In this week’s chapter of our “Celebrity Brands” series, we welcome two guests: Kylie Minogue and Sarah Jessica Parker. One is a global pop icon, the other a familiar face from the silver screen.
The wine brands created by these two names address different target audiences, yet they share a common conviction: that wine should be offered to the market at accessible prices. Looking at their performance in the marketplace, it becomes clear that this foresight has proven correct.
Both celebrities place genuine importance on the content of the brands they created. Their ways of engaging in the production process differ, but for both, wine is a professional activity pursued with determination, not a hobby.
Kylie Minogue: From Pop to the World of Wine
Kylie Minogue’s music career begins in 1987. Gaining recognition through her role in an Australian television series, she quickly rises in the pop world. In the 1990s, her artistic identity evolves. After a period of risk-taking, she makes a strong comeback in the early 2000s. “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” becomes a global hit and firmly secures her place. Following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, she takes a break from the stage, but returns powerfully in 2007. The momentum never stops. “Padam Padam” later becomes a viral sensation on TikTok.
According to popular accounts, a rosé she tasted in Provence in 2017 sparked her entry into the wine world. The idea, “Why shouldn’t I make wines that make people feel good?” took hold like a virus. Aware that her own relationship with wine was limited to being a wine lover, Minogue knew she needed the right partner. She therefore collaborated with Benchmark Drinks, one of the world’s leading brand development agencies. Benchmark Drinks is well known for its ability to interpret lifestyle culture with precision.
Since its launch in 2020, Kylie Minogue Wines has sold over 22 million bottles. Data available up to mid-2025 shows no sign of slowdown. The portfolio includes, alongside the signature rosé that carries the brand’s origin story, whites (Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay), reds (Pinot Noir and Merlot), sparkling wines including Prosecco and Cava, as well as alcohol-free options.
The brand’s attention to bottle design is equally striking. Echoes of Minogue’s stage costumes appear in the elegant silhouettes, giving the bottles a distinctive visual shimmer on retail shelves.
Kylie Minogue Wines remains a remarkably successful venture that continues to preserve its initial momentum.
Sarah Jessica Parker and the “Invivo X” Collaboration
While Kylie prepares her expansion on European shelves, on the other side of the Atlantic Sarah Jessica Parker had already brought her personal relationship with wine to the screen through the iconic Carrie Bradshaw character in Sex and the City. Known for her affinity for wine, Parker crossed paths in 2019 with the young and dynamic New Zealand producer Invivo.
Invivo sought a recognizable face to distinguish its wines in an increasingly crowded brand landscape. Parker proved to be exactly that. Yet she made one condition clear from the outset: she did not want to be merely a brand ambassador. She insisted on having a voice at every stage of production.
This collaboration, which began in 2019, has continued in a healthy and consistent manner despite the thousands of miles between them. Wine samples are shipped to the United States for the blending stage, where final decisions are made jointly through online tasting sessions between Parker and the production team.
This production model has significantly strengthened the brand’s image. Thanks to professional evaluations and critical scores, the wines move beyond being mere celebrity by-products and establish their own identities in the market. Sales figures clearly show that sharing a glass with the star of Sex and the City carries real appeal. We know that the first releases in 2019 exceeded 400,000 bottles in their inaugural year. Official statements indicate a steady upward trend, though detailed year-by-year figures remain unavailable.
Comparative Economic Perspective
Compared with Château Miraval, featured in the first installment of our series, the wines of Minogue and Parker target different segments. While Miraval positions itself as a “special occasion wine,” Minogue and Parker pursue the role of everyday wines. The acquisition of Angelina Jolie’s shares in Miraval by one of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates is a telling signal of this positioning.
Despite targeting different segments, these wines are often sold through similar channels. Price differences are, of course, clearly visible on the labels. Yet whether positioned as luxury or daily consumption, the points of contact with consumers largely overlap
Another important contribution of the Minogue and Parker brands lies in softening the grassroots perception of wine. In recent years, much of the debate around wine’s decline has focused on the alleged role of wine snobbery. While we believe this factor has been exaggerated, it is evident that the approachable identities of these celebrities have helped counter this perception. For young consumers entering the wine world, Minogue and Parker wines often play a valuable introductory role.
In Essence
Looking at the examples of Kylie Minogue and Sarah Jessica Parker, it becomes clear that an established name can create powerful initial momentum when entering the wine world. Sustaining that momentum, however, requires a sound business model. The partnerships Minogue formed with Benchmark Drinks and Parker with Invivo offer two compelling examples. The successful translation of Parker’s lifestyle influence and Minogue’s musical fame into wine provides us with instructive case studies. At a time when global wine sales face declining trends, these examples deserve close attention.
