Santa Miller came early this year.

Broncos linebacker Von Miller gifted every player in the AFC West — including practice-squad players and those on injured reserve — with a bottle of custom wine and a thank you note. That’s more than 200 bottles.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, called The Setting, was created by Jesse Katz, a Boulder native and Fairview High grad, who founded Devil Proof Vineyards and Aperture Cellars in California. (Katz also created a custom blend for the wedding of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.)

On the label of each bottle is an orange outline of eye-glasses, Miller’s signature accessory, and his autograph. And shipped with each was a note that read:

It is an honor and a privilege to take the field and compete with you twice a year. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity to fulfill our childhood dreams of playing in the NFL. The blood, sweat, aches and pains, and endless hours spent watching film are a testament to the love and dedication we have for this game. So take a moment, reflect on all your successes, and enjoy your accomplishment. Appreciate those who have helped you get this far, and start working towards your next childhood dream.

Thank you for helping to make our game great!

— Von Miller

Miller, who gives his teammates gifts each year during the holidays, said he had been thinking of ways to treat other players in the division for a long time.

“The AFC West has been good to all of us,” he said. “It has been a great division in football for these last four years. I was just thinking of stuff that I could do for those guys on others teams. And I got guys on every team. So I just kind of organized it and, boom, sent every guy on the team a bottle of wine.

“I thought about all types of stuff, from cars, trips to Vegas, vacations,” he added jokingly. “The wine sounded about right.”

The single-barrel blend, from a vineyard in Alexander Valley, Calif., took Katz about a month to create. The bottling was all done by the hand, and the label was chosen from about 25 different options as he and Miller sought a design that would best represent him and his foundation.

“The Setting was a label I had started just recently and when Von came and wanted to do something unique for this we thought that it would be a perfect label to kick off the brand with,” Katz said. “And also The Setting was all about the setting in which you’re enjoying the wine and who you’re surrounded with. So it fit the reason Von was giving the wine as gifts to all his fellow players in the AFC West.”

Katz has become known for his Cabernet blends, but he identified as a loyal Broncos fan long before he entered the winemaking business. When he was 10 years old, his father, Andy Katz, a photographer, snapped a shot of Jesse and John Elway that appeared on 100,000 Aquafina bottles. At Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, Calf., Jesse’s Devil Proof wine was served in the luxury boxes of Levi’s Stadium.

“I was born and raised in Boulder, so I’ve been a huge Bronco fan my entire life,” Jesse said. “Undoubtedly my favorite player in the NFL right now is Von Miller. So I was very honored when the project was presented to me. I’m a big fan of football and it seems people in football are also big fans of wine.”

Miller made 100 remaining bottles of the wine available for purchase on his site, VonMiller.org. The first 100 donors to contribute at least $500 to Miller’s foundation, Von’s Vision, will receive a voucher for a bottle. Every $20 raised will allow a Denver-area child receive eye care.