We’re back with the second and final installment of our series on NFL’ers and wine. Missed the first one? You can find it here. If you’re like us and still making those last-minute Super Bowl plans you can also get ideas for wines to pair with traditional game-day eats here. Last week we learned about Charles Woodson and how he got into California wines and this week, it’s all about Will Blackmon, the NFL Wine Guy.
Will Blackmon
Who: Will Blackmon played football at Boston College and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 draft by the Green Bay Packers. While in the NFL, he also played for the Giants, Seahawks, Jaguars, and Redskins.
His wine game:
Blackmon was originally introduced to wine by his college roommate, Matthias Kiwanuka. Wine helped them both relax after the end of a long day. While with the Green Bay Packers, Blackmon was a teammate of Charles Woodson’s. They started going to dinner together with other teammates, sharing life, food, and wine. And the rest is history...
First down:
During one offseason while playing for the Redskins, Blackmon worked part-time at a vineyard in Virginia; he learned how to plant, transplant, and care for the vines, as well as how soil, climate, and terroir affect the wine. Blackmon became a certified sommelier and after retiring from the NFL started building his future business venture: a personal wine concierge business targeted to professional athletes, but which also engages those who simply love football and wine.
Current play:
Blackmon recently launched The Wine MVP, a collaboration with The Wine Exchange. The Wine MVP covers “personal wine buying, educational opportunities, wine travel, private events, and a monthly subscription box.” Blackmon says that when it comes to fine wine, he wants to “make everyone an MVP.”
Interested in The Wine MVP? Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. We don’t know about you, but we love anyone who appreciates a glass of wine as we do. Cheers to good company, and great wine.
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