SAN MARTIN, Calif., May 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Vegan Vine Wines is pleased to announce a new partnership with former NBA champion, talk-show host and heath/wellness activist John Salley. Mr. Salley will be taking an ownership position in the brand with the goal to educate the vegan and wine drinking community about animal products that are often used in the production of wines.
Mr. Salley will also serve as an ambassador for the Vegan Vine Wines and the animal-free winemaking process. "As both a vegan and wine lover, I was very surprised to learn about the use of animal products in the vinification process," said Mr. Salley. "I had no idea."
The wines are produced by family-owned and operated Clos LaChance Wines. Via The Vegan Vine Wines, the winery has eliminated the use of animal products that are common in the wine filtration process. In addition, the brand seeks to educate vegans (and non-vegans) about the use of animal products in winemaking.
"Because the core ingredient in wine is grapes, many people do not realize that a number of animal products are often used in the winemaking process," said Cheryl Durzy, co-founder of The Vegan Vine and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Clos LaChance. "With John Salley's help, we hope that The Vegan Vine can help answer some of these questions—and provide a viable option for vegans and non-vegans alike."
"Making these wines Vegan does not mean a sacrifice in quality" adds Ms. Durzy.
About John Salley:
A proud native of Brooklyn, New York, John found a love for basketball at an early age. He accepted a Basketball Scholarship to Georgia Tech to play for legendary head coach Bobby Cremins. From there Salley went on to become a 15-year NBA veteran and was the first NBA player to win four championships with three different teams.
After his retirement from the NBA in 2000, Salley explored several opportunities in both television and film. John has served as host for numerous award shows and recently hosted the Reunion Shows of VH-1's #1 rated show, Basketball Wives. John is also the head of his own production company, John Salley Presents, Inc.
John is actively involved with Operation Smile, PETA and the fight against Diabetes. In addition, John is involved with PCRM and visited Washington in Nov '09 and May '10, speaking to Congress about the Child Nutrition Act.
John has adopted a plant based (raw vegan) lifestyle, and is a frequent speaker at VegFest's across the USA. As a Wellness Advocate, one of John's main missions in life is to continue to educate people on the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle thru better eating habits. With a passion for real food, wine and spirits, John has contributed articles to Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado and LA Confidential. Follow John on Facebook, Twitter @thejohnsalley.com and his website, www.johnsalley.com.
About The Vegan Vine:
The Vegan Vine Wines are grown and produced by Clos LaChance Winery, a family-owned operation located in the Northern Central Coast of California. Clos LaChance was founded in 1992 by Bill and Brenda Murphy. Today they work side-by-side with their two daughters to ensure the tradition of the winery continues to flourish.
The Vegan Vine was developed when the Murphy family received some questions from a vegan family member. He was curious if Clos LaChance's wines were suitable for his animal-free lifestyle. After meeting with the production team, it was determined the winery could make a line of Vegan wines that were high quality—while educating Vegans in the process.
After working with various government agencies, Clos LaChance was able to develop an acceptable package that would achieve the goal of educating Vegans and other interested parties about animal products that are often used in wine production.
More information on The Vegan Vine can be found at www.theveganvine.com, on Facebook facebook.com/TheVeganVine and on Twitter: @VeganVineWine. The winery is located at One Hummingbird Lane in San Martin, California.
Media Contact: Cheryl Durzy
Phone: (408) 686-1050, ext. 101
Email Address: cheryl@clos.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com
http://www.cisionwire.com/the-vegan-vine-wines/r/john-salley-takes-ownership-position-in-new-wine-brand,c9261831