NEW York Yankees legend Bernie Williams has made the move from pinstripes to pinot noir.
The four-time World Series champion is now a winemaker after developing the Bernie’s Blend line of wines in partnership with Millbrook Vineyards & Winery.
Since retiring in 2006, the former center fielder has explored his passion for music and was even nominated for a Latin Grammy for his 2009 album Moving Forward.
But after stumbling across Millbrook Winery in upstate New York while on a ride on his motorcycle in 2021, the Yankees star unexpectedly became involved in the wine industry.
The 54-year-old initially spoke to Millbrook Winery general manager David Bova about performing at the venue.
Before long, Bova suggested that Williams should create his own wine blend.
Williams worked closely with Millbrook winemaker Ian Bearup to create Bernie’s Blend.
Last summer, Millbrook released 51 cases of Bernie’s Blend, an homage to Williams’ No. 51 jersey, which the Yankees retired in 2015.
The collection quickly sold out last year, boosted by a concert by Williams to drive interest in the wine.
This summer, 250 cases are available, with the bottles priced from $45 to $120.
“I’m by no means a wine connoisseur, but I appreciate the process,” Williams told the Poughkeepsie Journal.
“It’s an intersection of science and art.”
Williams says being a successful winemaker is one of the hardest things he has done in his life.
“Making a good bottle of wine is a very intense process that requires a little bit of luck, a little bit of artistry and a whole lot of hard labor,” he told InsideHook.
“If the grapes are good, but the process is wrong, the wine is not going to turn out well.
“Every single little step in the process is just so vital.”
Meanwhile, Williams’ daughter, Beatriz, designed the bottle art, which depicts a profile of the baseball star with the backdrop of a beach in Puerto Rico.
“I’m very proud, very excited, to have her involved,” he told New York Live.
Former New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe has also become a winemaker in Washington.
