Article: LOOK WHO'S GOT HIS OWN MERLOT: DA COACH; In effort to tap yuppie market, Mike Ditka releases signature wines.(Mike Ditka)

Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN

jmullman@crain.com

former chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka is blitzing the wine cellar. The gruff-talking, 1985 Super Bowl-winning tough-guy icon is selling something new for his fans to stuff in their lunch pails: pinot grigio.

Mr. Ditka couldn't have better timing. His release of five signature wines-including "Da Coach Pinot Grigio'' and "Mike Ditka's Kick Ass Red''-comes just as the resurgent Bears are again a contender for the National Football League championship. And with that resurgence comes the usual cliches about how well the tough Bears defense pairs with its blue-collar fans, whom Mr. Ditka memorably dubbed ...

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