Joe Montana sacked again...

Back in September I wrote about the healthy community of formal NFL greats that have transitioned to lives in viticulture (click here for article). In my wildest dreams I could only wish to be in the position that these men find themselves, playing in the NFL and then living the gracious life in Napa, Sonoma or Washington State. Unfortunately, it looks as if one member of that elite group has decided to bail out.

While reading Winespectator.com, I came across a blurb that in my opinion is unfortunate, although the details surrounding this are not known. I thought some of you would be interested in this follow-up:

There's been a lot of talk about football player-owned wine labels lately, so it came as somewhat of a shock this week when Unfiltered learned that one of the leading names in the merging of gridiron greats and grapes may be getting out of the business. NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana and his wife, Jennifer, have put their Tuscany-inspired wine estate in Calistoga, California, on the market. The asking price for the 500-acre property and 9,700-square-foot home is $49 million. You may also remember Montagia, a Howell Mountain Cabernet blend that the Montanas collaborated on with Beringer winemaker Ed Sbragia. Unfiltered suspects that Montana may have proved the old adage true: If you want to make a small fortune in the wine business, start with a large one.

Don't forget to check back on Monday for the first of seven Thanksgiving wine pairing installments!

Joe Montana sacked again...

Athletes & Wine: The NFL

Wine Spectator recently ran a column, Are You Ready for Some Football (Wines)? , that is certainly right up many NFL fans’ alley. They highlighted some of the former players that have taken heavily to a wine lifestyle since retiring. It is surprising to see some of the names involved and hopefully this list continues to grow.

For those of you who doubt that an NFL player can make great wine, don’t think that they are going it alone. They have enlisted great winemakers to either mentor or partner with them in their journey. Winemakers such as Thomas Brown (of Schrader), Chris Figgins (of Leonetti), Rob Lawson (of Ghost Block) and the legendary Ed Sbragia (of Beringer), highlight the wealth of winemaking knowledge involved. This should not be surprising as great players realize the importance of having a great team (both on and off the field).

Unfortunately, current NFL rules forbid active players from discussing/promoting alcohol (it is simply an endorsement situation, the NFL just wants to be in control of it). Just imagine the active role wine has in many of these players lives, be it well-developed cellars, part-ownership in restaurants and wineries, and possibly as part of their investment portfolios. I look forward to hearing more as the years progress.

A couple weeks back I wrote a piece about current NBA player Zaza Pachulia’s recent purchase of trendy Atlanta wine restaurant Eno. As I alluded to then, any time an athlete embraces the wine lifestyle, I find it very appealing. Athletes have a way of appealing to most casual wine drinkers in a way that Robert Parker, Jim Laube and Hugh Johnson simply cannot. If you said “who?” to the names just mentioned, then I have proved my point. There is the potential that this type of exposure to non-wine drinkers will hopefully convert a few new wine lovers to our side.

I encourage you to read the Wine Spectator piece; it is a nice synopsis of former greats that have succumbed to the allure of the vine.

Listed below is a condensed list of former NFL personnel that are now involved in winemaking:

Charles Woodson (Current Green Bay Packer CB) – TwentyFour Wines
Rick Mirer (former Seattle Seahawk and Oakland Raider QB) – Mirror Wine
Drew Bledsoe (former New England Patriot and Buffalo Bill QB) – Doubleback Winery
Joe Montana (Hall of Fame quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers) – Montagia
Dick Vermeil (Legendary NFL coach) – Vermeil Wines
Mike Ditka (Hall of Fame player and coach) – Mike Ditka Wines
Carmen Policy (Former San Francisco 49ers president) – Casa Piena

Image Sources:
Charles Woodson - http://deadspin.com/5026974/nfl-to-charles-woodson-only-we-can-endorse-alcohol
Drew Bledsoe - http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Wine-Talk-Drew-Bledsoe_4361

Athletes & Wine: The NFL