House Wine: We Recommend These Fashionable Bottles

Over the past few decades, luxury fashion houses have increasingly invested in prestigious vineyards …

Shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo, world-famous for his innovative heels often crafted from unconventional materials such as cork or wood, once said: “Fashion and wine are both a question of lifestyle, personal taste and sensibility.”

At first glance, wine and luxury fashion seem to belong to entirely different worlds. The former is rooted in agriculture and terroir – a universe one would hardly associate with high heels, silk blouses or glamorous hats.

Yet, over the past few decades, luxury fashion houses have increasingly invested in prestigious vineyards, weaving ever stronger connections between wine and haute couture. What once appeared as two separate spheres now reveals itself as a shared culture of excellence, heritage and refined taste.

One of the pioneers in wine investment is the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) group. At LVMH, wine is not a peripheral activity but one of the historical pillars of the group. Long before becoming a global fashion empire, LVMH was built around great champagne houses and spirits brands, today united under the Moët Hennessy division.

Beyond champagne, the luxury giant has progressively developed an international vineyard portfolio, with estates in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, the US, India, China and, of course, France. Among its most prestigious properties are Château d’Yquem in Sauternes, Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion and Clos des Lambrays, a Grand Cru in Burgundy.

Wine and fashion converge as two expressions of the same quest: the search fro beauty, emotion and identity.

Controlled by the Pinault family, the Kering group – which owns fashion houses such as Gucci and Saint Laurent – has also built an impressive collection of prestigious vineyards. Its portfolio includes Château Latour in Pauillac, Domaine d’Eugénie in Vosne-Romanée and the legendary Château- Grillet in the northern Rhône Valley, one of the smallest appellations in France, consisting of a single estate.

The fascination with vineyards is not limited to large luxury groups; individual “maisons” have also embraced wine as a natural extension of their heritage. Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, better known as Coco, once declared: “I only drink champagne on two occasions: when I am in love and when I am not.” Beyond its wit, the quote reflects the place champagne occupied in Chanel’s vision of style and art de vivre. Decades later, this connection between fashion and wine would take on a concrete form, as the house of Chanel became the owner of prestigious wine estates in Saint-Émilion (Château Canon), Margaux (Château Rauzan-Ségla) and on the beautiful island of Porquerolles, home to Domaine de l’Île.

In the wine world, terroir refers to the unique combination of soil, climate and human know-how, often transmitted over centuries. In fashion, house DNA refers to the codes, history and aesthetic language that define a brand. In both fields, the notion of terroir and house DNA or heritage answer the same fundamental question: Why can this only come from here? The answer is pretty clear – an Hermès scarf and a bottle of Romanée Conti, although widely imitated and even counterfeited, can never truly be replicated elsewhere.

In wine, the term “vintage” designates a specific harvest marked by particular climatic conditions and challenges, giving each year its own personality. In fashion, a collection likewise reflects a moment in time, influenced by culture and creative vision. Certain pieces acquire “vintage” status. Wine critics speak of “legendary years” and fashion specialists of “landmark collections”. Craftsmanship is perhaps the most explicit overlap between these two worlds. In both wine and fashion, techniques and secrets are transmitted from generation to generation, mastery takes decades to achieve, and intuition plays a decisive role. Machines may assist the process, but nothing will ever replace human’s sensitivity, flair and genius.

Neither wine nor luxury fashion is purchased for purely functional reasons. Behind every great wine lies a story of land, climate, passion and time. Behind every iconic fashion house lies a tale of vision and creative audacity. Both allow individuals not only to consume, but also to identify, to dream, to feel, and to project themselves into a universe of meaning and social belonging. Wine and fashion converge as two expressions of the same quest: the search for beauty, emotion and identity. @julie_dupouy

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE