It’s a case of the vineyard meeting the ballyard. When the Philadelphia Phillies take the field at Citizens’ Bank Park this year, the Chaddsford Winery will be in the stands. The winery has teamed up the Phillies to create “Phillies” wine.
According to Matt Beauchesne, marketing and communications director for the winery, the Phillies approached the winery last May.
“They had actually done a Phillies brand of wine last year,” he said, “but it was wine that came out of California. So, the team was very interested in doing something that was local.”
Phillies wine is a blend of four varietals, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Pinot Noir and Noiret grapes.
“It’s completely different. We’ve never done a blend like this before. It’s something that Jim Osborne, our winemaker, just kind of put together to get a good flavor and balance,” Beauchesne said.
The winery only developed a red Phillies wine this year, but Beauchesne said he’s hoping the team will come back next year and ask for a red and a white.
He added that he’s not sure why the team came to the Chaddsford Winery other than for its reputation, but added that, perhaps, the Phillies knew the winery has been doing special wines and labels in the past. The winery has been making “Flyers” wine for the last two hockey seasons.
Beauchesne said that partnership also occurred somewhat unconventionally.
“The Flyers came to us to see if we were interested in doing some advertising with them. Then they said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to have a Flyers branded wine?’ We said ‘sure.’”
According to Beauchesne, neither the Eagles nor the 76ers have contacted the winery. Not yet, anyway.
People who don’t attend a Phillies game this year will still get a chance to check out the new blend. Beauchesne said Phillies Wine would be available at the ballpark, in state stores, and at the winery.
On April 18 and 19, the winery will have its only public tasting of Phillies wine. On Saturday, April 18, former Phillies player and color analyst Gary Matthews will be on hand, signing bottles between 2 and 3 p.m., Beauchesne said.
There will also be batting cages that weekend where people can test their skills, food trucks and raffles.
(Photo: Kelsea Reel and Matt Beauchesne, fromm the Chaddsford Winery Marketing Department, show off the winery's new Phillies Wine, a special blend of four different grapes.)
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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