6 Celebrity-Backed Wines & Spirits
Crystal Head Vodka
Cause Celeb: Made in Newfoundland, Crystal Head is the brainchild of Canadian-born actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander.
Claim to Fame: Both gluten- and additive-free, the vodka is filtered through Herkimer diamonds. Take it for a ride in Dan’s ’54 Bar Car (2 oz. vodka, splash dry vermouth, splash olive brine, 2 olives, and 1 cocktail onion).
Miraval Wines
Cause Celeb: In 2012, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt acquired Château Miraval in France for $60 million. Now tout le monde is wondering who will get the grapes in the divorce.
Claim to Fame: Miraval’s 2013 Côtes de Provence rosé, which has red berry flavors, made Wine Spectator’s “Top 100” list in 2013. If the couple’s split is amicable, expect two promising whites to come: the floral Miraval Blanc Côteaux Varois and the fruity, spicy, and smoky Miraval Blanc Côtes de Provence.
Aviation American gin
Cause Celeb: Christian Krogstad, founder of the Portland, Oregon, producer House Spirits Distillery, made it a team effort by drafting former NFL quarterback and distillery co-owner Joe Montana.
Claim to Fame: This small-batch gin’s juniper flavor is subtle, with the spotlight being shed instead on other botanicals sourced in the Pacific Northwest: sarsaparilla, lavender, and coriander. Go for a touchdown with the Aviation Rickey (1½ oz. gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup, topped off with seltzer water).
Casamigos Tequila
Cause Celeb: After a long tequila-fueled night, actor George Clooney and restaurateur Rande Gerber vowed to create the world’s smoothest small-batch tequila.
Claim to Fame: Blue Weber agaves from Jalisco, Mexico, undergo an extra-slow fermentation for 80 hours. On the rocks, by the shot, or straight from the bottle—don’t even think about salt or lime.
Barrymore Wines
Cause Celeb: Actress Drew Barrymore teamed up with the Carmel Road winery in Monterey, California, to create her own label with winemaker Kris Kato.
Claim to Fame: A crisp honeydew-flavored Monterey Pinot Grigio and Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir, which has notes of fruit and spice. The Barrymore rosé sold out this year and will return in the spring.
Il Palagio Wines
Cause Celeb: In 1999, Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, bought Il Palagio, a 900-acre Tuscan estate, and hired renowned oenologist Paolo Caciorgna to create organic wines.
Claim to Fame: Sister Moon 2012, a Super Tuscan with licorice and blackberry notes, and Casino delle Vie 2012, a biodynamic Super Tuscan.]
A version of this article appeared in the Holiday 2016 issue of NYC&G (New York Cottages & Gardens) with the headline: Star Struck.
