ABOUT JEFF: As a lifetime farmer, Jeff Gargiulo has always been passionate about the land and agricultural, and today that passion is focused on the joys of grape growing and fine wine making. 30 years ago though, he and his wife Valerie only dreamed of one day building a premier wine estate. That dream took shape in the early 1980s when Jeff and Valerie and their young family traveled to Napa Valley to visit Valerie's cousins, Barney and Belle Rhodes. Napa Valley icons, Barney and Belle Rhodes had been in the Napa Valley since the late 1960s growing grapes in Rutherford at Bella Oaks Vineyard. Jeff and Valerie were inspired by their cousin’s Napa Valley lifestyle and confident that with their help and Jeff’s agricultural knowledge they would make some of the finest wines in the world. Twelve years later and with countless hours of coaching from Barney and Belle, Jeff and Valerie purchased their first vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley, Money Road Ranch in 1992. Seven years later they purchased their second Oakville property, 575 ovx.
From the beginning, the Gargiulo’s committed themselves to creating a world class Cabernet Sauvignon wine estate. From his years spent farming, Jeff Gargiulo, knew that if he didn't start with the very best land, he could never expect to grow the best grapes. For this reason, the Gargiulo's chose Oakville to establish their namesake winery. Then, like today, Oakville was considered to be amongst the preeminent places to grow Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. The very first vintage of Gargiulo Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon was 2000, and since then Gargiulo Vineyards has quietly taken its place among the most highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon producers in Napa Valley. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Jeff, Valerie, daughter, April and the entire Gargiulo Vineyards’ team continue to strive to make Gargiulo wines the most pure and breathtaking expressions of their two esteemed Oakville vineyards.
AUCTION NAPA VALLEY 2014 JUNE 5-7: Each year brings a new magic to Auction Napa Valley. An intangible mingling of extraordinary Napa Valley wines, memorable meals from talented chefs, the beauty of our landscape at every turn, the music and design and, of course, the thrill of bidding on one-of-a-kind Napa Valley wines and experiences, all coming together in an original way each year since 1981.
The alchemy of Auction Napa Valley, however, lasts much longer than four days in June, with Auction proceeds changing lives for years and even lifetimes through funding for community health and youth education in Napa Valley.
Join us as we celebrate the spirit of our unparalleled Napa Valley wines, hospitality, vineyard and hillside scenery, and, ultimately, the generosity our guests and vintners in making the often seemingly impossible, possible.
Born in Colorado in May 1972—the same day his parents, Tom and Sally Jordan, signed the deed on their first Alexander Valley property and established Jordan—John Jordan has served as Chief Executive Officer of the winery since October 2005.
The Jordan family permanently moved from Colorado to California in 1979 to live on the winery estate. John attended grade school in Healdsburg and spent many nights and weekends fishing at the winery’s lake. An interest in airplanes arrived during preparatory school, and John earned his Private Pilot Certificate in Sonoma County at age 17. Before leaving home for college, John attained his Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings, and type ratings in Gulfstream and Citation aircraft.
John studied economics in college, then attended law school. He is a 1995 graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles and a 2002 graduate of Empire College School of Law in Santa Rosa, Calif. During college, he continued to feed his passion for flying and received his Airline Transport Pilot License at age 23 (minimum age requirement). While studying law, John also attended graduate school and received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of San Francisco in 2002. He also served in the military reserves in his twenties and thirties.
After passing the California Bar Examination in December 2002, John joined the Santa Rosa-based law firm where he’d worked as a clerk in college, then opened his own private firm in Sonoma County in 2004. In 2005, John stepped away from his thriving law practice to oversee day-to-day operations of the family winery. John moved back to the property in 2006, then built a home overlooking the lake where he grew up fishing.
With a commitment to preserving the foundation on which his parents successfully built the Jordan brand–elegant, balanced wines and exceptional hospitality—John has utilized his business acumen and philosophy to reenergize the winery. He has built upon Jordan’s brand equity by fostering a culture of excellence where passionate, knowledgeable people are encouraged to perfect their respective crafts every day. From energy-efficient roofs, solar arrays and water recycling to fruit sourcing, extended bottle aging, soil-mapping studies, iPad integration and the overall hospitality experience, John has elevated the winery’s relentless commitment to quality in every aspect of the business.
In 2010, John co-founded a technology company that specializes in digital wine list solutions for restaurants. He also created the John Jordan Foundation in 2012—a private, charitable foundation focused on income stability and educational attainment, which funds projects in elementary schools for literacy and technology, as well as micro-loan programs for low-income families to launch small businesses.
When not running the winery or traveling the country to champion Jordan wines, John enjoys flying his Piper Cub and fishing for bass on Jordan lake. He also serves as a professor at the Empire College School of Law, and speaks German and Russian. He shares his hillside home with Labradors he adopted from a local shelter.
