Wine Country has an allure that’s difficult to put into words. Rolling hillsides lined with vineyards know how to hook folks from all walks of life, including the celebrity set.
Bottles attached to big names aren't necessarily a new concept, but an eclectic roster of newcomers has recently joined the winemaking ranks, pairing up with some of our favorite Sonoma County wineries. From movie stars to rock stars to visual artists, these VIPS have turned dreams of crafting vino into reality.
Avril Lavigne x Banshee Wines
(Courtesy of @bansheewines)
Eight-time Grammy-nominated Avril Lavigne is paying tribute to her 2002 breakout single, “Complicated,” with the launch of a wine of the same name. The limited-edition, small-batch pinot noir was created in collaboration with Banshee Wines. Altogether, they produced just over 100 cases.
“It’s rooted in one of my earliest songs but reimagined with a fresh twist that reflects where I am today, not just as an artist but as a businesswoman,” says Lavigne. “I’m passionate about building ventures that connect with my fans in new and unexpected ways, and now they can enjoy a glass of wine while listening to the music that started it all.”
To celebrate the recent launch of Complicated Pinot Noir ($30), a limited number of Sip and Spin kits can be purchased along with the wine, each featuring a record player and Avril Lavigne’s Let Go album featuring the hit.
As part of the partnership, Banshee will make a $10,000 donation to She Is The Music, a non-profit empowering women in the music industry.
// Available online and for tasting and purchase at Banshee, 5110 CA-128 (Geyserville), bansheewines.com
Jessica Biel x Prophet & Poet
(Courtesy of @prophetandpoetwines)
The story behind Prophet & Poet is an intriguing one, brimming with a star-studded cast.
“Everyone involved in this project brings a unique skill set and an artistic vision to wine and culture,” says Jesse Katz, winemaker and founder of Aperture Cellars (12291 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg).
Longtime family friends, Katz made wine for Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake’s wedding. Seven years later, he crafted a second wine—a gift from Biel and Timberlake to celebrate the wedding of Jessica’s brother, Justin Biel, and Rose Muniz. Jessica officiated the wedding, and Katz was the best man.
Named for the newlyweds—Rose, a shaman (prophet), and Justin, a writer (poet)—Katz made only a single barrel of Prophet & Poet. As bottles dwindled and the wine got better with time, they decided to share the label with the world, joined by Chris and Ariel Jackson of Jackson Family Wines (425 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa).
“What started as a one-off collaboration with Jesse Katz to honor the creative passions of my brother and sister-in-law has grown into something much more with Prophet & Poet,” says Jessica Biel. “This has been such a rewarding collaboration, and we are excited for everything to come.”
The inaugural release was 900 cases, and pricing varies depending on the vintage.
Alexandra Grant & grantLove x J Vineyards & Winery
(Courtesy of grantLove)
Cheers to women in wine and art.
Love Wine is a collaboration between J Vineyards & Winery and the grantLove Fund created in 2008 by visual artist and philanthropist Alexandra Grant, the longtime partner of Keanu Reeves. GrantLove raises both awareness and funding for various arts nonprofits through the gift and sale of her Love artwork.
The collaboration is deliberate, intended to empower women in both the wine and art worlds. Grant worked with Nicole Hitchcock, estate director and head winemaker at J Vineyards & Winery, to craft a limited-edition sparkler blending chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier sourced from Sonoma, Mendocino, and Monterey counties.
Grant had been searching for a wine partner for grantLove for more than a decade before joining forces with J Vineyards.
“She wanted the winery to be women-led and share her vision for creating an inclusive, collaborative, and thought-provoking community through artistic expression,” says Hitchcock. “She wanted to work with people that were fueled by curiosity and held the utmost respect for their partners and what they bring—and she found us.”
For every bottle of California Brut Cuvée ($50) sold, J Vineyards & Winery will make a donation to the grantLove project to support arts education and women in the arts.
“One of the early commonalities we shared was that the data for opportunities for women in wine and women in the arts were very similarly low,” says Grant. “Nicole and I are both doers, and so creating a Love Wine is a way to do something unique.”
The smile-inducing inaugural label was created by Los Angeles-based interdisciplinary artist Genevieve Gaignard. Each new bottling will feature a new Love label made in collaboration with a female-identified artist.
// Available online and at the J tasting room, 11447 Old Redwood Hwy. (Healdsburg), jwine.com
