(In case any readers were wondering what the those pictures are on my blog, they’re pictures of my family’s vineyards…and, in honor of my interest in grapes and wine, I’m going to start blogging occassionally about the world of wine.)
Here’s an interesting story I found about wineries owned by celebrities…
Motley Crue is not a band known for its discriminating taste in alcohol, and when frontman Vince Neil sang about “Fine, Fine Wine” on his 1993 solo album, he was actually talking about — surprise! — sex. This year, however, Neil released a Napa cabernet and a Sonoma chardonnay ($20 each) under the Vince Vineyards label. And while Neil doesn’t appear on the label, the label appears on Neil.
“He has already tattooed the logo on his arm,” said an obviously delighted Russ Dale, president of Vince Vineyards. The wines are moving slowly toward nationwide availability, with new distributors being added monthly.
Neil is the latest in a long line of celebrities who have jumped feet-first into the grape barrel. The relationship between the celebrity and the wine ranges from name-on-the-label alone (one Italian winery has made a couple of tribute bottlings named for Bob Dylan albums) to vineyard ownership and a role in the winemaking process.
Some of the first celebrities involved in the wine world include:
Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola has been taking the hands-on approach since 1975, when he founded the Niebaum-Coppola Estate winery in Napa. Coppola produced his first vintage in 1978, and last year introduced a sparkling chardonnay in single-serving cans ($5) named for fellow director — and daughter — Sofia Coppola. It’s a delicious sparkler — nothing, er, lost in translation here.
and
Fess Parker, best known for playing TV’s Davy Crockett in the 1950s, founded his eponymous winery in 1987 in the Santa Ynez valley. He produces the budget Frontier Red (which features Parker as Davy Crockett on the label) as well as some very serious pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah. Even if you haven’t tasted Parker’s wine, you’ve probably seen his grapes on the big screen: Much of the movie Sideways was filmed on his land.
And more recently:
Newer on the scene is racecar driver Mario Andretti, who founded his namesake winery in Napa in 1996. He and winemaker Robert Pepi make a number of varietals, including one based on the Italian grape Sangiovese. “I’ve converted a lot of my beer-drinking friends to wine since I’ve had the winery,” Andretti said.
This is no vanity project for Andretti, a serious wine collector whose cellar is stocked with top vintage Haut-Brions, Lafites and Latours. “I have probably the only case in existence of 1974 Mondavi cab,” he added.
and
Hall-of-Fame quarterback Joe Montana is collaborating with Beringer’s Ed Sbragia on a cabernet called (seriously) Montagia. The wine will be released later this year, but a few double magnums of Montagia have been showing up at charity auctions.
there are also a number of celebrities entering the wine world down under:
Sam Neill of Jurassic Park fame has been growing pinot noir on his Two Paddocks vineyard in southern New Zealand since 1993. In Australia, Olivia Newton-John’s Koala Blue Winery produces chardonnay and shiraz. Golfer Greg Norman’s vineyards hug the limestone coast near Melbourne.
The conclusion of the article emphasises the importance of quality, not just name, in the wine world:
That goes for wine drinkers, too. A celebrity name may sell you the bottle the first time, but repeat business depends on what’s inside. Now, does anyone have Sting’s phone number?
Hat Tip: Vine Sugar