Former NBA star and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas is entering the kosher wine market with the launch of a new Champagne line produced in partnership with France’s Cheurlin Champagne House. The collection, certified kosher and made without added sugar, will debut February 3 at the Kosher Food & Wine Experience in New Jersey.
The release marks a notable expansion of Thomas’s role as owner-operator of Cheurlin Champagne, which he has led since 2015. The wines are produced in the Aube region of France using only first-press Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc grapes.
According to the Israel-based Royal Wine Corp., which is partnering with Thomas for distribution, the kosher collection is part of a broader push to bring ultra-premium kosher wines into the mainstream.
The new line includes two offerings: Cheurlin Brut Spéciale, a 70/30 Pinot Noir–Chardonnay blend described as crisp and balanced, and Cheurlin Thomas Célébrité, a zero-dosage Blanc de Blancs intended for purists and health-conscious consumers.
While kosher wine has traditionally served a niche market, it has in recent years gained greater recognition among wine professionals. Royal Wine Corp., one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of kosher wine, says demand spikes during the Passover season, when nearly 40 percent of annual kosher wine sales take place.
The launch aligns with Thomas’s broader efforts to expand his business portfolio and diversify the Cheurlin brand, now considered the largest Black-owned Champagne company in the world. “I wanted to create something that honored tradition while reflecting where wine culture is headed,” Thomas said in a statement.
The Champagne will be introduced at the 20th annual Kosher Food & Wine Experience, hosted by Royal Wine Corp. at The World of Blue Hotel in East Rutherford, N.J. The event will serve as the first public tasting of the kosher Cheurlin line ahead of wider distribution planned for Passover 2026.
Cheurlin Champagne was founded in 1788 and has been operated by the same family for nine generations.