The growing prevalence of celebrity names (alive and dead) associated with wine seems to be a trend that’s almost irresistible.True, we haven’t yet had a Michael Jackson cabernet, but the vineyards are crawling with vintages from dead celebrities including Elvis Presley (Elvis Blue Suede Chardonnay 2001, Jailhouse Red Merlot 2002, and Blue Christmas Cabernet 2002) and the Jerry Garcia (Garcia Cabernet Sauvignon 2001) to name but two. Many other breathing celebs like Sting, Olivia Newton John, Bob Dylan and former Bond girl Carole Bouquet (excellent name for a winemaker!) have recently started hawking their own wines or associating themselves with commercial vintages.
But before you consider breaking these publicity seekers on wine racks it’s best to realise that some seem to be doing it for the right reason: they are interested in making good wines.French actor Gerard Depardieu produces an excellent Lys de Volan Condrieu 2003 with the acclaimed Northern Rhone winemaker Alain Paret.Many believe that the doyen of serious celebrity winemakers has to be Francis Ford Coppola.A wine buff from his childhood days on Long Island, Coppola got into the wine business in 1975,using the profits from the first Godfather movie to purchase most of Napa Valley’s Inglenook estate. He has been one of the seminal figures in the valley’s rise to international acclaim and Niebaum-Coppola wines still command a dedicated following and make excellent wine gifts.
Other equally serious and perhaps unexpected wine making celebs include Ernie Els and Greg Norman (the golf pros) who own vineyards in South Africa and Australia, respectively.The Greg Norman Limestone Coast Shiraz 2002 is nicely restrained, particularly welcome in an Australian syrah).At the other end of the seriusness spectrum must be Australian cricketer Shane Warne. More used to a bottle opener than a corkscrew from his hard partying days, Warne’s foray into more genteel booze was greeted with a certain scepticism that he did nothing to dampen.He confessed it took him a while to understand what red wine is and what made a red and a white wine different!
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