Shark On Course With Wines

By T.J. Foderaro
The Star-Ledger

Do any of the wines carrying celebrity names on their labels live up to the star power?

Surprisingly, yes.

No celebrity has had more success in the vineyard than Greg Norman, who is an unquestioned champion when it comes to sales.

The Australian has parlayed his Shark persona into a global business empire. Among his many ventures are the Greg Norman Turf Co., Greg Norman Collection, Greg Norman Australian Grille and Greg Norman Production Co.

And, as wine aficionados know by now, Greg Norman Wine Estates.

I'm generally suspicious of stars like Norman who spread themselves thin (see also real estate mogul Donald Trump and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse). But there's no questioning the quality of Norman's wines.

The wine industry was stunned a few years ago when the trend-setting magazine Wine Spectator included the Greg Norman Reserve Shiraz among its Top 100 wines of the year. Indeed, it made the top 10, scoring an impressive 96 on the magazine's 100-point scoring system.

Greg Norman Wine Estates is based in Australia, turning out consistently good shiraz, chardonnay and cabernet-merlot blends for nearly a decade now. More recently, the Shark launched a sister winery in California, where the repertoire includes petite sirah, pinot noir and zinfandel.

Does Norman actually make the wines himself? Not really. Greg Norman Wine Estates employs two professional winemakers, Andrew Hales in Australia and Ron Schrieve in California. But by all accounts, Norman is actively involved in shaping the wines, sitting in on barrel tastings and deciding on the final blends.