To celebrate Black History Month this February, we are focusing on celebrity Dwyane Wade, former NBA star and founder of Wade Cellars. Established in 2014 as a partnership between Dwyane Wade and the Pahlmeyer family, Wade Cellars is producer of approachable California wines and a principled advocate for making the wine industry more welcoming to everyone.
Wade Cellars’ mission is “to make the wine industry more inclusive to people of all backgrounds by consciously growing production and creating opportunities for access and education to all those who choose to indulge in this affordable luxury.”
Dwyane Wade partnered with the Pahlmeyer wine family to create Wade Cellars.
Dwyane Wade Works to Make Wine More Accessible
Those in the wine industry know that it has historically been intimidating to women and minorities. Dwyane’s vision for the future includes encouraging the wine world to think of itself differently.
Part of making the industry more accessible, Wade joined the Executive Leadership Board for the School of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, one of the top wine education programs in the world. Other recent board members are wine writer and Black Wine Professionals founder Julia Coney and viticulturist and recent UC Davis alumnus Miguel Luna, a partner with Silverado Farming Company. He and the board work as a team to build educational programs that are affordable for those in minority communities.
Dwyane Wade is not only changing the face of the wine world, he and his partner and friend Jayson Pahlmeyer have developed a diverse collection of wines that are inspired by California’s rich winemaking tradition with a “healthy dose of DWade style”.
“One of the reasons I got into the wine industry was to change the common misconception of wine as pretentious. I didn’t grow up knowing what wine is. Wine was perceived in this really uppity kind of way and I wanted to be a part of showing that it’s not that—of respecting what goes into making one simple bottle of wine.”
— Dwyane Wade, Food & Wine, March 2021
Wade Cellars Launches Around the World
In 2015, Wade Cellars launched in Shanghai and Beijing, China with the Wade Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon and Three by Wade Red Blend. Three years later, in 2018, Wade Cellars’ wines became available for purchase in the US. One of my favorites, a California Rosé, was introduced in 2019, the same year Dwyane retired from the NBA. The latest offering, an affordable and delectable Chenin Blanc, debuted in 2020.
In 2021 Wade Cellars was named one of Wine Business Monthly’s Top 10 Hot Brands. The following year Wade Cellars launched its most affordable offering of Cabernet Sauvignon, the world’s most popular variety, 2020 California Cabernet.
Three By Wade Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Dwyane Wade’s Current Lineup of Wines
The Three by Wade line of wines is priced to be affordable yet high quality, making it accessible and approachable. Wade Cellars also produces a premium line of wines, Wade; its current lineup includes a Pinot Noir and two Cabernet Sauvignon offerings.
Something fun – Dwyane interviews cultural tastemakers in sports, fashion, music, and business for intimate conversations about their origins and the reasons that motivate them to continue innovating. He calls this podcast “The Why”. You can find episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
For more about Wade Cellars and Dwyane Wade, visit https://www.dwadecellars.com/.
Former NBA star, Dwyane Wade, played shooting guard for the Miami Heat.
NBA Star
Dwyane is renowned for being one of the best players of his era, as one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history. During his 16-year career, he won three NBA championships (2006, 2012, and 2013) as a member of the Miami Heat.
