeff has shown himself to be a champion in all his endeavors and I'm happy to be making his wines," said Briggs. "Jeff likes quality and so do we here at August Briggs. I like to make a lot of different wines and in small quantities so I can keep the quality high. I choose grapes from areas where the variety is best grown. I want the fruit and the essence of each vineyard to stand out, to define the wine." In later vintages, Gordon is considering adding other varietals, possibly a Pinot Noir, Syrah and Petite Syrah. Gordon began his wine experience 11 years ago and his enthusiasm with fine wine has continued to grow. Now he wants to play a bigger part.
"We're going to have a great wine in a great looking package," Gordon said.
