Wines with the X-Factor

CELEBRITY winemakers have been around for quite some time and it seems as good a pasttime or indulgence as any for those who have a bit of spare time and a lot of spare cash.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Feb 2010, 09:23 BST
Updated 16th Feb 2010, 14:54 BST

I suppose the godfather of all celebrity winemakers is Francis Ford Coppola, who has been making critically acclaimed wines in the Napa Valley since 1975. Bob Dylan’s love of Italian wine means he has his own Montepulciano made for him, while French actor Gerard Depadieu is a serious winemaker with vineyards in Bordeaux, Spain, Morocco and Argentina.

Jurassic Park star Sam Neill, who was born in Omagh, produces ecologically friendly pinot noirs at his Two Paddocks estate in the central Otago region of New Zealand. Dan Ackroyd (from Blues Brothers to booze brothers) is also a serious vintner and a couple of years back, David Beckham bought Victoria a Napa Valley vineyard for ther 34th birthday.

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The world of pop also has many celebrity winemakers – Cliff Richard has the Vida Nova estate in Portugal’s Algarve and Olivia Newton John produces Koala Blue wines in Australia.

Other winemaking pop divas include Barbara Streisand, Madonna and Maria Carey.

Sting bought a Tuscan estate back in 2002 and initially made wine for friends and family, however he has just released 30,000 bottles of sangiovese-cabernet-merlot blend.

Sports stars too are getting in on the act. Michael Schumacher, golfer Greg Norman and retired American quarterback Joe Montana, as well as ex-England cricketers Lamb, Botham and Willis (LBW) also produce some very credible fayre.

By Paul Abraham

Related topics:Bob Dylan