China basketball legend to sell ‘Yao Ming’ wine

Published : November 25, 2011 :: 11:11:58 [ 1,074 views ]

His NBA career may have come to an end, but Chinese basketball star Yao Ming isn't taking retirement lightly. Currently enrolled in classes at Shanghai Jiaotong University, the 31-year-old is venturing into business, setting up a wine company to meet a growing thirst for the tipple in his home country.

Yao recently established his own wine company, Yao Family Wines, in California’s Napa Valley.

The first batch of “Yao Ming” wine, as it will be branded, is a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon which will sell in China for 3,800 yuan (US$600) a bottle.

On Sunday at a charity auction organized by the Special Olympics, for which Yao serves as a global ambassador, Yao will formally debut his wine brand, with the first 1.5-liter bottle of Yao Ming 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine to go under the hammer with an opening bid price of 60,000 yuan (US$9,437).

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Special Olympics in China.

Yao is China’s first global sports superstar with a personal brand valued at more than US$1 billion.

Report by : China.org.cn