Best Celebrity-Owned Wines That Are Worth Drinking
Photo by Cole Saladino for Thrillist
It’s hard to keep track of all the celebrity-owned wines out there. The star-studded labels are so prevalent, that just when you think you might have escaped them, you’ll quickly find out that the wine you’re sipping did in fact come from the winery of a certain Italian-American film dynasty, or the chateau of Hollywood’s most iconic couple.
In order to figure out which brands are actually good, we enlisted the help of a few other Thrillist staffers to conduct an ultra-professional wine tasting, sprinkled with celebrity gossip. Up on the roster: Post Malone’s Maison No. 9, Sarah Jessica Parker’s Invivo X SJP, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s Messy Mawma, and more.
There were good wines and there were bad wines—and we’re better for having tasted them all. But to help you narrow down your search, we’re getting right to the ones worth trying. From organic prosecco to blush pinot grigio, here are our top three celebrity-owned bottles.
At number three, we have Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power’s passion project, Avaline. The range of organic, vegan-friendly wines keeps things simple, boasting an ingredient list that’s free of any additives. “I assumed Cameron’s wine would be good, since she left behind acting and devoted herself to this wine brand,” says Sadie Bell, associate editor of Entertainment.
Upon first glance, Liz Provencher, associate editor of Local, noted how legit the label looked, compared to the other, slightly tacky bottles that joined us at the table. We were pretty impressed by the prosecco, which featured some citrus on the nose, with later hints of pear. As senior editor of Entertainment, Leanne Butkovic, noted, “It tastes like the kind of prosecco that would be handed out for free, at like, a bar on New Year’s Eve”—in other words, inoffensive and crowd-pleasing.
“People really love this wine,” Provencher says. “It’s one that I didn’t realize was celebrity-owned.” Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie acquired Provence’s Château Miraval estate—which doubled as their wedding venue—in 2008. Following their divorce in 2016, business carried on as usual, until Pitt sued Jolie for selling 50% of her stake to a Russian oligarch.
Barring all the drama, this rosé drinks like water. “It’s one of the pinkest wines I think I’ve ever seen,” Butkovic adds. We experienced a pretty delightful strawberry aroma, which lends itself to an overall fruity taste. So if you prefer your rosé on the drier side, this one might not be for you. Bell praised it for its super “liquidy” consistency, adding “I don’t have anything mean to say about it.”
The top award goes to the queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige. “I get her energy from the label,” Provencher says. “It feels like her wine.” We tried the Pinot Grigio Ramato, which is a little blush in color due to spending some time on the skins after the pinot grigio grapes are crushed—a varietal that feels especially unique. And as Butkovic pointed out, it smelled the best by far. We even tested for legs, and our glasses formed considerable drips on the sides.
The taste was particularly refreshing, with notes of melon and peach, and some of us even detected a bit of apple and pine. We collectively agreed that this wine was the most drinkable, with zero unpleasant aftertastes. “For something that’s more fruit-forward, it’s still crisp and easy to drink,” Provencher said. “It’s not too much.”
We were so impressed by this white that we’re even more excited to try the brand’s new prosecco, which launched last month. “The name ‘Sun Goddess’ is very appropriate. This is a summer wine—nice and chilled,” Butkovic adds. “So true, Mary.”