Chardonnay by Chanel: Fashion Wineries Around the World

Wine has always been in fashion, but these days more than ever, it seems fashion is getting into wine. A few weeks ago, Chanel, Inc. made big news with its purchase of Napa Valley winery St. Supery. You might be surprised to know, however, that the label has two other wineries to its name, and it has plenty of good (chic) company in the winemaking business from fellow fashion houses like Ferragamo and Bulgari. And the list goes on from there—Cavalli does wine, Cartier has its own private Champagne label, Renzo Rosso has his Diesel Farm wine collection, etc. Vino and fashion are two of life’s greatest pleasures, so it would only make sense that the two blend. Here are eight wineries around the world helmed by style titans.
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    St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery

    Located in Napa Valley, St. Supery (owned by the Skalli family) earned major fashion cred when one of the most iconic fashion houses in the world, Chanel, purchased it last month. Though this is the brand's first U.S. winery, it’s certainly not Chanel’s first vino venture. The Wertheimer family, owners of Chanel, Inc., also has two France properties: Chateau Canon in St. Emilion and Chateau Rauzan-Segla in Margaux. St. Supery’s reps say that the business will continue as normal, with no plans to change the name under the new owners, and remain focused on their award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. For those wondering, Karl Lagerfeld has not been by to check out the property, but we’re not ruling out the possibility of a Chanel Resort show on the St. Supery lot one day.

  • Podernuovo a Palazzone

    Jewelry-making is a detailed and laborious process, one that the famed Bulgari family knows well. Giovanni Bulgari, after spending many years honing his skills in the family business, decided to apply that same precision and craft to wine when he bought the Podernuovo estate in 2004 with his dad Paolo. Located in southern Tuscany, the winery works primarily with sangiovese (their banner grape), montepulciano, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot grapes, with 2009 being the debut vintage for its three red wines (Therra, Argirio, and Sotirio). Don’t look for the Bulgari name splashed boldly across their labels, though: It’s there in a small font, but the Bulgaris are focused on making their wine, not resting on their laurels earned in the luxury market.

  • Newton Vineyard

    Owned by LVMH, the luxury empire that also has fashion labels like Louis Vuitton, Celine, and Fendi in its portfolio, Newton is truly one of Napa Valley’s hidden gems. Situated on the top of Spring Mountain (1,600 feet above sea level) near downtown St. Helena, the winery has sweeping views of the Valley, a stunning garden, and world-class wines. Perhaps most famously, Newton released its unfiltered chardonnay in 1990, which was one of the first unfiltered wines produced and sold in the States. As of last year, the wine program is being helmed by Rob Mann, Australia’s Winemaker of the Year and a member of a legendary Aussie winemaking family. Juice experts are eagerly awaiting to see what he does with Newton.

  • Domaine Chandon

    Also a part of the LVMH group’s wine division (along with other fizz labels like Krug, Ruinart, and Veuve Clicquot), Chandon in Yountville, California is quite the opposite of Newton. While Newton only allows a maximum of 20 visitors per day, Chandon attracts hundreds of sparkling wine lovers daily (maybe even hourly). They have dozens of wines in their range, from the standard brut classic and chandon rose, to the reserve collection and the higher-end Etoile line. Plus, the sparkling wine producer has collaborated with fashion designers like Stacey Bendet of Alice & Olivia on limited-edition bottles.

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  • Chateau Cheval Blanc

    Owned by luxury tycoon Bernard Arnault (CEO of the world’s largest luxury conglomerate, LVMH—anyone sense a pattern here?) and Belgian billionaire Albert Frere, Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion is a true marvel. The chateau dates back to 1832, but it reflects a beautiful marriage of the old and the new, with the addition of the state-of-the-art cellar in 2011. The cellar was designed by Christian De Portzamparc, who also did the LVMH tower in New York City and the company's headquarters in Paris. The Cheval Blanc cellar has since earned several major awards for its modern, avant-garde design and environmentally friendly materials and practices. And the wine? It might as well be likened to couture, receiving St. Emilion’s highest possible rank of Premier Grand Cru Classe (A), an honor that only a handful of other wineries in the area have achieved.

  • Il Borro

    The Ferragamo family made its name on handmade leather shoes, but the Italian heritage empire has also become a force to be reckoned with in the wine world. Ferruccio Ferragamo bought Il Borro in 1993 and worked hard to restore this Tuscan estate to its original, pre-World War II condition, turning it into idyllic, luxury farmhouse accommodations (now a part of the Relais & Chateaux collection), a spa, dining destination, and most importantly, a winery. The winery, opened in 2007, currently produces six different labels with its merlot, syrah, petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, and chardonnay grapes. Alessandro Dal Borro, which is 100 percent syrah, is Il Borro’s flagship wine and retails in the US for roughly $320 a bottle.

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  • Castiglion del Bosco

    Massimo Ferragamo, brother of Ferruccio and CEO of Ferragamo USA, owns Castiglion de Bosco, one of Tuscany’s largest wine estates. Since purchasing the 4,3000-acre, 800-year-old property in 2003, Ferragamo has enlisted the help of oenologists. The Brunellos are the star players here—the winery produces three total—garnering attention from the wine world’s top critics: The Brunello di Montalcino 2006 received a 92 from wine-rating expert Robert Parker. Next year, it’ll debut a limited-edition, single vineyard Riserva 2010 "wine for the ages." Castiglion del Bosco, like Il Borro, also has superb lodging and dining, plus a cooking school, spa treatments developed by La Prairie, and a golf course designed by British Open champion Tom Weiskopf.

  • Marciano Estate

    The Marciano name will sound quite familiar to anyone in the fashion business—Maurice Marciano (owner of Marciano Estate) co-founded the Guess clothing empire with his three brothers back in 1981. In 2006, he purchased this stunning, historic Napa Valley estate and set to work replanting the vineyards with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot grapes. The three red wines (Marciano Estate, Massiglia, and Terra Gratia) and one white (Massiglia Sauvignon Blanc), by winemaker Andy Erickson, are all available exclusively through the winery's mailing list.