探訪NBA球星姚明的葡萄酒莊
Yao Ming makes wine, but he doesn’t really fit in the cellar. This probably isn’t a surprise to those who know him best as the 7’6″ Houston Rockets basketball player. In fact, during his final season he was the tallest player in the NBA. Retirement has kept him busy pursuing an economics degree in his native China and making wine in Napa, an interesting combination to be sure. Ming credits Texan steaks for inspiring his wine passion, explaining that, “In Texas, they are famous for their steaks, which are usually paired with great wine. I tried some excellent Napa Valley wines at dinners with teammates and friends, charity events, and other get-togethers. This is when my passion for wine first started.”
姚明釀造葡萄酒，但是他的體形並不適合待在葡萄酒窖裏。對於那些深知他的人來說，這可能並不讓人感到驚訝，因爲這位休斯頓火箭隊（Houston Rockets）的籃球明星身高7英尺6英寸。實際上，在他爲球隊效力的最後一個賽季裏，姚明依然是NBA最高的球員。退役後他過上了忙碌的生活，在祖國中國攻讀經濟學學位，同時在納帕谷釀造葡萄酒，這真是個有趣的組合。姚明認爲得克薩斯牛排激發了他對葡萄酒的熱情，他解釋說，“在得克薩斯州，人們以喜愛牛排而聞名，牛排通常要搭配美味的葡萄酒。我品嚐過幾種優質的納帕谷葡萄酒，有時是隊友和朋友共進晚餐，有時是慈善活動和其他聚會。這是我第一次開始喜歡葡萄酒。”Ming took his passion and ran with it, setting up a winemaking team, led by winemaker Tom Hinde, in Napa and starting Yao Family Wines. It’s tempting to label this wine as just another celebrity bottling—and on the face of it, that’s true. But the real truth is always, always in the bottle. Given Mr. Ming’s passion for Texas-sized steaks and his considerable stature (I just can’t help but wonder if his parents did anything other than cook and buy groceries) I expected this wine to be a big heavy hitter. In my assumptions I failed to appreciate that Mr. Ming is also Chinese and hence enjoys a deep-rooted cultural appreciation for the vitality and importance of balance in all things, even wine. Balance is indeed at the core of Yao Ming’s wines.
姚明帶着他的熱情投入了葡萄酒行業，成立了以釀酒師湯姆•辛德（Tom Hinde）爲首的釀酒團隊，創辦了姚家族葡萄酒公司（Yao Family Wines）。我們很容易就將其視作那種只不過貼着名人標籤的裝瓶廠——從表面上來看，還真是如此。不過真理永遠藏在葡萄酒瓶裏。鑑於姚明對得克薩斯州牛排的喜愛和他魁梧的身材，我預計這款葡萄酒會成爲頗有影響力的重量級產品。在我的設想中，我沒有意識到姚明作爲中國人，對於世間萬物的活力和平衡的重要性擁有根深蒂固的文化審美情趣，就連葡萄酒也是如此。平衡的確是姚明葡萄酒的核心要素。I poured the 2009 Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at a dinner with friends recently. In fact I placed several other bottles on the table but the guests kept returning to Yao’s wine. The tart cherry notes, supple mouthfeel and lovely structure kept it interesting all evening long. Coming in at a mere 14.2% alcohol, the wine is poised nicely between richness and elegance with loads of full-bodied fruit and a fine thread of warm spice in each sip. Not only is the 7’6″ marvel of humanity good at hoops, he can also make a serious wine. Impressed, I emailed Yao in China and he kindly shared his thoughts on his wine, basketball and Napa.
我最近與朋友共進晚餐時，品嚐了2009姚明納帕谷赤霞珠（Cabernet Sauvignon）葡萄酒。實際上，我在餐桌上放了其他幾瓶葡萄酒，但是客人總是轉而品嚐姚明的葡萄酒。這款葡萄酒散發着濃郁的櫻桃香味，具有柔和的口感和良好的架構，讓這個漫長的夜晚變得非常有趣。這瓶葡萄酒的酒精度僅爲14.2%，很好地體現了豐富的層次和典雅的色澤，具有豐富的果香，每次品嚐都能感受到一絲溫暖的香味。這位身高7英尺6英寸的傳奇巨星不僅擅長投籃命中，他還釀造了出色的葡萄酒。這給我留下了深刻的印象，我給身在中國的姚明發了電子郵件，他親切地談論了他對葡萄酒、籃球和納帕谷的看法。
Was there a particular moment when you knew that you wanted to make wine?
