When I think of athletes and wine, I either think of champagne in locker rooms or Greg Norman's eponymous label.  Given their salaries and lifestyles, I assume that there are more than a few sports stars that are also oenophiles, but you tend not to hear about thise side of their personalities.  I was pleasantly surprised to open this weekend's Wall Street Journal to find that Lettie Teague profiled one of my favorite retired baseball players, Mike Piazza, and his love of wine.

Despite my lifelong allegiance to the Philadelphia Phillies, I've always respected ex-Met Mike Piazza.  He was an excellent ball player and he always seemed to be one of the "good guys."  Plus, he had (has?) truly magnificent, uh, hindquarters.  Truly a joy to watch in every way.

As it turns out, Mike Piazza's dad was a wine importer and he has been a lifelong student/fan of wine.  Moreover, Piazza appreciates both red and white, which to me is the sign of a true wine lover. 

For the full article, check out this link:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203462304577138622912924912.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Later this week I'll be attending a tasting of Priorat, a Spanish varietal.  I look forward to sharing all of my notes (or really the truncated version).

Until the next sniff, sip or quaff,

Cheers,

Alli M.