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In his early 20s, when other NBA players indulged in the traditional libations of young professional athletes, the guardian of the Portland Trail Blazers, CJ McCollum, was introduced to wine by the woman who would later become his wife.
Lemonade was his favorite drink, he said. But a delicious glass of vino piqued his interest. Then a visit to a winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, known for its Pinot Noir, made him a wine lover.
That simple introduction followed when he and his wife, Elise, bought 318 acres of land last month to build their own winery in Oregon.
“I’m fortunate that basketball took me to Oregon, just a short drive from one of the best wine regions in the country, and took my existing passion and knowledge of wine to new heights,” said McCollum, 30. “In Playing Portland has given me the opportunity to immerse myself in the Willamette Valley and Pinot Noir deserves a special place in my heart. “
McCollum embodies a movement among NBA players who enjoy wine beyond a glass at dinner. All-stars like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony of the Los Angeles Lakers, Chris Paul and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, and big-name players like Retired Channing Frye, Josh Hart of the New Orleans Pelicans, Moe Harkless of the Sacramento Kings and Seth Curry of the Philadelphia 76ers are all immersed in wine culture. Hall of Fame guardian Dwyane Wade has had his own Wade Cellars brand since 2014.
Their commitment speaks for another level of socialization in a developing industry that has long had a snobbish reputation. These black athletes study to be connoisseurs, investors, owners – all with the underlying goal of improving access to wine and opportunities for blacks.
According to a survey by SevenFifty, an online marketing survey company, of 3,100 industry experts in 2019, only 2 percent identify as black. Less than 1 percent own wineries, according to another study in July.
“This is a different approach now from NBA players,” said Gary Mortensen, president of the Stoller Wine Group in Oregon. He consulted with McCollum and Anthony about wine and McCollum’s winery purchase. “It really means leadership for CJ by going out and carefully finding the right property. If he buys it now he can plan exactly what he wants and that’s really exciting. And so this will be his entire process. He bought the piece of land that is ideal for Pinot Noir. It was a very smart purchase. “
In addition, Mortensen said, “What I love about what I see from people like CJ is that they understand their leadership role and what they do to the wine industry in terms of opportunity and visibility for people of color and the underprivileged in general. You’re making an industry that wasn’t that accessible in the past accessible, and that’s really, very important. “
Last year McCollum launched its own brand, McCollum Heritage 91 – a Pinot Noir that sold out in 45 minutes – and instantly participated in the One Barrel Challenge, described as “a collective dream of making Oregon’s wine industry more accessible and inclusive, regardless of skin color, class or creed”.
Seven wineries – including McCollum’s Chosen Family label and former NBA player Channing Frye – take on the challenge of using the proceeds of 300 bottles donated per brand in efforts to break down racial barriers in the wine industry from a consumer and employee perspective.
“Since I announced my label a year ago, I’ve learned more and more about the lack of representation in the wine industry,” said McCollum. “I want to make sure wine is more accessible to everyone, especially those who may not see people who look like they are in the business.”
Frye said the intent of the challenge is “to inspire change and increase diversity among those pursuing careers in our beloved craft, and our commonality in giving back is wine.”
Hart, 25, got into wine when his Lakers teammate James brought and shared vintage bottles on road trips. Hart’s interest grew quickly and he worked with Wine Access, an online wine retailer, to establish the Diversity in Wine Scholarship Program, which aims to achieve Level 1 certification from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) for 100 people of discovery and development encourages blacks, indigenous people, and coloreds in the wine industry through the Napa Valley Wine Academy.
Angela McCrae, creative director of an entertainment company in New York, earned a Diversity in Wine Scholarship in 2020. Because of the pandemic, the certification took place online in Napa, but “It really broadened my knowledge of wine. â€
She founded the Uncorked and Cultured wine group on Facebook to promote black people’s education about wine. “And this certification from Josh Hart and the Napa Valley Wine Academy,” she said. “I was able to take a group of 15 black wine enthusiasts and professionals to Napa for the Juniteenth. It really changed the way attendees experienced wine as a beginner and as a consumer. That’s all because a black NBA player makes a commitment. “
Travis Stanley, the president and CEO of the Napa Chamber of Commerce, who served 25 years as the NBA executive, said he was impressed with today’s players breaking the boundaries of wine consumption in black communities and creating opportunity. “I don’t remember seeing any great, or even social, wine drinkers in my 25 years in the league,” he said.
“And if you look at the age and maturity of the players who really got involved, it’s not just about consumption. It’s about using their influence to meet the winemakers and industry leaders and go behind the scenes to learn all about the industry. “
Stanley, who plans to launch his own wine project in 2022, said he regularly hosts or meets NBA players in Napa, which is no longer an anomaly. “I’m looking forward to the day someone takes the plunge and becomes a full owner of a winery here in Napa,” he said. “You hear chatter from current and former Afro-American players who are ambitious to have their own sports team. But I guarantee they would like it much better to own a great winery in the greatest wine region in the world. “
Harkless embraced the wine world as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2015-2019. He began by attending wine tastings on days off with teammates. Finally, he hosted “Wine Wednesdays” on James’ Instagram platform Uninterrupted.
Now a member of the Sacramento Kings, Harkless has partnered with The Prisoner Wine Company of Napa, whose parent company Constellation Brands donated more than $ 100 million to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit group committed to redeveloping the criminal justice system. Harkless’ platform, Black Lives Now, has partnered with The Prisoner to bring about systemic change.
“For me, basketball and wine are both business opportunities that require a lot of study, understand the complexities, learn the different strategies, analyze the competition, and invest time to learn the ins and outs,” said McCollum. “But the most incredible thing about wine is the way it brings people together.
“By participating in the NBA, I have a platform to not only create awareness, but also to bring about change. I am proud that my teammates have made a similar commitment. “
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