NICE, France (Reuters) - The first wine to be sold from a French vineyard owned by Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will go on offer this week to online buyers with a thirst for celebrity.
The first 6,000 bottles of organic "Miraval Rosé 2012" will be sold on the Internet on Thursday for $140 a case including shipping to addresses in France.
The wine, praised by one wine critic for its "dynamism" and "expressive fruit", was produced from Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grapes grown in the scenic Var region of southeastern France on the 40 hectares owned since 2008 by the A-list couple.
Pitt and Jolie partnered with the Perrin family of vintners to create and market the 100,000 bottles of rosé wine that will be sold to independent wine stores and restaurants.
Miraval, bearing the name of the couple's chateau, is expected to follow up on its rosé debut with red and white wine.
"With this 2012 rosé, Miraval reveals the extraordinary potential of wines from Provence. This unique terroir naturally expresses itself in the aromatic wine with a round mouthfeel that is full of freshness," the Perrin family said in a statement.
Wine critic Thierry Desseauve described the wine as boasting "energy, dynamism, with persistence and freshness" due to its "expressive fruit".
The stout bottle, more akin to a Champagne bottle, has a discrete circular black, white and gold label. The only mention of the photogenic couple is on the back: "Bottled by Jolie-Pitt and Perrin."
(Reporting by Matthias Galante, Writing by Alexandria Sage, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)
