Yao Ming pairs wines with NFT to fight anti-Asian hate
- The former NBA star’s Yao Family Winery holding auction with proceeds to go to organisations across the US
- ‘We’re also pleased to dedicate a portion of proceeds from The Chop Drop to the Asian-American community at this critical time’
Yao Ming’s Yao Family Winery will auction an NFT wine pairing on Wednesday with some of the proceeds going toward community organisations fighting against anti-Asian discrimination in the US.
The former Houston Rockets star founded the Napa Valley-winery, with the first wines released in 2011.
This 48-hour auction – called The Chop Drop – sees 200 bottles of the vineyard’s The Chop wine paired with an NFT “digital collectible”.
“A special auction will be held for bottle #11 of The Chop and NFT #11, a one-of-one offering in homage to the year that Yao Family Wines released its first vintage, and for the number Yao Ming wore during his NBA career,” the winery said in a press release.
“Pairing this exquisite wine with a limited edition NFT should appeal to wine collectors, sports memorabilia collectors, NFT collectors, early adopters and anyone who appreciates the value of one-of-a-kind assets,” Yao Family Wines president Jay Behmke said.