Meghan Markle’s Napa Valley Rosé Sold Out in Minutes. That's Not What the Internet is Mad About.

When Meghan Markle’s As ever 2023 Napa Valley Rosé launched on July 1, it sold out in less than an hour.

But the internet, predictably, had thoughts.

On Reddit, one commenter sniped, “There’s no vineyard. No winery. This is private-labeled juice with a calligraphy logo.” Another added, “It’s not even made in Napa. It’s Sonoma wine pretending to be premium.” Some questioned if she’d even tasted the wine. Others went full scorched-earth on the idea that anyone could slap a name on a bottle and call it their own.

First of all, ouch on behalf of Sonoma.

And while the tone was petty, the underlying question is worth unpacking: How does a celebrity like Meghan Markle launch a sold-out wine without owning a vineyard — and why is that actually the norm, not the scandal?

The answer: because she’s not pretending to be a farmer. She’s playing a much more modern role — brand builder, creative director, and curator — in a system that has long enabled founders, celebrities, and entrepreneurs to craft meaningful products without owning the full supply chain.

It’s a smart business strategy and it’s how a growing number of products in your pantry, bar cart, bathroom, and closet are being made.

So what exactly happened here? Meghan is said to have partnered with a facility in Sonoma County that specializes in what's called custom crush. It’s a common practice in the wine world (and a legal one), where you can collaborate with winemakers, use their grapes and equipment, and come out the other side with a bottle that’s all yours. No vineyard required.

As ever is said to be produced in partnership with Fairwinds Estate, a Kenwood-based winery known for crafting custom wines for everyone from John Wayne’s estate to thecast of Yellowstone. It was said to be bottled at Kunde in Kenwood, as well — the location printed clearly on the label.

The result? A curated rosé that reflects Meghan’s aesthetic and values, even if she never touched the soil where the grapes were grown.

Meghan’s critics seem stuck on the fact that she didn’t make the wine herself, as if authenticity requires a shovel in the dirt or a fermentation log.

But this mindset ignores something fundamental: great brands aren’t always built by technicians. Sometimes they’re built by tastemakers.

Just look at Rick Rubin. He’s shaped the sound of everyone from Johnny Cash to Jay-Z and openly admits he doesn’t know how to play an instrument or operate a soundboard. “I have no technical ability. And I know nothing about music,” he once said. His genius isn’t in the making — it’s in the listening, the editing, and the instinct.

Meghan isn’t claiming to be a winemaker. She’s building a product through collaboration, curation, and a clear point of view, just like Rubin. And like many other celebrities, she’s using her platform to shape something that feels like her, even if someone else crushed the grapes.

That doesn’t mean she’s hands-off. Her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, shows her cooking, foraging, and creating — much more in the Martha Stewart mold, which is arguably the template for this kind of lifestyle brand.

Truth is, this is how brands are built now. And Meghan — whether the internet likes it or not — is very good at it.

Sound familiar? That’s because this isn’t just a wine thing — it’s the same model behind half of Hollywood’s consumer empires:

These products aren’t fake. They’re collaborative. And this model — partnering with experts, leading with vision, and building from the outside in — has become the go-to approach for celebrities, modern DTC companies, influencers, athletes, and even media startups.

In most cases, the founder’s real job is what it’s always been: shaping the story, refining the experience, and building emotional connection. Just like any good CEO.

In a post-product world, vibe is the differentiator. Story, brand identity, and founder resonance matter more than whether you personally picked the grapes or sewed the seams.

And from a business standpoint, outsourcing production is smart:

And when done well, it can be both profitable and personal.

Yes. Just not in the way people think.

Meghan didn’t grow the grapes. She probably didn’t run fermentation tanks or haul hoses in a cellar. But she did taste trial blends. She chose the one that reflected her vision. She designed the calligraphy on the label. And she partnered with a winery known for thoughtful, high-quality production.

That’s not a scam. That’s called creative direction.

And as with Rick Rubin and Martha Stewart — different in execution, but united in confidence in taste and vision — Meghan’s power is in her ability to know what she likes, shape it clearly, and share it with the world.