有句歌词我心起波澜:世界上最高的红酒商：姚明

       世界上最高的红酒商：姚明

The NBA star has launched Yao Family Wines; his Napa Cabernet could elevate American wine in the Chinese market

        NBA明星姚明已经推出了自己姚家族红酒；他的纳帕谷赤霞珠干红葡萄酒可以打开美国酒在中国的市场。

In China's rapidly growing market for luxury wines, Bordeaux has symbolized greatness for several years now. But Napa Valley now has a new ambassador in the premium market—a very big ambassador. Yao Ming, the recently retired eight-time NBA all-star and the most prominent sports legend in his native China, tells Wine Spectator he is launching his own wine label, Yao Family Wines. Yao will release the inaugural vintage of Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet in China on Nov. 28.

     奢侈酒在中国的市场快速增长，这几年，波尔多葡萄酒已经成为奢侈酒的一种标志。但是现在纳帕谷在高级市场已经有了一个新的代表，一个很有分量的代表—姚明。他作为中国最杰出的运动传奇人物，最近刚从NBA全明星阵容退役，向葡萄酒鉴赏家宣布了自己的酒标—姚家族葡萄酒公司。并将于11月28日，在中国首度推出姚明.纳帕谷赤霞珠葡萄酒。

The 7' 6" Houston Rockets center became a fan and a booster of California Cabernet during his time in the NBA. "Napa Valley wines are the wines I fell in love with when I lived in the U.S.," Yao, 31, told Wine Spectator. "While I was on the road with the Rockets, the players would go out to dinner together and some of them knew a lot about wine, and I learned from them."

       在他在NBA的时候， 7‘6“的休斯顿火箭队中心成为，也是加利福尼亚红酒的支持者。“纳帕谷红酒是我在美国生活的时候就很喜欢的红酒。”31岁的姚明告诉葡萄酒鉴赏家。“当我还在休斯顿火箭队的时候，有时候会跟队友们一起出去吃饭，他们有的人对酒懂得很多，我都是跟他们学的。”

Two years ago, Yao and his management team decided to act on his enthusiasm, hoping to create a fine wine to represent Napa Valley in the growing Chinese market. This week, the winery will release the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon in Beijing, Guangzhou and Yao's hometown of Shanghai. A Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon will debut next year. The winery will also begin sales in the U.S. market next year.

     两年前，姚明和他的管理团队就决定，要推出一款在中国市场上代表纳帕谷的红酒。本周，姚明的葡萄酒酿造厂商北京，广州和姚明的家乡—上海，推出2009年赤霞珠红葡萄酒。一个赤霞珠红葡萄酒家族将在明年诞生。明年，这种葡萄酒将会在美国开始销售。

For America, the wine's biggest impact could be as a symbol of Napa Valley in the growing Chinese wine business. "China is the priority market" for the wine, according to Con Constandis, president and managing director for Pernod Ricard China, which is importing the wines into the People's Republic. "California as a wine region enjoys quite high awareness among the Chinese consumers, and, in particular, premium Napa Valley wines have a pretty good image and are gradually becoming well-accepted by sophisticated wine lovers in China."

       对美国来说，这种葡萄酒的最大影响可能就是，它是纳帕谷在新兴的中国酒业的代表。进口葡萄酒到中国的保乐力加的董事长和总经理帕特里克.力加发言说道：对于葡萄酒来说，应该优先考虑的是中国市场。加州作为葡萄酒产区，在中国的消费者中有很大的知名度，而且纳帕谷葡萄酒的形象很好，并且作为高级葡萄酒已经逐渐被受到中国消费者的喜爱。

     According to company officials, the Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet will be sold at $289 a bottle, in the "ultra prestige" segment of the market, where the status labels of Bordeaux and Champagne reside. When China's new wealthy class began to drink imported wines, classic French regions like Bordeaux, Champagne and, more recently, Burgundy, were their early acquisitions. Napa producers have worked to gain a foothold in China in recent years, but it can be a daunting market to enter. According to data from China customs, France owned 47 percent of the market for imported bottled wine in 2010. The U.S. came in sixth, with a 6.4 percent share.

       据业内人士透露，姚明.纳帕谷赤霞珠红葡萄酒在“超威信”商场的售价是289美元一瓶，那里是波尔多葡萄酒和香槟酒的领域。中国的新富豪阶层早就开始饮用进口葡萄酒，早期的葡萄酒主要是从经典的法国葡萄酒产地进口的，像波尔多，还有最近很有名的勃艮第。纳帕谷葡萄酒的生产商最近几年一直努力争取在中国市场打出一片天地，但是这个市场并不容易进入。根据中国海关提供的数据，法国葡萄酒在2010年的进口葡萄酒中占有47%的市场份额。美国排名第六，仅占6.4%。

  Yao has observed the vigorous growth of Chinese wine culture in recent years and sees potential for a greater awareness of California among drinkers. "While French wines have made quite an impression already, people are starting to discover California wines," he said. "California has a good reputation in China for its lifestyle, as a great place to vacation and for fun. I not only want to share [the wines] with Chinese people, but also share the culture and beauty of Napa Valley."

