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.”
姚明酿造葡萄酒，但是他的体形并不适合待在葡萄酒窖里。对于那些深知他的人来说，这可能并不让人感到惊讶，因为这位休斯顿火箭队（Houston Rockets）的篮球明星身高7英尺6英寸。实际上，在他为球队效力的最后一个赛季里，姚明依然是NBA最高的球员。退役后他过上了忙碌的生活，在祖国中国攻读经济学学位，同时在纳帕谷酿造葡萄酒，这真是个有趣的组合。姚明认为得克萨斯牛排激发了他对葡萄酒的热情，他解释说，“在得克萨斯州，人们以喜爱牛排而闻名，牛排通常要搭配美味的葡萄酒。我品尝过几种优质的纳帕谷葡萄酒，有时是队友和朋友共进晚餐，有时是慈善活动和其他聚会。这是我第一次开始喜欢葡萄酒。”
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.
姚明带着他的热情投入了葡萄酒行业，成立了以酿酒师汤姆•辛德（Tom Hinde）为首的酿酒团队，创办了姚家族葡萄酒公司（Yao Family Wines）。我们很容易就将其视作那种只不过贴着名人标签的装瓶厂——从表面上来看，还真是如此。不过真理永远藏在葡萄酒瓶里。鉴于姚明对得克萨斯州牛排的喜爱和他魁梧的身材，我预计这款葡萄酒会成为颇有影响力的重量级产品。在我的设想中，我没有意识到姚明作为中国人，对于世间万物的活力和平衡的重要性拥有根深蒂固的文化审美情趣，就连葡萄酒也是如此。平衡的确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.
我最近与朋友共进晚餐时，品尝了2009姚明纳帕谷赤霞珠（Cabernet Sauvignon）葡萄酒。实际上，我在餐桌上放了其他几瓶葡萄酒，但是客人总是转而品尝姚明的葡萄酒。这款葡萄酒散发着浓郁的樱桃香味，具有柔和的口感和良好的架构，让这个漫长的夜晚变得非常有趣。这瓶葡萄酒的酒精度仅为14.2%，很好地体现了丰富的层次和典雅的色泽，具有丰富的果香，每次品尝都能感受到一丝温暖的香味。这位身高7英尺6英寸的传奇巨星不仅擅长投篮命中，他还酿造了出色的葡萄酒。这给我留下了深刻的印象，我给身在中国的姚明发了电子邮件，他亲切地谈论了他对葡萄酒、篮球和纳帕谷的看法。
Was there a particular moment when you knew that you wanted to make wine?
问：是否有个特别的时刻，你突然意识到自己想从事葡萄酒的酿造？
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：当我意识到我可能无法再打篮球的时候，我开始思考我在球队效力的时候很喜欢的东西。在那个时候，中国市场也在发现优质葡萄酒的好处，不过大家知道的大多都是波尔多（Bordeaux）等法国葡萄酒。我在美国的时候，对纳帕谷葡萄酒很了解，所以我觉得我可以向大家介绍一些新的东西。当我获得机会生产自己的葡萄酒时，这是非常令人兴奋的事情。我被引荐给很多重要人士，包括我目前的团队和酿酒师汤姆•辛德，我觉得这将是个有趣的机会。
Why did you decide to make wine in Napa Valley specifically?
问：你为什么决定专门在纳帕谷酿造葡萄酒？
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：我看到了把纳帕谷的优质葡萄酒引进到中国的大好机会。纳帕谷葡萄酒是我最欣赏的葡萄酒，我想把这种口味带回到中国。我也想酿造让我感到自豪的葡萄酒，不仅和中国人分享这些美酒，也和他们分享纳帕谷的文化风情；带来享用葡萄酒和美食的传统，让家人和朋友欢聚一堂。纳帕谷是我去过最美丽的地方之一，这也是我希望在当地生产葡萄酒的原因。
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?
问：你在酿造这款葡萄酒的时候有什么想法？你想创造一种备受推崇的经典美酒，还是寻求别的目标？
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：中国人正在培养他们对优质葡萄酒的鉴赏品味，目前人们对法国葡萄酒的印象相当深刻，大家开始发现加利福尼亚葡萄酒的好处。中国的葡萄酒爱好者非常渴望了解葡萄酒，他们对葡萄酒知识求知若渴。有机会帮助中国人更深入地了解纳帕谷葡萄酒，这对我来说是非常令人兴奋的事情。就我而言，葡萄酒意味着发现和享受美酒的过程。谈到葡萄酒，中国消费者的求知欲很强。他们不仅要享用葡萄酒，而且希望理解葡萄酒的内涵。我也有同样的感觉。我开始的时候品尝了很多葡萄酒，很快就发现了我喜欢和最欣赏的葡萄酒。我希望了解葡萄酒酿造的过程，如何种植葡萄，一个葡萄产区与另一个产区的不同之处。我希望能够引发人们对纳帕谷和葡萄酒的兴趣。对于我来说，美酒佳肴能够带来朋友和家人团聚的感受；让我们拥有幸福的时光，留下共同美好的回忆。这让人们放慢生活节奏，帮助你充分体会彼此相伴的感觉。