Sports and spirits may not be the most obvious pairing, but many athletes have proved it to be a match made in heaven. With extensive networks and competitive spirits, naturally suited to the high-stakes and fanbase-driven world of wine and spirits.

Of course, they’re not the only celebrities to do so. In recent months we’ve seen Cate Blanchett launch a sake, Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston celebrate their mezcal’s fifth birthday, and a number of new famous faces entering the booze business.

So whether you’re a sports fanatic, a cocktail connoisseur, or you’re simply curious about the latest in sport celebrity ventures (and we get it, given it’s Olympics time and all), this list offers something for everyone.

1. Alex Morgan

• The Brand: Volley
• The Booze: Tequila seltzer

Soccer star Alex Morgan, best known as the captain of the US National Team, is scoring big with Volley Tequila Seltzer. Announcing her co-ownership of the brand late last year, she vowed to fight against the lack of transparency and authenticity on the ingredient lists of popular spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails. Made with 100% blue agave tequila, Volley is crafted with organic juices (Zesty Lime, Sharp Grapefruit, Tropical Mango and Spicy Ginger, respectively) and nothing artificial. Who says you can’t have a little kick with your juice, eh?

2. LeBron James

• The Brand: Lobos 1707
• The Booze: Tequila

Basketball legends LeBron James, Draymond Green and Anthony Davis have all teamed up off the court to invest in Lobos 1707 Tequila, and it’s been a pretty good game so far. A translation of the Spanish word for “wolves”, Lobos symbolizes the athletes’ fierce team spirit and camaraderie, and the luxe liquid has been well-received across the globe. Aged using a unique solera system, this tequila offers a smooth and complex profile that even the toughest defenses can’t resist.

3. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

• The Brand: Teremana
• The Booze: Tequila

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, pro wrestler turned mega-multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, has introduced a real heavy-hitter to the industry with Teremana Tequila. Distilled in small batches in Jalisco, Mexico, Teremana (which means spirit of the earth) takes its impact and imprint seriously, not only taking real care of the land where it sources its agave but committing to a painstaking process to create superior and sustainable tequila. Expect a clean taste with bright citrus and hints of vanilla (perfect for those who like their spirits with just a bit of muscle).

4. Cristie Kerr

• The Brand: Cristie Kerr Wines and Kerr Cellars Winery
• The Booze: Wine

Golf champion Cristie Kerr has taken a swing at making Bordeaux and Burgundy-inspired wines in California with Kerr Cellars, based in Napa. Though there are as little as 80 cases produced on older vintages, her wines are as elegant and refined as a well-executed putt, garnering acclaim for their complexity and taste. Not least of with, the 2022 Kerr Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and 2021 Yountville Malbec.

5. Michael Jordan

• The Brand: Cincoro
• The Booze: Tequila

Arguably the most sports-backed spirit on this list, Cincoro was launched by Michael Jordan, Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens and Celtics co-owners Wyc Grousbeck and Emilia Fazzalari. A five-person team fairly synonymous with excellence – with a tequila which lives up to that reputation. All four core expressions (Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo) are multi-award winning, and the Reposado is a real game-changer for those who may not already be on Team Tequila (incredibly smooth, slightly sweet, with notes of caramelized vanilla and white chocolate).

6. Danica Patrick

• The Brand: Somnium
• The Booze: Wine

Racing icon-turned-entrepreneur Danica Patrick shifted gears from the track to the vineyard. Meaning “dream” in Latin, Somnium is a reminder that Patrick turned her own into a reality; a Napa Valley winery of her very own. And one to be proud of. Since planting its first Cabernet Sauvignon in 2011, its small-batch vintages are beloved by critics (the 2014, in particular) and the winery has expanded to release sumptuous Sauvignon Blancs, and even a new ‘Danica Rosé’ (a partnership with the Margnat family, whose winemaking tradition stretches back to the 1790s).

7. Scottie Pippen

• The Brand: Digits
• The Booze: Bourbon

NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen has famously large hands and, in a fairly unexpected play, decided to launch and name a bourbon after them. And it slaps. Made with a blend of high-quality corn, rye, and barley, the bourbon is refined through a proprietary distillation process that results in an extremely smooth – but not overly sweet – whiskey. The youngest bourbon in the blend is five years old, and the barrels were sourced from Indiana and Tennessee before being aged at Savage & Cooke on California’s historic Mare Island. Basically, he shot, he scored.

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