George Clooney is reported to be embarking on a surprise new business venture after selling Casamigos, the tequila brand he co-founded, for $1 billion (£750 million) in 2017. Indeed, the actor is now producing wine from his very own 25-acre French home.
George, 64, have moved to an estate near the small town of Brignoles, Provence with his wife Amal, 48, and their eight-year-old twins Ella and Alexander. Along with an olive grove, tennis court and swimming pool in the grounds of an 18th-century chateau, there is an extensive 20-acre vineyard.
According to The Guardian, George has partnered with agronomist Laurence Berlemont on upcoming rosé and white wines using grapes she planted at Domaine Le Canadel around 25 years ago. She previously worked with fellow Hollywood star Brad Pitt at nearby Château Miraval.
The grapes from the estate have, according to the newspaper, previously been fed into a local cooperative - although it appears that George will now be using the fruits for his own wines. There were reports that this would be as early as 2025, however this has not yet happened.
© Getty ImagesOnce the E/R and Ocean's Eleven star's wine gets flowing, Brad won't be George's only famous competition. Other stars with their own wine-producing estates in the area include Johnny Depp, Kylie Minogue, John Malkovich and Jon Bon Jovi.
It comes after the lucrative sale to Diageo, just under a decade ago, of Casamigos. George founded the brand in 2013 with Cindy Crawford's husband Rande Gerber - father to Kaia Gerber - and Mike Meldman.
French life
Earlier this year, it was reported that George and Amal, whom he married in Venice in 2014, had made the south of France their main base after gaining French citizenship. That being said, they purchased Domaine Le Canadel back in 2021.
George suggested that the culture of privacy in France was a big factor for the move. "Here, they don't take photos of kids," he told local broadcaster RTL. “There aren't any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That's number one for us."
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe couple also owns a grand mansion on the banks of Lake Como, which the actor bought in 2002, that has been their regular holiday home in recent summers. Additionally they have a Grade II-listed 17th-century on the Oxford-Berkshire border and an apartment in New York.
