A passion for wine turns into a family affair with Sabonis family in the Napa Valley as they introduce two new vintages on Oct. 11, 2025, at The Stanly Ranch. By HECTOR AMEZCUA
“We’re moving to Napa.”
As the couple tells it, that’s the first thing Shashana Sabonis told her husband Domantas when the NBA center was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Sacramento Kings in 2022.
Part of that dream was realized Saturday night as the pair hosted a private event unveiling the most recent bottling of their Ones by Sabonis family wine brand as golden sun rays fell on the leaves of a rolling Napa Valley vineyard.
The release includes a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Howell Mountains and a 2024 Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast in partnership with Joe Harden, the head winemaker for Nickel & Nickel Winery.
The two-hour event was a short break from the daily grind of preseason basketball for Sabonis, who arrived early Saturday morning from Portland following a loss to the Trailblazers. The team had the day off, but they were due to practice on Sunday.
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis and wife Shashana sip red wine during the private unveiling of new vintages from their Ones family wine brand on Saturday in Napa Valley. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
The brand’s name is a reference to the No. 11 that the three-time NBA All-Star wears on the court.
Some of the guests at the event, held at the Stanly Ranch luxury resort, gave the wine high marks.
“Your Pinot is very well balanced, from a great vineyard. It’s a great way to start,” said Tilden Kim, a social media wine specialist, as he was introduced to Sashana.
Amber Brander pours glasses of the Ones 2024 Pinot Noir during a private unveiling of two new vintages from the brand of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis and wife Shashana in the Napa Valley on Saturday. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
Harden, who started his career at the Robert Mondavi Winery, raved about the couple’s commitment to winemaking as he spoke about their early morning workday during the grape harvest.
“They showed up to a Sauvignon Blanc pick at 2 a.m. – she was on the tractor, he was picking fruit,” he said.
“I’m not a big fan of celebrity brands – I don’t think they have a lot of soul and a lot of authenticity – but the minute they showed up and were picking and asking the right questions and truly engaged for us, it was like ‘this is a no-brainer.’”
The bottles, produced in limited quantities, can be purchased by signing up for the newsletter list at onesbysabonis.com. The Cabernet Sauvignon costs $150 and the Pinot Noir Is $85.
The couple started their venture last year with a single barrel of wine that they bottled and gave away as a holiday gift.
Shashana Sabonis speaks with guests Saturday in Napa Valley during a private unveiling of two new vintages from the Ones family wine brand that she shares with her husband. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
“Then people started saying how good it was,” Domantas said. “We’re like ‘Stop lying, and tell us the truth’ and they’re like, ‘No, it’s really good.’”
For the couple, the winemaking has been a family affair as their children enjoyed participating in the recent harvest.
“Our kids came to crush. And I was just telling somebody they were eating the grapes from the vines and drinking the juice, and they love it and climbing on the barrels,” Shashana said. “It’s just fun family time that’s different than basketball.”
The wine bottles are packaged with a nod to the Sacramento Kings with a purple waxed top.
“If we don’t love it, we’re not going to put our full effort into it,” Domantas said.
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis takes a sip of his family's Ones 2024 Pinot Noir on Saturday during a private unveiling of the vintage in Napa Valley. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com