You're Nobody These Days Unless you Have a Bottle With Your Name on the Label. But are Celebrity Wines any Good?

LONDON, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

First it was Cliff Richard. Then Mick Hucknall from Simply Red. And the latest singer to start making her own wine is Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas. But just because the music is getting better, what about what's in the bottle?

It's not just those in the music business who are at it - actors, sportsmen and even filmmakers are getting in on the act. A few of these so-called 'celebrity wines' were entered into the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards, the biggest wine competition in the world held each year in London. With 14,119 wines to compete against, you really have to outclass your opponents to win a medal. With the results just out, some of them did very well - a couple even bagging Golds. All the wines are tasted blind, so the judges can't be put off by the flashing bling - the wines had to rely on quality alone to shine.

Film director Francis Ford Coppola (father of Sophia) owns a historic estate in California's Napa Valley. These are some of the wines he entered and how they performed:

Rubicon 2008 - Gold
Rubicon Estate Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - Silver
Rubicon Estate Edizione Pennino Zinfandel 2009 - Bronze

Professional golfer Ernie Els also makes a number of wines in his native South Africa. He is a former World No.1 - but what about his wines?

Ernie Els Merlot 2010 - Gold
Ernie Els Proprietor's Syrah 2010 - Gold
Ernie Els Proprietor's Blend 2010 - Silver
Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - Bronze
Ernie Els Big Easy 2010 - Bronze
Ernie Els Signature 2008 - Bronze

Another sportsman, Yao Ming, has recently started making an expensive Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. He last played basketball in the US for the Houston Rockets, but now owns the Shanghai Sharks. This is the first year he has released his top-end wine.

Yao Ming Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - Silver

And finally someone from a very different background: Diane Disney-Miller - eldest daughter of Walt Disney. She now owns Silverado Vineyards in California.

Solo Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - Silver
Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - Bronze
Mt.George Merlot 2009 - Bronze
Mt.George Merlot 2008 - Bronze
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - Commended
Chardonnay 2010 - Commended

So overall the wines impressed. But what about the wines of Antonio Banderas, Drew Barrymore, David Ginola or Madonna? Well they didn't enter them, so you'll have to buy those yourself to find out.

Chloe Crowther, +44(0)207-471-8730, chloe@clementinecom.com