Star pour: How celebrities are taking over the bottle shop
Should we be alarmed that our bottle shops now contain more celebrity names than Netflix?
Highlights from the wine section: Kylie Minogue, Drew Barrymore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Norman, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (whose Chateau Miraval wines outlasted their marriage).
Tequila's cast of thousands includes Justin Timberlake, Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Seacrest and, most recently (brace yourself), Kendall Jenner.
Matthew McConaughey's bourbon, Bruno Mars' rum, Jay-Z's cognac and oceans of vodka, including Dan Aykroyd's scenery-chewing skull-shaped bottles of Crystal Head, all vie for top billing.
The celebrity-booze love affair blends passion and profit in varying ratios. Sometimes a man walks into a bar and orders a gin he likes so much he buys not just a shot but the entire business. That's how Ryan Reynolds met Aviation gin, which he offloaded last year for a reputed $600 million – not far behind the $1 billion trousered by George Clooney from selling his Casamigos tequila.
Sometimes life imitates art: Snoop Dogg created his Indoggo gin after rapping about gin and juice, and Hanson transformed their MMMbop earworm into … yup, Mmmhops beer. Here are three celebrity drinks to try.
Rita Ora's Prospero Tequila Reposado
$74.99
The Brit singer collaborated with one of the first female master tequila distillers, Stella Anguiano, for a range including this Reposado, aged for a minimum of six months. Sipping it neat rewards your attention with rich vanilla, white flowers and lingering spice.
Daniel Ricciardo's DR3 x St Hugo 2014 Barossa Shiraz
$65.00
This generous, full-throttle red is one half of the debut duo in the Formula One champion's new annual wine series. While Ricciardo credits St Hugo chief winemaker Peter Munro as DR3 engineer, he's learning fast and hopes to increase his hands-on winemaking over time.
Shane Warne's 23 Mid-Strength Gin and Slim Tonic
$18.99 (4 pack)
Since Warnie switched focus from spin to gin, his WA-distilled SevenZeroEight collection (named for his Test wicket total) has pleasantly surprised the sceptics. His new low-cal G&T tinnies pack a mere 315 kilojoules and 2.9 per cent ABV, and blend Warnie's 23 Mid-Strength Gin with citrus, cinchona root, and spice.
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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/star-pour-how-celebrities-are-taking-over-the-bottle-shop-20210413-h1v61z.html