NBA Star Aaron Gordon on Collecting Wine and His Love for Barolo

Considered one of the most versatile players in the N.B.A., Aaron Gordon is equally flexible off the hardwood, with varied interests that include travel, fashion, painting, watches, and especially wine. A native of San Jose, Calif., Gordon grew up watching his father work as a salesman and courier for Beringer Vineyards, which exposed him to the richness of Napa Valley before he could even legally drink.

After a star freshman season at the University of Arizona, he was drafted by the Orlando Magic. While there, he took a trip to France with his brother and sister that inspired him to begin collecting and has fond memories of touring Champagne and opening old, rare bottles.

Today, his house in Denver holds a tightly curated selection of bottles, spanning Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, South African reds, excellent Barolos, and a little Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for good measure. Here, he takes us inside his rustic, refined home bar and shares who he enjoys opening his prized vintages with, his favorite regions, and why it’s not such a bad thing to have purple teeth at the end of the night.

Describe your wine room to us. It looks like a speakeasy. We’re working on a faux bookshelf to hide it. It’s ventilated for cigars, the temperature is regulated at 60 degrees, and you slide in there, fire up your cigar, pick your wine with it. It’s kind of like a brandy room. It’s got old English tufted-leather couches and a rustic, industrial bar to keep with the Denver theme. It’s a total vibe.

Sounds like a gentleman’s club. Yes, exactly. The boys will go in to drink wine and smoke cigars, then the ladies will come in just out of curiosity, like, “What are the boys doing?” And then they’ll go back out. “We’re going to leave this to the fellas.”

So, who’s hanging out? [Former N.B.A. power forward] Drew Gooden. Absolutely, he’s a big wine connoisseur. [Nuggets small forward] Tim Hardaway Jr. is a big wine connoisseur, too. K.C.P. [Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope], he was coming over until he moved. Yoke [Nuggets center Nikola Jokić] he doesn’t really come out much, but when he does, he really likes wine as well.

At what point did your interest shift from just drinking wine to collecting it? That was actually a bit more recent. Drew traveled with me to South Africa, and we went to Stellenbosch. I brought some Cabernets back from South Africa, [like Boekenhoutskloof Stellenbosch and Sadie Family Columella], and that was the foundation of my collection. I would say my most prized bottles are from South Africa.

When dining out, are you a “bring-your-own-bottle” guy, or do you prefer to explore the wine list? I think I am evolving into a “bring-my-own” guy. That just reminded me of who else comes over and drinks with me. [New Orleans Pelicans center] DeAndre Jordan is a big wine guy, too, and he’s a “bring-your-own” guy. He has this really cool case by Rimowa, and when he busts that thing open and brings out a bottle of wine, it’s so cool.

How have your tastes evolved since you began collecting more seriously? So, I used to be a big Pinot Noir guy, but I think I just drank a little too much of the Pinot. It’s a little too easy to drink. I still drink it, but once I got on to the Barolos, that was it for the Pinot.

Sounds like you’re more of a red-wine drinker. Absolutely. I like red meat, too. I’m a steak guy, and it goes well. I don’t mind a really buttery Chardonnay or a really bright Sauvy B—my sister put me on to that—but for the most part I like very dark, rich, high-tannin red, like Malbec from Argentina. It’s fantastic.

Do you gravitate to a particular region? Barolo is my favorite. It’s ruby red, it’s rich, delicious, it’s savory. Barolo is very savory, it feels hearty, it hits everything you need a wine to hit. It’s not overbearing, but it’s not watered-down. For me, it’s all day, every day, if I could.

Are there particular Barolos from your collection that you’re drinking right now? Lately I’ve been drinking Casa E. di Mirafiore 2020. It’s just a good consistent wine that I really enjoy. I picked up a few bottles recently and added them to my speakeasy wine room.

Which Argentine Malbec is your favorite to pair with a rib eye? When I eat steak, I like either Vina Cobos Vinculum Malbec or Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec from Mendoza. They are both full-bodied Malbecs that you can pair and enjoy over a long dinner with friends.

Is there anything you find unappealing about red wine? Is it the most attractive thing in the world for your teeth to be purple by the end of the night? But really, it just depends on whose mouth it is. If both of you have a purple mouth on a date, it’s one of the most romantic things there is.