If you’ve been to our tasting room in Yountville, you’ve probably seen or met Steve Ross, our Girard Estate Manager and Vintage Wine Estates Director of Wine Education. If you’ve had the pleasure of tasting wine with Steve, you probably know that he’s very knowledgeable and passionate about wine.
But did you know that our own Steve Ross was also a former NFL football player? He doesn’t really talk about it, because Steve humbly admits that because of his frequent injuries, he really didn’t play that much at the professional level. Nonetheless, I think it’s pretty cool that he brings his experience as a team player here to Girard where he’s an MVP in my book. Here’s a portion of a conversation we had recently:
Me: What’s the fondest memory of your football career?
Steve: There are many positive memories of individual feats, but my fondest memories are the team camaraderie and the exhilaration of competition. Sounds corny, but true.
Me: How did you go from professional football player to Estate Manager at Girard?
Steve: After being released due to a severe knee injury, I went back to school to earn my MBA and then entered the software business. During my time in the software industry, my passion for wine continued to grow and I decided upon retirement from high-tech to move to the Napa Valley and pursue my lifelong passion of being involved in the wine industry.
Me: Do you have big plans for gameday this weekend?
Steve: I’m attending a Super Bowl party with friends.
Me: Who will you be cheering for, Colts or the Saints?
Steve: Most professional athletes will tell you they follow individuals more than teams, especially if they weren’t associated with either team. There are valid reasons to cheer for the Saints and particularly the city of New Orleans, but I have to admit I’ve admired Peyton Manning from the beginning—he’s the best in the game right now and may go down as the best quarterback ever to play the game; therefore, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Colts win.
Me: Do you have a favorite Superbowl snack or meal that you’d like to share?
Steve: Buffalo-style chicken wings (hot!) – a must for every football party.
Me: Honestly, wine or beer for the big game?
Steve: I’m taking wine to the party, but I’m sure I’ll have a couple beers too!
Thanks, Steve for sharing a little bit about yourself. How about YOU? Who are you cheering for and do you have any special food or wine planned for the big game? Post a comment below.
