Lake Oswego native and NBA star Kevin Love is the latest athlete to make his way into the winemaking industry. This week, Love announced on his Instagram that he is joining Chosen Family Wines to partner alongside co-owner and Trail Blazers fan favorite Channing Frye.
This new wine chapter for Kevin Love has been in the works for years, and Frye is excited to have his former teammate as a business partner. “We talked about this on planes, over dinner, on the bus,” Frye said in his latest Instagram post. “I joke but I’m happy you’re here. You saw what we started in 6 months and I’m hype for what the next years will hold.”
Frye launched Chosen Family Vineyards last fall, debuting with a 2018 Oregon Pinot Noir and a 2019 Oregon Chardonnay. The company has since added a rose and a syrah to its lineup.
“This is a passion project,” says Frye about the winery. “I get excited talking about this every day. In my office at home, I have my championship ring, and then right next to it is my first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottles. The three things that for me, outside of my family, I’m the most proud of.”
Love and Frye are also joined by winemaker Chase Renton and businessman Jacob Gray as the four partners of Chosen Family Wines. “Chosen exists to connect people to each other, and the best life has to offer through wine,” goes the winery’s motto.
Find out more about Love’s latest endeavor and more on Chosen Family wines by heading over to the brand’s official website.
Other athletes to enter the wine and spirits world include Lebron James, who, back in November launched Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal in the United States and Mexico. Named after the Spanish word for “wolves,” the brand celebrates the strength of the pack and is led by Founder and Chief Creative Officer Diego Osorio and Chief Executive Officer Dia Simms. Inspired by a centuries old distillation process, the brand launches with Extra Añejo, Reposado, Joven and Mezcal Artesanal offerings.
