What do you do if you need a hobby and you happen to be a celebrity? You open a winery, of course! There are tons of stars who have involved themselves in the wine world over the years. Some of them simply gave their names and money to a winery – it’s good branding that makes them look classy while benefiting from their investment. But others are committed to the art of winemaking.
If you’re part of a champagne club, you probably have a few favorites already. Champagne is the celebrity of wines, after all. It’s flashy and is often the star of the show. Not all celebrity wineries make champagne, though. Those who really care about the craft have a wide array of wines.
These are the top three celebrities involved in the wine world who actually love the craft.
David & Victoria Beckham
It’s not hard to imagine Posh Spice putting her name on a classy wine brand. It would be right in line with her image. However, Posh and Becks are not making wine as part of a branding exercise. On the contrary, they’re not even selling what they make! David bought Victoria a Napa Valley winery for her 34th birthday. They have specialists doing the work for them, it seems, but their financial investment stems entirely from their love of good wine.
While there’s not all that much information on what kind of wine their winery produces, you will find regular updates online about the power couple spending vast amounts of money on some of the best vintages when out in public.
Heavy Metal Icon, Maynard James Keenan
If you’re not a heavy metal or hard rock fan, you probably haven’t heard of Maynard James Keenan. However, he is an icon in the metal industry, best-known as the lead vocalists for the bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. His silky voice is instantly recognizable and he has a reputation for attention to detail. He puts out no music that he hasn’t deemed absolutely perfect.
That passion for excellence followed him into the wine world. Keenan has a number of successful wineries known for producing creative blends of diverse and unique grapes. Significantly, he does the work himself. This is his hobby, not a glorified marketing exercise.
While fans of his music would rather he spend his time writing new songs, wine lovers actually appreciate his time and effort, drinking his products not because of his name but because of their quality.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore is yet another celebrity who has launched her own line of wines with her passion for the beverage coming straight from her father. He produced his own wines, but Barrymore herself has gone with a more hands-off approach. She partnered with Monterrey to produce a pinot grigio and works with winemaker Kris Kato.
Even if the wine itself isn’t of her own creation, she does play a part in the process and clearly loves to talk about it. While her wine is of good quality, many wine lovers take umbrage at her self-professed knowledge of all things wine. She has indeed provided occasional misinformation, such as her confusion as to how Rosé is made and how to properly hold a glass of wine.
Nonetheless, you can’t begrudge her excitement, and this is clearly not just an exercise in branding.
Conclusion
While many celebrities own wineries and have their names on the bottles, few actually seem to be all that passionate about it. The above three celebs, however, clearly know their stuff. It would be great if Posh and Becks shared their passion project with the world, but in the meantime, give metal icon Maynard James Keenan’s various brands a try.
