He purchased a home on the San Francisco Bay, with a pier the place he retains his boat. He takes his canine Rocco to dog-friendly seashores alongside the Pacific Ocean. Soar within the cool native water for some psychotherapy. Boat close to Angel Island, throughout Raccoon Strait.
“It’s extremely lovely,” Thompson stated of Marin County. “It’s extremely straightforward to clear your thoughts.”
Naturally, like many Northern Californians, he acquired into the wine.
“I like taxis, however I like good pinots and good whites too,” Thompson stated lately. “I’m open minded with regards to food and drinks. It form of is dependent upon the temper right now.”
And the temper as of late, since successful the fourth NBA championship with Golden State Warriors?
“On particular events, I prefer to have a pleasant, chilly glass of champagne,” Thompson stated a couple of weeks earlier than he sprinkled champagne on his teammates.
Thompson is greater than only a wine connoisseur. Now formally engaged within the wine enterprise. He and St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, childhood pal, simply launched Diamond & Key, a Napa Cabernet.
“I needed to make one thing near my coronary heart,” Thompson stated.
The venture took place in partnership with Joe Harden, winemaker at Nickel & Nickel, and Joe McClain, wealth supervisor for each Thompson and Arenado. Harden grew up on a winery in Lodi, performed highschool basketball at St. Marys in Stockton, and misplaced the state championship to “The Different Harden” (James). The paths of he and Thompson crossed for the primary time in AAU basketball. Harden performed at Notre Dame, then on the College of California at Davis the place he studied viticulture, and later in Australia. He additionally performed within the D for the Warriors League earlier than hitting his excessive peaks within the wine enterprise.
In 2017, Thompson grew to become concerned in fundraising circumstances for hearth victims in Sonoma and Napa counties. He additionally started to spend extra time in wine nation.
“I did not notice how lovely she was,” Thompson stated. “It seems like Lord of the Rings. Like Rivendell.”
Round that point, he and Harden began a dialog concerning the wine venture.
“It was a spot the place I might see myself having a variety of high quality time going ahead,” Thompson stated. “Once I noticed Joe’s operation, I used to be like, ‘That is so cool, man. “It is laborious work twelve months a 12 months. I discovered quite a bit concerning the seasons, the viticulture processes, and all of the layers wanted to make a bottle of wine.”
He was additionally fascinated by what a household enterprise was, which had been handed down by means of generations.
“Type of basketball is for my household,” he stated.
Challenge consists of Diamond & Key Arenado, who grew up with the Thompsons, and performed baseball membership along with his youthful brother Hint. The identify of the classification comes from the enjoying fields of the athletes.
There’s a variety of celeb wine. A technique to do that is to accomplice with a giant model, and slap a well-known identify on a bottle for promoting functions solely. The opposite is to make it extra private, and make extra love.
“Respect comes when celebrities do it the appropriate method,” Harden stated. Klay would not work shortcuts. He needed to be taught extra about them and do it the appropriate method.
“He is transferring at his personal tempo. Clay desires to be behind one thing he is actually pleased with and actually enthusiastic about.”
Throughout the course of, the enter was collective. Wine tasting Thompson, his brother Michael and their shut pal Seth Tarver.
“I do not drink a variety of wine, however I can let you know what’s good,” Tarver stated. “And that’s effective. Joe (Harden) is a detailed pal and he is excellent at what he does. This wasn’t simply Klay slapping his identify on a bottle. Joe helped us navigate that.”
The 2018 Cabernet, made in Saint Helena, has simply been launched. Harden describes it as a high-density, high-quality Nappa cabin. The venture has bottled 4 Cabernet vegetation to date and has additionally made a rose.
“Clay needed to get wine for his boat,” Harden stated. “It is laborious to get an costly taxi on the water.”
Thompson has been growing his portray in recent times. Final 12 months, he wandered into the Tiburon Wine Comfort Retailer. The proprietor, Jerry Horn (who, fairly frankly, is a pal of mine), noticed a tall man in a helmet, sun shades, and masks getting off his bike, come and begin trying out his product.
“Normally, which means nothing will occur,” stated Horn, whose store is positioned in a extremely trafficked vacationer space.
However this tall man selected the Silver Oak taxi. Alpha omega cabin. Mary Edwards Chardonnay. Dom Perignon bottle. When he dropped his bank card, Horn realized that this wasn’t only a restroom, however the latest high-ranking resident of the Tiburon Peninsula.
Thompson, nonetheless recovering from his accidents, would put every little thing in his backpack and experience house by bike. Horn, the biker himself, requested to see his bike.
“Do not decide me,” Thompson stated. “It is electrical.”
There is no such thing as a verdict on the person who, on the time, was nonetheless getting back from a ruptured ACL and torn Achilles. However Horne provided to lighten the burden on the backpack, hand the acquisition, and make a pal.
“I all the time cease to see Jerry,” Thompson stated. “It is enjoyable to go to his store and discuss wine and music. He seems like a neighborhood keeper.”
When the Warriors carried out the cut-offs, Horn, identified in present enterprise as “Dr. Champagne,” tossed a bottle of Krug, remarking, “See you when the job’s finished.”
job finished. Two weeks earlier than the Warriors raised one other award for Larry O’Brien, Thompson questioned, “I’m wondering if Jerry would decide one thing good if we received the entire thing.”
Positive sufficient, when Thompson returned to Marin County, a bottle of Dom Perignon was ready for him. To not spray, however to drink.
Simply in time for the victory parade on Monday.
Ann Killion is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Electronic mail: akillion@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Tweet embed