There are two approaches to branding celebrity wine. One is for the celebrity to be the brand. Their name, and occasionally their face, prominently displayed on the label. Popular examples would be 19 Crimes Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart wines. Then there are celebrities who shun using their personal fame as the marketing pitch. Many are aware that Brad Pitt is behind the Miraval brand but it isn’t because his name is plastered on the bottle. It demonstrates confidence in the product and commands respect.
You might expect that a young hip hop artist would follow the direction of master marketer Snoop Dogg. Especially one with a face as distinctive and recognizable as Post Malone. There may be clues to his involvement with Maison No. 9 Rosé that a fan would recognize but if there are, it isn’t obvious. On shelf, it sells on its own merit.
It’s a sexy package. The bottle is extremely tall and sleek. No labels. The minimal graphics are screen-printed in white allowing the pale pink wine to blush through the glass. Working well with the slender bottle is a sword entangled in a vine with a single rose bloom at the top. Although the vine sprouts a few spare leaves, a closer look reveals it is actually barbed wire. Underneath the sword is the wine name, Maison No. 9. The abbreviation period is replaced with a sword which may also be a cross.
I wanted to review this wine package at release. I was aware of the artist’s connection and liked the design but there was one thing I was apprehensive about. The price. Even for premium French rosé, the cost was a bit steep. Recently, I discovered the product was heavily discounted. Not only that but the bottle sported a neck tag featuring Post Malone brandishing a sword. So much for anonymity.
Why the big price drop? Rosé tends to sell best during warm summer months. As temperatures drop, the shelf space afforded rosé is no longer feasible. September sell-offs are normal. It could also be declining inventory. If stock was low, the retailer might have wanted to clear out the product.
I’m skeptical about celebrity wines. I’ve suffered through some bad ones. But there have been surprises. The Martha Stewart Chardonnay was quite good. Maison No. 9 Rosé? Wow! It’s exceptional! Still not sure I’d pay the original price but the wine holds its own against competitors in its category. Guess who snapped up the last bottle?
