Born in France Raised in the Hamptons Hamptons

By Joseph Palmisano

We sat down with Hampton Water Wine company co-founder Jesse Bongiovi. Jesse, being a life-long Hamptons vacationer, developed a love for the Hamptons area so much so that he and his dad-rocker Jon Bon Jovi, came upon the idea to develop a rosé wine that would capture the essence of the Hamptons. As the story goes, Jesse and friends were hanging out at home drinking rosé wine, dad liked to call it “pink juice.” Jesse is like, “dad, no one calls it that.” Well, dad basically said, “then come up with a different name for it.” Jesse came back with Hampton Water. His dad loved the name and said, “that’s a good name for a rosé wine.” He left Jesse tasked with coming up with a business plan and if it sounded good, maybe he’d go in with him and bring out a new rosé to the market. As a graduate of Notre Dame, a business plan was easy-peasy. Jesse produced, dad liked, and the rest is history.

How did you get started?

We reached out to friends in the industry who were able to put us in contact with winemaker Gérard Bertrand. We didn’t think he’d work with us but, after many hours of conversation, he warmed up to the idea and invited us to France to check out how wine is made there.

So, Jesse, why rosé, not red, white, or chardonnay wine?

It was what I saw people drinking in the Hamptons. I felt that a rosé wine was approachable, obtainable, and appealing both in taste and price.

You’re not a sommelier, how did you learn the ins and outs of wine and wine making?

We spent copious amounts of time at U.S. and French wineries learning all that we could from the farmers, to the winemakers, and everyone in-between. How did you decide on your awardwinning formula? It has earned 90-point ratings multiple times from Wine Spectator.

We conducted multiple blending sessions. Tasting, tasting, tasting, until we got the taste we were looking for.

Why the name Hampton Water?

Because the Hamptons are a way of life. You have a unique stopper, ‘cork,’ called a Vino-Lok. It’s made of glass, not natural or synthetic cork, why?

First, this makes the bottle 100% recyclable. Also, you don’t need a corkscrew. You use your thumbs to release it from the bottle and you’re ready to drink. This makes it the ultimate get together drink. Be it at home, at the beach, or on a boat, you don’t have to worry about opening it. It’s ready when you are. It keeps the wine air-tight, and it won’t leak.

You have a unique label, how’d it come to be?

It’s symbolic of the Hamptons. A diver diving into the blue ocean water. With the sun behind the blue waves, the label works as either a sunrise or sunset, depending on when you are drinking it.

What pairs best with Hampton Water? Another glass! Lol! All kidding aside, it goes well with everything.

Three words that describe the Hamptons for you.

Fun, Beautiful, and Ocean.

Describe the perfect Hamptons day. Drinking Hampton Water, hanging out at the beach with friends, eating oysters, clams, and mussels straight off the BBQ. That’s my type of day!

IG: @Hamptonwater www.Hamptonwaterwine.com