Red Sox, wine, and charity - a perfect combination

The last time that Red Sox players partnered with Charity Wines, I had to ask my mother to buy them so that I could keep the bottles. Now, at the glorious age of twenty-one, I will proudly drive myself to the store and buy a bottle each of ChardonClay and CabernAce.

Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are just the latest in a line of Sox stars to put out wines for charity with the aid of Longball Cellars/Charity Wines. Their predecessors include Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling,Tim Wakefield (2007), David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis (2008), Jacoby Ellsbury, and Josh Beckett (2010).

Buchholz's vino will benefit the Jimmy Fund, while the proceeds from Lester's will go to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Neither slugger will get a penny of the proceeds - they all go to charity - so there's no reason not to go out and buy a few of each (the bottles themselves are pretty cool, if you ask me).

Both varieties will be available in the New England region starting in May, after a May 5th Wine Tasting and Launch Party at the House of Blues - sorry kids, members of the media and wine community only. [Those of you living outside the geographical confines of Red Sox Nation can purchase your bottles via the Charity Wines website.]

The press release from Charity Wines contained the following information about the two charitable foundations:

The Jimmy Fund
Clay Buchholz can be untouchable, proven by the no-hitter he tossed in just his second big league start. Yet, he reaches back and connects with those in need across the community. Buchholz is a Co-Captain of the Jimmy Fund, an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, and a portion of proceeds from ChardonClay support the Jimmy Fund in the fight against cancer at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise the chances of survival for children and adults with cancer locally and around the world. Cheers. Learn more at www.jimmyfund.org.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Jon Lester knows the importance of overcoming barriers in life and on the diamond. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, he pitched the biggest game of his life, helping his ballclub win a world championship. That's why proceeds from Jon Lester's CabernAce support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the development of targeted immunotherapies. This pitch helps researchers maximize the body's own ability to strike out disease so lymphoma patients can win their own games in life. Learn more at www.fhcrc.org.

[Thanks to Charity Wines for emailing me the press release!]