In Conversation With Aaron Rodgers And Casey Affleck

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

This is what happens when Haute Living goes wine tasting with reigning NFL MVP and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers — led by Wine Access’ brilliant MW of Wine Vanessa Conlin and moderated by Haute Media Group Editor-in-Chief Laura Schreffler — followed by a surprise appearance and football discussion with Oscar-winning actor and former Haute Living cover star Casey Affleck.

THE WINES

2018 Stephane Ogier Mon Village Cote Rotie Rhone Valley 750 ml

Photo Credit: Wine Access

This 2018 is a “brilliant” bottle from one of the Rhône’s most exciting winemakers. A striking representation of Ogier’s elegant style, showing why collectors and Michelin-starred restaurants line up for his Côte Rôties.

2016 Ballot Millot & Fils Meursault Charmes Premier Cru 750 ml

Photo Credit: Wine Access
This Premier Cru, from a “seriously delicious” vintage, comes from a plot on the renowned Les Charmes vineyard near icon Domaine des Comtes Lafon ($297). Boasting Grand Cru-like quality, it’s scarcely available in here.

2017 Hirsch Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Reserve Sonoma Coast 750 ml

Photo Credit: Wine Access

Hirsch gained fame supplying Littorai, Kistler, and Williams Selyem. Now their own iconic Pinots are on world-class wine lists, like The French Laundry.

In Conversation: A Tasting

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

Rodgers on his his first wine memory: My first memories were probably just watching the old people at Thanksgiving drinking wine. There wasn’t a lot of alcohol in my house; it was always kind of like on a special occasion there be some some wine drank. My first wine memory was going to Tuscany some Brunello so I was a little bit spoiled because that’s where I started and i’ve been in love with Italian wines ever since. More recently, I got into more of the French stuff. Napa was close to my hometown so I knew about it, and took a trip back in college, but it was more of a drinking trip and less of a tasting trip, I’d say.

On anything he does better than football [and a potential retirement]: “During this offseason I was thinking about what I want to do [after football is over and] I was thinking there’s a lot of things, I meant to and I mentioned sitting outside of football. I guest-hosted Jeopardy! and I love you know the acquisition of knowledge and learning and traveling and games like that. I was actually on celebrity Jeopardy! and won it against a couple of guys that were pretty smart [I beat Senator Mark Kelly and Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank]. There’s nothing really better that I do than play football but there’s really nothing better that I do than play football so I guess I should keep doing it for a few more years.”

Casey Affleck — COAT: Theory
T-SHIRT: Cotton Citizen

Photo Credit: Mark Squires

On having integrity in the game: “Having curiosity in this world, that’s what I think it’s so important. Not presenting the picture that you’ve got it all figured out and then you’re not just like this finished product I think having curiosity about people that are from different places, that look different than you do, that have different mindset different opinions about certain things. That, to me, is the greatest directional path towards growth is to go to the world curious about about learning and about people and about. It’s kind of how you fit in this world. That’s a conscious decision that i’ve made to to be less judgmental and more curious about the world that we live in. I love inspiring those kids to think about those questions, and that’s the same thing I inspire inspire my teammates to think about. It’s ‘What do you love’ and ‘What do you love about this game, what do you love in life, and what are you willing to sacrifice or to take on in the name of that love, so that we can all be better together’? I don’t think it’s maybe a thematic direction that a lot of teams go, but for us, I just truly believe in the connectedness and the chemistry and we’ve gotten close last couple years and haven’t won a Super Bowl in a while, but I do feel like the connectedness that we have has been a special part of the success that we’ve had even though it hasn’t amounted to a ring in awhile.”

On whether the football culture has boxed him in: “For sure, and it’s not with resentment that I say that. It’s these pre-determined ideas about what a football player should be. I think naturally in life people think that jocks might be dumb or not very savvy or whatnot and I think part of what I’ve been able to do is break some of the stigmas around athletes and the curiosity that we have, and inspiring people to not be so single-minded and focused that true balance involves having interests outside of your main occupation. That’s what I try to inspire my teammates to be defined as more than just a football player…. Show me there’s more to you than just this came because if it’s just this game the ideas of success and failure are going to shackle you to a destination you don’t want to be a part of. Having ideas and interests outside of football, I believe that it actually strengthens your bond and your love of what you do, and then ipso facto you become a more dedicated player and probably a better player in the meantime.”