HOLLYWOOD—The rich and famous have always been drawn to the world of wine. Back in ancient

Rome and Greece, well-known philosophers, playwrights, politicians, military officers owned their own vineyards.  Nowadays many celebrities, including sports stars, have their own wineries and vineyards, or at least a line of wines named after them.

There are many levels of participation in the celebrity wine industry. Celebrities lend just their name in order to brand the wine. Actor Dan Akroyd first developed a taste for wine while working on the Blue Brothers movie. In 2007, he partnered with Diamond Estates Wine and Spirits, a Canadian distributor who launched Dan Akroyd Wines. Akroyd’s Cabernet and Chardonnay were made in collaboration with DeLoach Vineyards of Sonoma County, California.

Sports legend, Wayne Gretzky, had a winery and vineyard in Canada, but it closed back in 2011. However, he partners with Peller Estates to produce the wines. There are wine bottles with Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. So many celebrities including Drew Barrymore, Antonio Banderas, Sam Neil and Emilio Estevez, all own commercial wineries. Musicians are also involved in the wine business, Madonna, Fergie, Dave Matthews, Lil Jon, Boz Scaggs and ACDC. There is a winning combination in the wine industry-Celebrities and wine. The latest celebrity couple to join in the wine business is Brad Pitt and Angelina with Miraval Rose wine.

Last week on June 5, blogger Perez Hilton hosted the Viva Diva Wines Annual Poolside Summer Bash at NoMa in New York. Christina Milian was looking great with an adorable black peplum dress and her long red tresses. The event was full of reality TV stars from Tracy Di Marco and Cory Epps to Jonathan Cheban.  Christina Milian is the new brand ambassador of the Moscato wine brand Viva Diva wines.   The flavored Moscato line, Viva diva Wines, offers a variety of delicious, naturally infused flavors. With its positive feedback their customer base is making national headlines.

Celebrating his win on June 9th, mostly likely with a glass of wine was Rafael Nadal who won his 8th win in the French Open. One of the celebrities that were spotted in Paris watching the game was Leonardo DiCaprio. Anyone who watched the semi-final along with the final game felt the drama, intensity and emotional roller coaster ride to the end. The pressure was on for both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Nadal then went on to win the final against Carlos Ferrer. Nadal marked his historic tennis win at the French Open.

Rose’s Scoop: The party continued on June 9, with the Portuguese King of Pop Jorge Ferreira at the Portuguese Festival held annually in Newark, New Jersey. His latest CD is titled  “A Minha Maneira,” which in English translates to (My Way.) The CD is a gem with plenty of get-up-and-dance tracks including “Bailinho  Da Madeira a Minha Maneira,” along with a rap version featuring Karl Amaral. Finally, Selena Gomez will be touring in Europe, including Portugal, Spain, Denmark, France, Russia, Italy, Norway, Sweden and more in her Stars Dance tour.

Wishing everyone a Happy Father’s Day!

By Rose Quintiliano