問：是否有個特別的時刻，你突然意識到自己想從事葡萄酒的釀造？Yao Ming: When I realized that I might not be able to play basketball much longer, I began to think about things I would enjoy when I was done playing. China was also discovering fine wine at that time, but mostly French wine like Bordeaux. I knew about Napa Valley wine because of my time in the US, so I felt I could help introduce people to something new. When I was presented the opportunity to have my own wine, it was very exciting. I was introduced to a lot of great people, including my current team and our winemaker Tom Hinde, and I felt it would be an interesting opportunity.
姚明：當我意識到我可能無法再打籃球的時候，我開始思考我在球隊效力的時候很喜歡的東西。在那個時候，中國市場也在發現優質葡萄酒的好處，不過大家知道的大多都是波爾多（Bordeaux）等法國葡萄酒。我在美國的時候，對納帕谷葡萄酒很瞭解，所以我覺得我可以向大家介紹一些新的東西。當我獲得機會生產自己的葡萄酒時，這是非常令人興奮的事情。我被引薦給很多重要人士，包括我目前的團隊和釀酒師湯姆•辛德，我覺得這將是個有趣的機會。Why did you decide to make wine in Napa Valley specifically?
問：你爲什麼決定專門在納帕谷釀造葡萄酒？YM: I saw a great opportunity to introduce fine wines from Napa Valley to China. Napa Valley wines are the wines that I enjoy the most, and I wanted to bring a taste of that back home to China. I want to make wines I am proud of, and to share them with Chinese people, but also share the culture of Napa Valley; the traditions of enjoying wine with food, and bringing family and friends together. Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve been, and that is also why I wanted my wine to be from there.
姚明：我看到了把納帕谷的優質葡萄酒引進到中國的大好機會。納帕谷葡萄酒是我最欣賞的葡萄酒，我想把這種口味帶回到中國。我也想釀造讓我感到自豪的葡萄酒，不僅和中國人分享這些美酒，也和他們分享納帕谷的文化風情；帶來享用葡萄酒和美食的傳統，讓家人和朋友歡聚一堂。納帕谷是我去過最美麗的地方之一，這也是我希望在當地生產葡萄酒的原因。What did you have in mind when you were making this wine? Did you want to create a cult classic or were you seeking something else?
問：你在釀造這款葡萄酒的時候有什麼想法？你想創造一種備受推崇的經典美酒，還是尋求別的目標？YM: The Chinese people are developing their taste for fine wine, and while French wines have made quite an impression already, people are starting to discover California wines. Chinese wine lovers are eager to learn about wine, they are knowledge hungry. To be given the opportunity to help people in China learn more about Napa Valley is very exciting for me. For me, wine has been about discovery and enjoyment. Chinese consumers have an eagerness for knowledge when it comes to wine. Not only do they want to enjoy wine, but they want to understand it. I am the same way. I first started by tasting many wines, and I soon discovered what I liked and enjoyed most. I wanted to know the process of how wine is made, how the grapes are grown, what makes one location different from another. I hope I spark an interest in Napa Valley and in wine in general. To me wine and food invokes a feeling of friends and family coming together; having great times and making memories together. It slows people down and helps you to fully appreciate each other’s company.
姚明：中國人正在培養他們對優質葡萄酒的鑑賞品味，目前人們對法國葡萄酒的印象相當深刻，大家開始發現加利福尼亞葡萄酒的好處。中國的葡萄酒愛好者非常渴望瞭解葡萄酒，他們對葡萄酒知識求知若渴。有機會幫助中國人更深入地瞭解納帕谷葡萄酒，這對我來說是非常令人興奮的事情。就我而言，葡萄酒意味着發現和享受美酒的過程。談到葡萄酒，中國消費者的求知慾很強。他們不僅要享用葡萄酒，而且希望理解葡萄酒的內涵。我也有同樣的感覺。我開始的時候品嚐了很多葡萄酒，很快就發現了我喜歡和最欣賞的葡萄酒。我希望瞭解葡萄酒釀造的過程，如何種植葡萄，一個葡萄產區與另一個產區的不同之處。我希望能夠引發人們對納帕谷和葡萄酒的興趣。對於我來說，美酒佳餚能夠帶來朋友和家人團聚的感受；讓我們擁有幸福的時光，留下共同美好的回憶。這讓人們放慢生活節奏，幫助你充分體會彼此相伴的感覺。
