Home Field Advantage

Oregon wine scores big at Portland ballparks

By Annelise Kelly

It’s a warm summer evening at a Portland ballpark. The crowd is on its feet. The smell of popcorn drifts through the stands. And in your cup holder? A cold can of Oregon sparkling rosé.

This isn’t your grandfather’s ballgame– and that’s precisely the point.

A new kind of partnership is emerging in Oregon, one pairing the communal joy of live sports with the craft and accessibility of local wine. Two notable collaborations have taken shape in recent seasons. Underwood, the canned wine brand under the Union Wine Co. umbrella, has partnered with both the Portland Bangers FC soccer club and Portland Pickles baseball team. Argyle Winery has joined forces with minor league baseball team Hillsboro Hops, whose newly built stadium features a premium space called the Dugout Lounge by Argyle. These partnerships are more than marketing arrangements– they reflect a mutual belief: wine belongs anywhere people gather to have a good time.

A NATURAL FIT

The story of how Underwood landed in Portland’s indie sports scene begins, fittingly enough, with a game.

“It actually goes back to when I first started at Union Wine Co.,” recalls Silke Schuh, associate marketing manager. “I went to a Pickles game and noticed they had canned wine available, but it wasn’t local… and honestly wasn’t the same quality we produce. That stuck with me.”

So Underwood reached out. The Bangers and the Pickles are community-driven clubs with enthusiastic, unpretentious fan bases– a natural match for a brand that champions the idea wine shouldn’t be fussy or formal. “We looked at what the Bangers and Pickles were building and thought, ‘these are our people,’” observes Schuh.

Argyle’s partnership with the Hillsboro Hops began with similarly organic momentum. “Many of our staff are avid fans who love supporting the team and attending games,” states Elizabeth Clark, Argyle’s brand & marketing manager. “The collaboration felt like a natural fit– both from a community perspective and our shared enthusiasm for bringing people together around great experiences.”

WINE MEETS A NEW CROWD

At the heart of both partnerships is an opportunity: reaching people who might not visit a tasting room.

“We’re showing up in spaces where wine hasn’t traditionally had much of a presence,” explains Schuh. “We’re reaching younger fans, sports fans, people who might consider themselves ‘beer people’– and a lot of them are pleasantly surprised. Once someone enjoys a can of Underwood at a game, drinking canned wine becomes an easy choice.”

It’s a significant proposition for an industry navigating declining consumption. Wine doesn’t need to be introduced over a white tablecloth or even a glass. Sometimes all it takes is a sunny afternoon, a close game and a well-chilled can.

Clark echoes the sentiment. “Baseball fans include plenty of people who might not usually seek out Oregon wines,” she notes. “This gives Argyle a fun way to introduce wines to a fresh audience while longtime fans can enjoy them in a new environment.” That new setting is quite deliberately designed: the Dugout Lounge by Argyle is a relaxed, wine-forward atmosphere where fans can sip, celebrate and watch the game unfold. And while the baseball may be minor league, the wine is varsity level: Argyle is the only winery in the world to be named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for sparkling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

SOMETHING IN IT FOR EVERYONE

These partnerships work for several reasons.

For the wineries, visibility in a live-sports context conveys a message no advertisement can quite replicate. “Seeing our brand at a soccer match or a baseball game tells that story without us having to say a word,” reports Schuh. Showing up at a soccer match makes Underwood’s accessible, unpretentious ethos more vivid than any label copy.

Fan response has validated the approach. “We’ve heard from fans who are really happy to have wine available at games,” adds Schuh, “and honestly, it’s sometimes sold out, which tells you something. There’s no pretension at these events, and our wine is made to match that vibe.”

The teams benefit too, as the partnerships align with their values of attracting community-rooted local partners. Sponsorships from area producers help independent organizations invest in the fan experience, and the teams’ values – attracting partners with local values and genuine roots in the community.

It’s more than a financial exchange. Schuh notes that Underwood staff are invited to a game each year– and they go, enthusiastically. “It’s moved well beyond a transaction– it feels like a genuine collaboration,” she declares. The benefits flow both ways: wine fans have discovered the Bangers and Pickles through Underwood and become devoted fans of the teams. Argyle anticipates a similar dynamic, with Clark noting they look forward to welcoming Hops fans at the Argyle tasting house as well.

A FIRST FOR OREGON

While parallel partnerships exist in other beverage categories– the University of Oregon recently teamed up with Hop Valley Brewing on a co-branded Ducks IPA, for instance– the winery-meets-ballpark model is newer territory.

Clark is proud of what Argyle and the Hops have pioneered. “The Argyle Winery and Hillsboro Hops partnership is unique because it’s the first time an Oregon winery has created a premium, in-stadium wine experience for fans,” she boasts. “It connects two local institutions while offering something fresh and unexpected for the community, making it a one-of-a-kind collaboration in Oregon sports and wine.”

Underwood’s model demonstrates what’s possible when a brand focused on accessibility meets teams built on community spirit. No elaborate tasting notes required. Just local wine, local sport and the feel-good vibe of showing up for your city.

Whether you’re cheering on a home run in Hillsboro or celebrating a goal at a Bangers match in Portland, a glass of Oregon wine is within reach. Pour one. The game’s about to start.

After living in Denmark, the Netherlands, L.A. and the Bay Area, writer Annelise Kelly settled in Portland, where she delights in food carts, Douglas firs, dancing and getting crafty. Thanks to Annelise’s broad interests, her career path has weaved through cooking, events, technical writing, decorative painting and retail display. Wanderlust takes her across borders and oceans every chance she gets. Connect with Annelise at www.annelisekelly.com.