How having your own wine brand has become a must-have celebrity status symbol

Branded wine ranges seem to be the latest celebrity tactic for making a few extra pennies as Kylie Minogue joins the list of famous faces with their own vintages, standing to make £1million off the back of their deals. 

While most savvy celebrities always have an eye on expanding their ever-growing empires with endorsements and brand deals, wine seems to be the most popular new venture for 2020. 

In the last three months alone, Kylie, 52, has launched her new rosé collection, and actress Cameron Diaz and singer Post Malone have also unveiled their own bottles of pink. 

They join a long list of famous faces flexing their star power with their own alcoholic offerings, including Graham Norton, Cliff Richard, Phillip Schofield, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker. 

And wine brands are not just limited to celebrities, even the Queen has a range of sparkling white wine – Windsor Great Park Vineyard 2014.  

Not a stranger to putting her name to products, Kylie Minogue recently stepped into the world of vintage wines after the success of her affordable collection launch earlier this year. 

Her latest addition, ‘Côtes de Provence Rosé’ priced at £18 a bottle, joins her debut Classic Collection which was developed in celebration of her 52nd birthday.  

The popstar, who always seems to be at the forefront of the branding deals, also has  homeware range Kylie Minogue at Home which launched in 2010, a few years before several stars, including Rita Ora, Holly Willoughy and Tess Daly, jumped on the trend.

And it doesn’t end there, Kylie also has also put her name to several fragrances since her debut into the perfume industry in 2006. 

So what is it about wine that may have caught Kylie’s eye as her next side hustle?

CEO of PR agency 10 Yetis Digital Andy Barr said: ‘The main draw of the wine business, aside from the obvious cash money returns and the vague tax laws around investing in the industry, is the chance for a niche or maybe B list celebrity to upscale their “brand” appeal and take them to the A-List level, with the right marketing and PR strategy that is. 

‘There is a reason The Beckhams, The Jolie/Pitt’s (RIP to Brangelina!), Sting and Francis Ford Coppola all decided to develop a wine side hustle. 

‘Lending a respected and well-known name to an existing vineyard enables mediocre or substandard wine to be sold for an inflated price, increasing the potential margin just by franchising a celebrity name. 

‘Easy money, for very little involvement, especially if they don’t actually own and oversee the production themselves. 

‘I can’t imagine Posh Spice treading the grapes herself in her skinny white jeans, can you?’

Off the back of their alcohol deals, retail expert Mr Barr said famous faces depending on how well known they are, can stand to make as much as £1million by adding their name to the brand. 

‘The potential returns from being associated with a drinks brand depends largely on if the celebrity owns it, or just endorses or licences their name to it’ he says.  

‘For example, George Clooney made his bank balance look as handsome as his face when he sold the tequila brand he owned for $1bn.

‘A celebrity looking to just lend their name to a brand can expect to earn upwards of £1m based on their own celebrity worth and stature. 

‘Sometimes the deals are based on sales volumes and, when you think that wine makers are reported to operate at a 50% gross profit margin, you would expect this kind of deal to surpass the £1m endorsement mark.’