        姚明已经观察到了中国酒文化市场这几年的蓬勃发展，并且看到了加州葡萄酒在消费者之间的潜在影响力。姚明曾说过：“虽然法国葡萄酒已经有很大的影响力，但是现在人们也开始关注加州葡萄酒。加州作为一个旅游和度假的胜地，它的生活方式在中国很受欢迎。我不仅想要跟国人一起分享美酒，也想跟大家一起分享纳帕谷的美丽和文化。”

To that end, Yao hired winemaker Tom Hinde to oversee production. Hinde previously worked as general manager of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, as well as president of Sonoma’s Flowers Vineyard and Winery. (Yao is the principal shareholder in the project, while Hinde and four other investors have minority stakes.)

      最后，姚明和酿酒师汤姆.欣德签订合约，请他监督葡萄酒的生产过程。欣德曾经是肯德尔—杰克逊葡萄酒公司的常务经理，还是索诺玛葡萄园和酿酒厂的董事长。（姚明是该项目的主要股东，欣德和其他四位投资者只占有少数股权。）

    he winery currently sources grapes from several Napa Valley vineyards, including Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Tourmaline Vineyard and Broken Rock Vineyard. "We have farming input with these ranches, so we’re not simply buying these grapes," said Hinde. The 2009 Napa Valley is a blend of 82 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is aged about 18 months in oak. According to Hinde, Yao Family produced about 5,000 cases of the Napa Valley Cabernet and fewer than 500 cases of the Family Reserve for the 2009 vintage. The latter is aged 22 to 24 months in oak before release. (Wine Spectator has not had the opportunity to review the wine yet.)

       他的酿酒厂的葡萄来自纳帕谷的几个葡萄园，包括休格洛夫山葡萄园，托玛琳葡萄园和布汝可饶可葡萄园。欣德说：“我们在这些农场里面都有投资，所以我们不仅仅是买葡萄。”2009姚明纳帕谷赤霞珠红葡萄酒加了82%的梅鹿汁，还有品丽珠和味而多。它在橡木桶中封存了约18个月。据欣德所说，姚家族葡萄酒业公司会生产5000桶纳帕谷葡萄酒，并且留出不多于500桶的2009姚明纳帕谷赤霞珠红葡萄酒。稍后将会推出封存了22个月到24个月的红葡萄酒。（葡萄酒鉴赏家还没有机会品尝这种酒。）

Yao, who said he counts big reds as a favorite style (he also enjoys sweet wines), has tailored his wines to his tastes. "Yao drives the style of the wine," said Hinde, and he has active input in the blending. "He’s not a wine expert—he'll tell you that—but he’s a very passionate wine aficionado. Yao is very conscious of textural subtleties in the wine, mouthfeel and seamlessness, fruit and oak."

        姚明说他很喜欢红酒（他还喜欢甜酒），并且专门制做了适合自己口味的葡萄酒。据欣德说：“姚明引领了葡萄酒的口味，他并不是一个葡萄酒专家—他会告诉你这些—但是他是一个葡萄酒迷。姚明已经意识到，酿造葡萄酒选用的水果，酿造的方式，还有酿酒的容器都对葡萄酒的口感有影响。”欣德自己也对葡萄酒的酿造有很高的热情。

Now, some grapes for the 2011 vintage are still in fermentation vats, and the coming months will continue to be busy. After the launch promotions in China, there will be more celebrations tied to the Chinese New Year in late January. Beyond that, Hinde hopes the venture can buy or build a permanent winery in Napa. Production will remain level for the 2010 and 2011 vintages, but there could be many opportunities for expansion. For right now, said Yao, "Our goal is to make world-class Napa Valley wines."

      现在，2011年收获的用来酿造葡萄酒的葡萄还在容器中发酵，接下来的几个月会很忙。葡萄酒促销完后，在一月末还有更多的新年庆祝活动。除了这些，欣德还希望公司能够在纳帕买一个或者建一个自己的酿酒厂。2010和2011葡萄酒的生产将会保持现在的水平，也许还有机会扩大规模。“就是现在，”姚明发话了：“我们的目标是制作世界级的纳帕赤霞珠葡萄酒。”