Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis admits that he was never that interested in wine when he was younger, despite growing up surrounded by wine culture in Málaga, Spain, with a wine-collecting father (Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Arvydas Sabonis).
"I didn't start getting more into wine until my last year in Indiana,” the three-time All-Star told Wine Spectator. “But once we got traded to Sacramento, we wanted to plant our roots in Napa.”
After the 2022 trade, he and his wife, Shashana, purchased a home in Napa Valley. Lured by Cabernet Sauvignon, it wasn't long before their love for their new home spurred deeper curiosity. "We really wanted to get involved with the community, and everyone here is into wine, so we started learning," said Shashana, a co-founder of several Los Angeles–area dance studios and a former dancer for the Los Angeles Lakers.
A Friendship Followed By A Wine
Shortly after settling in, the couple connected with Nickel & Nickel winemaker Joe Harden, who also makes the wines for Diamond & Key, the wine project of four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson and MLB Gold Glove infielder Nolan Arenado.
A friendship began to form as they became repeat visitors to Nickel & Nickel, learning the x's and o's of making wine. "That's when we decided we wanted to do this for ourselves. We wanted to be a part of every single process and not miss a beat because doing everything hands on is how we learn," said Shashana.
"They are super passionate about wine and deeply interested in all facets. They have taken no shortcuts and are doing it the right way," said Harden, adding that they have spent a lot of time with him in the vineyard and cellar.
Hobby Becomes A Business
While the Sabonises’ move to Napa ignited their interest in winemaking, the plan wasn't to make a business out of it. They first made a small amount for family and friends, but the recipients' enthusiasm for the product spurred them to do more.
Launched on Nov. 14, the Ones inaugural release is a 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard on Howell Mountain. The property is CCOF-certified organic and farmed with regenerative agriculture. It retails for $125, available exclusively at onesbysabonis.com. The bottle features a hand-dipped purple wax seal, a nod to the Sacramento Kings, and the name is Domantas’ nickname, based on his jersey number, 11.
"My name is very hard to pronounce. I've had millions of nicknames, such as Domas and Dodo. And Ones was one of my nicknames back in Indiana that kind of stuck," he laughed. "I said, if we ever make something, Ones, it's a good name. It's easy, quick, catchy: ‘What are you drinking tonight?’ ‘Ones.’"
Sabonis joins fellow NBA players CJ McCollum and Kevin Love in the wine business, along with former players Carmelo Anthony, Tony Parker and Dwyane Wade, among others. For now, Domantas and Shashana want to keep their project small. They are planning to plant vines around their Napa home, so there may be additional wine in the future.
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