Famous people who moved into wine

The world of wine is so attractive, everything that surrounds it is so tempting, and the situations that it leads to so rewarding, that it’s not just those born into winery-owning, vine growing or winemaking families that get the urge to make wine.
Today we’re going to talk about those people who, without a doubt, have the money, and seemingly also the time, to dedicate to the vine, and have got into winemaking.
Believe or not, these people have opted for the rural way of life and have decided to launch their own products.
Although, before continuing, we should make it clear that we’ve disregarded cases in which the celebrity puts his or her image on the bottle and little else. No.
We are talking about people, that – however famous they may be – have really committed themselves to viticulture and/or wine.

Without a doubt, the first name to mention should be that of Gérard Dépardieu, as more than thirty years ago, he started to buy up vineyards in Burgundy, then the Loire (specifically in Anjou).  He also owns the brand Château de Tigné (which produces more than 600,000 bottles a year) and even makes wine in Spain.
He partnered with Bernard Magrez (owner of the prestigious Bordeaux wine Château Pape Clement) to create a company named Les Cles du Terroir, which has launched two wines signed by the actor: Spiritus Sancti in the D.O. Toro and Sine Nomine en la D.O.Q. Priorat.
In fact, his passion for wine is so great that his ex, Carole Bouquet, caught the bug and is now better known for the Sicilian wines she produces – in particular the fantastic volcanic sweet wine, Sangue d´Oro, made as a D.O.C.G. Passito di Pantelleria – than for her acting career.
It is difficult to equal the level of the previous wines, but if we go to Arizona, yes, in the United States, we will find the lead singer of the cult band «Tool» and the rock supergroup “A Perfect Circle” and his winery Caduceus that makes a very interesting Cabernet Sauvignon. Speaking of this, we recommend that you watch the documentary “Blood into Wine”.
However, the most famous American in wine is, without doubt, the cinema director Francis Ford Coppola who has enough vineyards in Napa to make more than 40 different wines, the most renowned of which is the rosé that bears the name of his daughter Sofia.

Of course, you can’t mention rosé wines made by film stars and not include the one made by the former couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.  Made in a castle in Provence called Château Miraval, it is a benchmark rosé on an international level, with the first vintage selling out just a few hours after being put on sale.
But it’s not only global superstars that have got involved; Spain’s home-grown talent is not averse to dabbling in wine either:
In the D.O. Manchuela, the football player Andrés Iniesta has an eponymous winery in his hometown of Fuentealbilla in Albacete.
Another sportsman, in this case, the racing car driver Carlos Sainz, makes a wine called Pegaso with the cult producer Telmo Rodríguez, which is amongst the most addictive Garnachas from Ávila.
Antonio Banderas also owns half of Bodegas Anta (Ribera del Duero) although rather than promoting it at home, he uses his international profile as an actor to market it overseas.
Another Spanish celebrity who has reached the top with his wine is the singer-songwriter Lluis Llach, whose winery Vall Llach makes some of the best wines in the D.O.Q. Priorat.
Oh! And if you want to check out an event where you get to taste wines made with the involvement of the stars, then you shouldn’t miss the Famous Wine Festival in Avilés.
It comes highly recommended.