Ore, DUNDEE. If a Portland Timbers supporter were asked what they liked best about Diego Valeri, they may respond that he matured like a good wine.
that he was imaginative. Reliable. A city ambassador. Maestro.
The 38-year-old former Major League Soccer champion and MVP, who is now retired from professional soccer, transfers similar qualities into his current endeavor: producing wine in the fertile Willamette Valley of Oregon. Valeri wants to honor his native Argentina and a group of pals who gathered in their new Pacific Northwest home.
Last year, Valeri, his wife Flor, and close friends Federico and Luci founded the ConurWines wine label. Three different bottles are currently on the market. Brian Irvine created the wines, Valeri and company sampled and adjusted them, and the Northwest Wine Company team worked with them on branding and distribution.
“This is my first project outside of soccer,” Valeri remarked while sitting in a modern conference room at the Dundee headquarters of NW Wine Company. I’m constantly learning and open to guidance and instruction. We are somewhat like children, and they take care of the technique. having fun while exploring something. completing the branding and making connections to our lives, friendships, and family.
The three wines include the mineral-forward and well-balanced Mat – a white blend made from local grapes that mimics the flavor of the Torront s grape in Argentina, rather than the bitter Mat tea Valeri and many other Argentinians drink every day; the Sot – Oregon Pinot noir, named for Federico and Luci’s deceased dog; and Valeri’s beloved General Malbec, made with grapes from the Columbia Valley, which includes multiple references to his soccer career on the label. The aftertaste is dry with a hint of spice and dark fruit.
Valeri holds the General bottle as if it were his firstborn child, but in reality, it’s his 16-year-old daughter Connie, who is just about to make a college decision. With gray strands running through his black beard, Valeri is motivated to take another drink of wine after hearing that fact.
The General’s label looks like an athletic event ticket. On the back is a tale that compares the joy of scoring a winning goal to the first sip of Malbec. Admission is also printed there. On the front, a dog-like figure waves a small flag that reads ConurWines.
The ticket specifics are as follows: Section 107, Row 15, Seat 8. For Valeri’s jersey number, the 2015 MLS Cup championship, and the Timbers Army (107IST).
Since many Timbers fans and those who are close to the game relate to me in that way, soccer is obviously constantly involved, Valeri added. However, this is a very different matter. Winemakers, sales managers, and employees of supermarkets and food stores are seated around me. It lets me try to learn a new system and is a different universe.
On Friday, January 31, 2025, former Portland Timbers star Diego Valeri gives a sneak peek at his new wine, ConurWines, made at Hyland Vineyards in Dundee, Oregon.Meagher, Sean/The Oregonian
It is clear that Valeri holds Malbec wines in particular in high regard. It feels like a part of his roots. Valeri frequently stops to sniff the Malbec in his glass while closing his eyes, taking in the stimulating chat with friends and associates as they stroll through the NW Wines processing plant. It appears to stimulate the next thought by igniting the creative energies.
But it was Flor who first had the notion to launch a wine label.
“Red wine is the only alcoholic beverage I enjoy,” Valeri stated. I therefore never drank when I was still playing. And I was sipping Malbec when we traveled to Argentina. Perhaps a glass of champagne at the conclusion of 2015. My wife said that we must produce wine here. This was an opportunity to return the love that Oregon’s wine valley has shown us since the beginning. Okay, I said, but I wanted to hold off until I was retired so that we could continue to communicate with individuals in Portland and Oregon.
After we returned to Portland last year, we resumed our conversation about the project, and I suggested that we execute it—but not just with Diego Valeri. Together, we made the decision to do something that embodies our friendship and our lives.
Under Irvine’s direction, Valeri has been experimenting with a novel Pinot noir and Malbec combination, with the goal of using Argentina’s Malbec grapes for the label’s future wines. In the future, the Valeris also intend to construct a tasting area where their wine will be served alongside Argentinean fare, according to Valeri. Empanadas and grilled meats for everyone.
Employees at NW Wine Company were astounded by Valeri and his group’s constant participation in each stage of the winemaking process. He is not the only local player with ties to the Oregon wine industry, as former Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum and his family recently finished the first harvest at their vineyard and are now expanding their Heritage 91 brand after purchasing acreage near Carlton. Additionally, Channing Frye, a former forward for the Blazers, founded Chosen Family Wines with Kevin Love, a former colleague of his from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since leaving soccer, Valeri has kept himself occupied with other endeavors, mostly traveling the nation to provide Spanish-language coverage of Major League Soccer matches for Apple TV. In an emotional 2023 ceremony inside the stadium, he had his name inscribed in the Timbers Ring of Honor, called games at Providence Park, and interviewed Lionel Messi.
According to Valeri, he could picture himself giving his all to the development of this wine business, transforming a lighthearted endeavor amongst friends into a novel kind of legacy amidst the grapevines. And an opportunity to express oneself through a sport that is at the nexus of art, science, and teamwork, like soccer.
According to Valeri, the creative element is always present. It allows me to investigate and gain knowledge. I’ve played soccer since I was a young child, and around the age of 12 or 13, I essentially began playing professionally. Soccer was everything to me up until this point in my life. I had outside interests, of course, but they were always ancillary. I have time to accomplish things now. I can visit the vineyard, speak with winemakers, and pick up some tips. In this stage of my life, it’s crucial.
Visit ConurWines at conurwines.com for additional information or to buy bottles, and follow them on Instagram at @conurwines. Additionally, bottles can be bought at the following establishments:
Delicatessen Elephants
Offer High-Quality Foods
Arden
Republica
De Noche
Comedor, Lilia
–For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and the Big Ten Conference. Get the Ducks Roundup email or listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast.
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