Celebrity product endorsements are a longtime tradition and quite lucrative for everyone involved. But in recent years, many stars have wanted to do more than just offer a sip and a smile in an advertisement, especially when alcohol is involved.
As a result, celebrities are shaking things up and getting involved in the booze business. And it’s proving to be a perfect pairing for superstars and fans alike. The brands have a built-in boost, and it gives the rest of us a taste of the A-list lifestyle.
Check out the stars who are stomping grapes and handcrafting spirits that are worth a sip.
John Legend — LVE Wines
The musician fulfilled a lifelong dream when he created Legend Vineyard Exclusives (LVE) wine collection with Napa Valley’s Raymond Vineyards. This year, production expanded from chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and a red blend to include a rosé.
What do two A-listers do when they want extra-special spirits for their house parties? If you’re Clooney and Rande Gerber (Cindy Crawford’s husband), you make your own exclusive tequila. They created Casamigos for themselves but released it for the world to enjoy. And just last year, alcohol giant Diageo purchased it for up to $1 billion.
In spring 2018, Dylan stepped into the craft spirit game with a collection of three whiskeys. The award-winning spirits have since earned accolades from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Over the last two years, Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley have been mixing up more than music. The peach and pecan flavors in their “smooth and easy drinking” whiskey draw inspiration from their multifaceted music and Southern culture.
After a trip to Jalisco, Mexico, where tequila is made, the multi-talented singer was inspired to create Sauza 901. He teamed up with Beam, Inc. and the super premium triple-distilled 100 percent agave tequila was born.
One taste and it was a done deal for the Deadpool star. Reynolds loved the Portland-based gin so much he became an owner of Aviation Gin in 2018. He plans to be involved in day-to-day operations and oversee creative direction.
The former 49ers quarterback also took a liking to Aviation Gin and invested in House Spirits Distillery, which makes the craft gin. However, as a co-owner, he hasn’t been quite as hands-on as Reynolds.
In 2016, the actor became the brand’s creative director and has since helped reinvigorate its offerings. The latest release is the complex Wild Turkey Longbranch, which is “refined with Texas Mesquite and oak charcoals.”
In 2016, the rapper joined forces with spirits producer Brent Hocking to launch Virginia Black Whiskey, an aged Bourbon whiskey. Fans will be able to get in on the action this year, too, with a planned IPO.
The country star first met Código’s co-founders, Ron Snyder and Federico Vaughan, on a golf course in Mexico. They shared their tequila and got to work bringing it back to the U.S. with Strait as an investor. The tempting Código lineup includes a Rosa, which is a pink, refined tequila aged in Napa cabernet French white oak barrels.
The “Notorious” fighter has been making headlines in and out of the ring since announcing his eponymous Irish whiskey last year. However, he’s run into trademark issues, so it’s not available quite yet.
The reality TV star’s lifestyle brand all started with a low-calorie margarita mix. Now, she’s expanded offerings to include a whole shelf of tasty drinks, including wine, flavored vodka and more.
Inspired by his pre-show ritual, the rocker launched Backstage Southern Whiskey in 2017. A bourbon is also in the works. Before a show, Rucker gathers his friends around and toasts with a shot of whiskey for good luck. Now fans can, too.
The footballer teamed up with entrepreneur Simon Fuller to produce Haig Club, a single grain scotch whiskey. The brand’s rich history dates back to 17th century Scotland. In fact, it was Beckham’s grandfather’s favorite.
Tatum has worn many hats throughout his career, and his latest venture involves producing a smooth vodka. Born and Bred’s handcrafted product touts local Idaho potatoes and glacial water from the Grand Teton Mountains in its recipe.
The singer and rocker connected in their shared love of tequila and, after sampling mezcal at a restaurant in Mexico, decided to combine the best of each in a novel spirit. Last year, they introduced the world’s first mezquila, a cross between mezcal and tequila.
The Canadian-produced brand has won multiple awards, and founding partner Aykroyd’s passion for the spirit doesn’t hurt sales either. The writer, actor and producer helped design the eye-catching skull-shaped bottles inspired by Native American legends.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artist has yet another spirited venture. He partnered with master distiller Mark Nigbur and Stephen Kauffman to produce the award-winning premium silver rum from Maui-grown sugar cane.
The country star draws inspiration for both his music and his liquor venture from the Caribbean islands. Chesney introduced his rum with parties across the country to give fans a taste of the island life, and has since expanded the line to include nine different flavors.
Seacrest is one of a handful of bold names backing Casa Dragones, the high-end tequila made for sipping. Other early investors included Jeff Bezos of Amazon, French hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, MTV and VH1 co-founder John Sykes and former CEO of Viacom Tom Freston.
Matthews opened Blenheim Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2000. The vineyard keeps production small, and wines are available only on the property. He also teamed up with Sonoma County winemaker Steve Reeder on The Dreaming Tree label, which includes several reasonably priced varietals.
For Barrymore Wines, the actress joined forces with Jackson Family Wines to produce three varietals from vineyards in Southern Monterey County. In fact, the pinot noir is known as “Drew’s Blend.”
The singer may be known for stomping around on stage, but in her spare time, she’s been stomping grapes in the Santa Ynez Valley in California. She founded the boutique winery with her father, Pat Ferguson, in 2006. With help from winemaker Joey Tensley, they’ve been making handcrafted, organic varietals ever since.
The Hollywood A-listers bought Château Miraval in Provence for a reported $60 million back in 2008 and teamed up with Château Beaucastel’s Perrin family to produce rosé wine. In spite of rumors of a sale and the dissolution of their marriage, they still own the property and are expanding wine production.
The towering former NBA star Yao Ming owns and operates Yao Family Wines in St. Helena, California. His cabernet sauvignons are a hit in his hometown of Shanghai, and in the Napa Valley tasting room as well.
The rocker spent many summers in the Hamptons drinking rosé, so the natural next step was to make one of his own. He and his son partnered with award-winning French winemaker Gérard Bertrand, and Diving into Hampton Water debuted in spring 2018. Their easy-drinking rosé reflects the seaside Hamptons lifestyle with grenache, cinsault and mourvèdre grapes.
