New York Native Unveils Wine Label Before Debut Pitching Season with the Yankees

Today—March 18th—marks the debut of Le Carénage, a California-based wine project spearheaded by award-winning MLB pitcher, Marcus Stroman. After making his Major League debut and taking MLB by storm back in 2014, Marcus quickly fell down the wine rabbit hole thanks to his generous veteran teammates who would regularly bring captivating bottles of wine into the clubhouse to share. This season Stroman joins the New York Yankees for the first of a two-year contract, signed in January 2024.

Le Carénage’s inaugural wines include a Provence-inspired rosé, a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and a classic Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Click here to acquire Le Carénage inaugural release wines by joining the mailing list

Courtesy of La Carénage

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Le Carénage Rosé is inspired by the great pink-hued wines of Provence. Crafted from a blend of 51% Cinsault and 49% Mourvèdre, fruit for this refreshing, acid-forward wine hails from responsibly-farmed vineyards planted in Lodi. At just 12.9% ABV, the wine’s light-on-its-feet nature makes it ideal for sipping all day long. 490 cases were produced.

Le Carénage Sauvignon Blanc hails primarily from Napa County, with a hint of Sémillon thrown in for good measure. At 12.1% ABV, the wine is easily enjoyable with or without food, though its pronounced acidity is undoubtedly a perfect match for freshly shucked oysters and pungent goat cheeses. 120 cases were produced.

The Le Carénage Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the first of three single-vineyard Cabernet bottlings to be released, and shows the best of what Sonoma County has to offer. Packing all the dark-fruited and cassis notes, while staying light, nimble and ready to enjoy with minimal aging. At 12.9% ABV, this wine represents a balanced, fresh and classic Cabernet that harkens back to how wine was made in Napa and Sonoma back in the heyday heralded vintages of the ‘70s and ‘80s. 580 cases were produced.

Future plans will bring two additional Cabernet Sauvignons to the lineup: the two single-vineyard Napa Cabernets will serve as the project’s higher-end Reserve bottlings, produced from Glass Rock Vineyard in the Coombsville AVA and a prestigious site in the heart of Oakville.

Matt Naumann, owner of Newfound Wines and previously the winemaker for Wade Cellars, is the proud hands behind the bottles at Le Carénage. Naumann’s winemaking philosophy is rooted in working with the best vineyards possible and allowing the fruit to speak for itself.

Click here to acquire Le Carénage wines by joining the mailing list

Marcus hails from New York and discovered his enthusiasm for wine somewhat late. Studying at Duke University, Marcus got his call to the major leagues in 2012 by the Toronto Blue Jays, making his professional debut two years later. Post that, his career spanned journeys to his home state with the Mets and to Chicago with the Cubs. Currently, he’s back playing for his home team New York Yankees as he signs a multi-year contract. Over the years, team retreats and bonding sessions over bottles of wine ignited his interest not just in wine, but also the culture and camaraderie it tends to bring to the table.

As of 2015, off-seasons stationed in Florida were spent making regular trips to vineyards, predominantly on the West Coast. His enjoyment of Napa Cabernets gradually developed into zealous love for Old World Regions’ classic wines, famously those of Bordeaux, Barolo, and Tuscany. With his love for wine amplifying, Marcus embarked on a mission of making high-quality, non-compromising wine more comprehensible and obtainable.

A heartfelt thank you to Marcus for sparing time from his intense Spring Training schedule to respond to my interview questions through videos.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!