Bon Jovi Takes Cover of Wine Spectator

Jon Bon Jovi and son Jesse Bongiovi are the founders of rosé sensation Hampton Water. The family is also deeply involved in charitable efforts, with multiple projects to feed the hungry and house the homeless. The October 31 issue of Wine Spectator, on newsstands now, profiles Jon Bon Jovi’s journey—from New Jersey kid to musician, father, and working force for good.

Below are a few highlights from the amazing cover story!

BON JOVI on the future of Hampton Water: “It is [our] intention to double our sales by next year, and then to double them again two more years after that. I still see such a long runway for Hampton Water and even for the rosé category.

On avoiding the hedonistic rock star lifestyle: Other bands “lived a much wilder life than I ever will, but we were certainly nowhere in the milk-and-cookies club, either.”

On his philanthropy efforts through the pandemic: “Last year we benefited food charities in order to help those affected by the COVID crisis and we also did our Hampton Water online concert where I did an acoustic performance…We will do [an online concert] again this year in support of the Roots Fund, which supports minorities who want to get into the wine business and provides scholarships for them.”

On his wife of 32 years, DOROTHEA HURLEY, who he calls the “Zen master”: “Whether it was her upbringing or martial arts background or the choice of the books she reads, it’s her kind of calm that allowed me to have stormy weather in my head or in my heart throughout my life.”

DOROTHEA HURLEY on the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a non-profit Community Restaurant, run by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, that serves paying and in-need customers: “We are a model where we ask our customers to pay-it-forward, and those who are in need are asked to participate at the restaurant, because when they participate, we learn about them and see what barriers they are facing and we create a community so that they have a sense of belonging.”

JESSE BONGIOVI on the Hampton Water brand: “We wanted to make something that a young person would say, ‘This is fun, this is affordable, this is still aspirational,’ and an older adult would say, ‘This is quality, this is cool, this is new and different and from a slightly different region.”

GÉRARD BERTRAND, the French winemaker who collaborated with Jon and Jesse to launch Hampton Water, on the first time he met them: “I had to double check what their priorities were, but they convinced me that they didn’t want to make a celebrity product. Rather, they had ambition to create a real brand with a real concept.”

About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches over 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 15,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.