A portion of proceeds from the “Triskelion” pinot, created alongside the Momtazi Vineyard, will go to the Social Change Fund United.
The NBA doesn’t just have a “wine culture”; it has a wine infatuation. From LeBron James to Jimmy Butler to CJ McCollum to the wine cellar wizard himself, Gregg Popovich, the Association has absolutely no shortage of out-and-out vino heads. What we haven’t yet seen, however, is a wave of players with their own brands and labels.
On Friday, Seth Curry aims to change that with a very special Oregon pinot noir.
In collaboration with the family-run Maysara Winery in McMinnville, Oregon, May 7 marks the release of the Triskelion, a 2016 pinot that has a chance to do some serious good.
“I started to really like wine when we moved to Portland,” Curry told Boardroom about signing with the Blazers in the summer of 2018. “I had been a casual drinker for a while, but had never had pinot noir. When we moved up there, I learned more about pinot noir, and specifically Oregon pinots. I like how light pinots are in comparison to [cabernets] and still pack full flavors.”
He may ply his trade in Philadelphia now, but when the opportunity arose to work with the Momtazi family that runs Maysara Winery, the opportunity felt like something of a wide-open corner three.
“This collaboration is different because of the way this wine is made,” he said. “Maysara practices low-impact, holistic farming methods, and the wine is certified Biodynamic,” a practice that not only refrains from using synthetic chemicals in the winemaking process, but treats the whole vineyard as a living, breathing ecosystem.
Curry is only beginning to embark on what could become a lucrative journey into the wine world, but this isn’t just meant to be a revenue move. As part of the project, Curry and his wife, Callie, are teaming up with Social Change Fund United, a community organization that pursues equality and equity through supporting and investing in communities of color.
“Callie is one of the co-founders of the Social Change Fund United, so through her, I have learned an enormous amount about the fund and the work they do and was excited when there was an opportunity to bring them into this,” he told Boardroom.
A portion of the proceeds from Triskelion will go to SCFU , which also includes Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony among its co-founders.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
“Advocating for and investing in Black people through long-term policy solutions, community representation, and narrative change is something that is extremely important to both of us. I am hoping that the proceeds from this wine that go to SCFU are able to help accelerate their work,” Curry said.
And to help spread the word, the Philly guard will wear a pair of UnderArmour Curry 8s for the 76ers’ Friday night game against the Pelicans custom-designed by Kickstradomis and highlighting the Maysara Winery and Social Change Fund United.
So, with this big news in mind, who’s the biggest wine snob on the 76ers?
“Tobias Harris,” Curry said with zero delay.
Fair enough. Like any great vineyard, you gotta have room to grow.
