NAPA, Calif. (KRON) – Vince Lombardi once said, “The only way to succeed at anything is to give it everything.”
With that in mind, the legendary Green Bay Packers coach would probably be proud of the men behind Three Fat Guys Wines in Sonoma.
If you’re wondering what the Packers have to do with a group of Northern California winemakers, the answer is… everything.
Three Fat Guys is the creation of three former NFL offensive linemen. Tony Moll, Daryn Colledge, and Jason Spitz were all drafted by the Packers in 2006. Their first vintage for their winery came just a year later.
“Wine was actually one of the first things that really brought us together,” Moll said. “Offensive linemen always do their big o-linemen dinners, it’s a tradition before big games, and wine all of a sudden made its way onto the table. Only to find out that Daryn loves wine, and Jason loves wine, and it was a perfect fit for us to put this together.”
As a Sonoma native, Moll grew up with many friends whose families were in the wine industry. Three Fat Guys was able to contract with existing vineyards for their grapes and assemble a team of locals to help with production.
“NFL stands for Not For Long,” he said, “so it’s always what’s the next career gonna be? Luckily for us, we were able to get this off the ground, and once I retired, it was my goal to take it to the next level, and that’s where we’re at now.”
A field in Napa is where the Three Fat Guys grow their chardonnay grapes. Their tasting room is just across the highway, and their wine-making facility is about 15 minutes away. That’s where the magic happens.
If there’s magic in the wine, which includes varietals for every palate, from sauvignon blanc to pinot noir, the real magic is actually in the Three Fat Guys tasting room, if you ask the guests.
In fact, taking care of people who serve the community might be the most important thing to Moll and his team. First responders, members of the military, and teachers all get a discount. And the winery strives to be a place that’s comfortable for locals and visitors alike.
“I’m all about community. I want people here, I want locals here, I want families here, I want you to bring your dog, hang out, sit at a fire pit, drink some good wine, have some decent food, and have a great afternoon,” Moll said.
But whether you’re there for the atmosphere or the wine, football remains a quintessential part of the Three Fat Guys experience.
“We definitely get our fair share of 49ers faithful that show up here on Sundays to watch games,” Moll said. “When we get into the playoffs we have fun parties that kind of take over the tasting room, and it’s just a place you want to come and watch football and drink some wine.”
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