I love wine.  I also love hockey. Now normally one does not associate the refinement and elegance of sipping a fine Napa Cabernet Sauvignon or a crisp Pinot Gris with the rough and gritty sport of hockey.  Hockey is more a beer sport, fueled by the grease of chicken wings, hard-boiled eggs behind the bar and gallons of Molson Canadian.

It seems like the sophisticated air of the oenological world would not mesh well with the philistine-like culture of hockey, but I think this is changing.  Here are just a few examples…

• Boston Bruin Mark Recchi has a 1,000 bottle wine cellar.  Mario Lemieux got him started and a Montreal Canadians trainer got him hooked even more, wooing him with fancy wine and cheese parties.
• A picture of David Krejci is the label for Italian winery Vignamaggio’s new Chianti Classico
• The NHL Alumni Association has a whole Signature Wine Series feature bottles with NHL greats like Pat Lafontaine, Bobby Hull, Gordie Hull, Bobby Clark and others on the label.
• The “Great One”, Wayne Gretzky, has his own winery in Ontario and has been making wine since 2007.

Also, my Little Brother (aka LB) happens to work at a very nice Napa Valley winery where he has tasted with players and owners from the Blackhawks and Sharks and NHL legends like Ray Bourque, who reportedly purchased quite a bit of wine for his Boston restaurant from said vineyard.

Even the Winter Classic is getting in on the action.  Duckhorn Vineyards has produced 500 cases (6000 bottles) of its delicious Napa Valley Decoy Merlot in honor of 2011 Winter Classic. This is what Pants and Dawn will be drinking while watching the game on 1/1/11.  Ladies, I have had the Decoy Merlot and it is DELISH!  I bet it will taste even better when sipped out of these…

Do I ever think that hockey and the NHL will let go of its “beer-and-pizza” image?  No, and I’m totes okay with that.  I love beer and pizza.  But I am hopeful that more and more hockey fans will venture into the world of wine and start to appreciate what all those French and Italian dudes have for hundreds of years.  Trust me folks, wine (and quality wine at that) is worth tasting and enjoying.  And if I can’t convince you, maybe he can…

À votre santé!

Until next time…Chuck out.

P.S. Sorry I’ve been MIA.  Pesky graduate school classes….

PANTS IS ADDING SOMETHING! Sorry for the post hack, Chuck but I can’t post a photo in the comments.  Mike Green has a wine room in his condo. Oh yes.  This… I… censored.  I could not possibly ever be drunk around Mike Green unless I want to go to jail.

One for him, one for Pants.