For former defensive back and Super Bowl champ Will Blackmon, wine is more than just a beverage to enjoy—it’s at the center of his new business. After retiring from football, the 35-year-old is transforming his longtime love for wine into a post-football second career.

Will Blackmon lost count of how many glasses of wine he consumed that November night in Minneapolis long ago, but he remembers that the name of the restaurant, a steakhouse downtown, was Seven.

It was 2008, his third season in the NFL, and Blackmon, then a cornerback and return man with the Packers, was in town to play the Minnesota Vikings. Kickoff was slated for noon the next day, so the Saturday evening activities commenced with dinner among his fellow defensive backs. Charles Woodson, Nick Collins and Tramon Williams were all in attendance around the table. One glass led to another, and dinner led to a