Top 5 stars who make wine

With the Oscars in full swing, talking about stars is inevitable! Yes, even at Les Grappes we're into celebrities. But we prefer to focus on those who appreciate the finer things in life, good food, and local produce! So we're rolling out the red carpet right into the vineyards.

Aren't we doing well here, between the Syrah and Mourvèdre vines?

Francis Ford Coppola, "The Godfather of Vineyards"

Francis Ford Coppola, who needs no introduction since his cinematic masterpieces that make up The Godfather trilogy, is also a renowned Napa Valley winemaker with his estate located in Inglenook. He bought it in the 1970s after the success of the first Godfather film. This is hardly surprising when you consider that his grandfather was already making wine in the cellar of his New York apartment building. Today, he takes his craft very seriously and is doing everything he can to make his wine a benchmark among Californian wines. He even hired a Château Margaux expert in 2011. The father of The Godfather allows visitors to the Francis Ford Coppola Winery to enjoy a tasting of his wines and a film screening. We wouldn't mind drinking a Coppola while watching a Coppola film!

Luc Besson, "the big red"

This renowned director, known for films like The Fifth Element , Léon , and Nikita, is also the proud owner of Domaine de Senaux in the Saint-Chinian appellation. He produces a typical Hérault red wine, a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. Still in the South of France, right next to his estate, he also owns three hectares of vines at Domaine d'Alquier in the Faugères AOP. We eagerly await an Arthur and the Minimoys film set in the vineyards.

Christophe Lambert, "Only wine can remain"

Christophe Lambert, the French-American actor also known as Connor MacLeod in the Highlander saga, is a multi-talented entrepreneur who first became interested in wine in 1997 by investing in Domaine La Grand'Ribe in Saint-Cécile-les-Vignes in the Vaucluse region. He then invested in Château Tour Séran in the Médoc. While he doesn't participate in the winemaking process, he is actively involved in improving his estates and developing promotional strategies.

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie or Brangelina, "Wine Club"

Objectively speaking, it was impossible to write an article about celebrities making wine without mentioning Hollywood's most glamorous couple: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. First, to put the hype surrounding the two stars' vineyard into perspective, it's worth noting that the 2012 vintage from the Domaine sold out in just five hours. Even the star system knows how to make things happen. The adventure began in 2008 when they decided to purchase Château de Miraval, a 50-hectare estate in the Côtes de Provence and Coteaux-Varois-en-Provence appellations, farmed entirely organically. The Perrin family is in charge of the viticulture and winemaking, and renowned wine critics like Thierry Desseauve, who have had the privilege of tasting it, have nothing but praise for it.

Antonio Banderas, “Zorro’s wine”

We now turn our attention to Spain and one of the country's most iconic actors: Antonio Banderas. He is best known for playing Don Alejandro de la Vega in The Mask of Zorro , alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones. What is less well known is that he acquired Bodega Anta Banderas in the north of his native country in 2009. This return to his roots hasn't been to everyone's liking. Sommelier Michael Madrigale (winner of Wine Enthusiast's Sommelier of the Year award in 2012) describes the Ribera del Duero he so aptly names as a "wine to be enjoyed only in cases of extreme emergency." There's still some work to be done for the masked avenger and the estate's staff.

Thibault ( Les Grappes )