As a player from the non-NBA factory of Lehigh University, Portland’s CJ McCollum blazed a trail for himself to the NBA.
But he’s also been blazing a path adjacent to his ball career, this time in the wine business.
Last year, in partnership with Adelsheim Vineyard, McCollum launched his McCollum Heritage 91 wine brand. The company released two subsequent wines, a rosé and a chardonnay. The latter helped raise money for the Maurice Lucas Foundation.
Now CJ, along with his wife Elise, took the business a step further and purchased land in Oregon for their own vineyard.
The 318 acre site is located in Carlton, Oregon. It will house a vineyard and maintain the land’s existing nursery.
“My wife is a big fan of the nursery, which is a staple of the property. We want it to continue to thrive with some upkeep and additions,” said McCollum.
Elise introduced wine to McCollum in his early-20s and his love for it blossomed into a business, one that continues to grow and evolve.
“We have big plans that definitely go beyond pinot noir,” said McCollum in a phone interview with Oregon Live.
McCollum is the latest NBA player to purchase a large plot of land for a new business.
Former Suns and Knicks forward, Aamr’e Stoudemire, purchased farmland and runs his own farm in update New York.
Like Stoudemire, McCollum has planned for his post-NBA career and this venture is a big part of his plans.
The McCollums expect to plant the new vineyard in late 2022 and anticipate planting roughly 100 acres of grapevines.
With that much space, could a winery be next?
“Tentatively, it is part of our initial plans. The vines are always going to come first, though,” said McCollum. “You purchase something, you close on it. Then you start surveying the land and building your business by consulting with a wide variety of experts. I’m looking forward to the challenge of making world-class wine in a world-class vineyard.”
