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Martha Stewart has her own line of California varietals. Lorraine Bracco sells a Bracco Rosato, from Italy. Wayne Gretzky has a winery, and Paul Newman now sells Cabernet and Chardonnay under the Newman’s Own label. Brett Favre recently launched his eponymous brand, while Paris Hilton’s Prosecco comes in three flavors, original, passionfruit and strawberry. Dan Ackroyd has his Signature Reserve Series wines, and porn star Savanna Samson (“Rocco Meats an American Angel in Paris”) has a Tuscan wine, “Dream One,” that Parker gave 90 points. Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac) has a “Private Cellars” line, and don’t even get me started on Mike Ditka and Greg Norman. Now comes The Nielsen Company telling us what what we already suspected: “Celebrity wines are on the rise.”
Seems consumers have a hankering for “lifestyle brands” and, as this graph shows
dollar sales of celebrity wines are soaring. “Consumers are paying an average of $8.50 per 750ml bottle of celebrity wine, versus $5.75 per bottle of table wine,” Nielsen reports. Which I guess makes celebrities approximately 47% more valuable than regular people.
Who’s next? Will Brad and Angelina launch a new line of international varieties? Is Michael Phelps already planning his “Eight Golds” brand of bubblies? Now that Hillary’s out of the race, will we see a Cult Clinton Cabernet? Miley Cyrus isn’t old enough to drink, but a Hannah Montana Syrah sounds pretty good. Could Robert Downey, Jr. be working on a Rehab Red? How about an Amy Winehouse Wine? A line of low-calorie varietals from Oprah? Beyoncé Barbera? How about a Jay-Z J-Ries? J-Lo Johano? Maybe Curtis James Jackson III can come out with a “50 Cent Curt” line at Trader Joe’s. Jon Stewart’s Irony White could be a best sellar. Buy me a case of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Manolo Merlot. Heidi Klum Auftraminer? Stop me before I spiel again.
Readers, what celebrities do you think should start a wine brand? What would be its name?
Filed under: Commentary, Industry Issues
August 19th, 2008 at 4:03:36 PM
John Stewart is just as likely to come out with a Daily Red. Sarah Jessica Parker is unlikely to do a Merlot given her preference for “Big.” Phelps will not make a sparkling wine. He intends to do a ‘fruit forward” red because he thinks he knows more about ‘breaking back.” Hillary planned on importing a Beaujolais Village until recently when she discovered it takes more than a village. I have it on good authority that Amy Winehouse is going to attempt to resurrect Vin Mariani except she can’t keep a key ingredient in stock long enough. John McCain will do a barley wine because he thinks he has the distribution locked up. And I have it on good authority that J-Lo is into carbonic masceration and will do a proprietary red called Beaubooté.
I could get into that.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:13:25 PM
Hah! Interestingly, just this morning I got a press release that John Langley (”COPS”) has a new winery and brand in Mendoza.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:15:29 PM
Lindsay Lohan could come out with a wine that is white one week, red the next. It could be called Merlot-han Switch Hitter
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:33:19 AM
I believe the media recently reported that Posh and Becks are getting in on the action too. The way things are going these days at Galaxy, perhaps it’s a back-up plan?
September 18th, 2008 at 7:10:33 PM
Rock stars have been getting into celeb labelling big time in the last few years. I think one of the Metallica guys has his own label now. The questions remains: Are any of these celeb wines really any good, or are you just buying the next version of celebrity merchandise?
As a photographer who can’t (yet) afford his own winery, I made a deal with one of California’s better juice houses. I send them my photos to put on the labels of the wines I buy from them. No different than any other corporate vanity labelling, I suppose. But the art work is mine, which makes for great promo, and I’m finding the bottles I gift people are becoming collectible for the label art. Go figure.
Still, the bottom line is the juice inside the bottle is good. Very good. Otherwise, why bother?