Home Field Advantage

By Annelise Kelly It’s a warm summer evening at a Portland ballpark. The crowd is on its feet. The smell of popcorn drifts through the stands. And in your cup holder? A cold can of Oregon sparkling rosé. This isn’t your grandfather’s ballgame– and that’s precisely the point. A new kind of partnership is emerging in Oregon, one pairing the communal joy of live sports with the craft and accessibility of local wine. Two notable collaborations have taken shape in recent seasons. Underwood, the canned wine brand under the Union Wine Co. umbrella, has partnered with both the Portland Bangers FC soccer club and Portland Pickles baseball team. Argyle Winery has joined forces with minor league baseball team Hillsboro Hops, whose newly built stadium features a premium space called the Dugout Lounge by Argyle. These partnerships are more than marketing arrangements– they reflect a mutual belief: wine belongs anywhere people gather to have a good time. A

by Hilary Berg · source ↗