Santa Monica, CA – During a remote video press conference, which journalists attended simultaneously from the privacy of their home offices, Goop announced this morning that it will be launching a wine brand later this summer. Goop, a wellness and lifestyle company founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 2006, announced the release of seven wines sourced from throughout the Golden State.
Dressed impeccably in a white silk kaftan, Paltrow, who broadcast the press conference from her home, explained the narrative arc of the brand. “We chose to release seven wines, and we’ll always have only seven wines, because each wine represents one of the seven chakras.” Paltrow went on to explain that each wine will have its own name under the Nanakatva brand. Just as wineries name certain bottlings after specific vineyard designates, the Nanakatva portfolio of wines will be named for each of the chakras and will include Crown (Chardonnay), Third Eye (Pinot Noir), Throat (Zinfandel), Heart (Cabernet Sauvignon), Solar Plexus (Sauvignon Blanc), Sacral (Merlot), and Root (Syrah).
Paltrow explained the wines will not have a winemaker, per se, but instead an Overseer, who will care for the health and vibrancy of the wines leading up to their bottling. “I found this amazing shaman, who is also a Feng Shui Master, living in the remote reaches of Topanga Canyon. He’s super gifted. He’ll come in to the cellar on a regular basis and bless the wines, tuning them to vibrate at the same frequency.” Each varietal wine will be stored in its own partitioned room, the lights of each room reflecting the colors of each chakra. “For example,” Paltrow explained, “the Crown wines, which are Chardonnay, will be kept under deep purple lights, while the Third Eye wines, which are Pinot Noir, will be aged in tanks under indigo colored lights.”
Each of the partitioned cellars will be equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system playing the Om chant on loop. “It’s the most mystical syllable,” Paltrow added. Humidifiers releasing pure lavender essence will be used throughout elevage, ensuring, as Paltrow added, “that the wines will be relaxed and soothed throughout their raising.”
During a brief Q & A session following the press conference, Paltrow fielded questions from journalists. Asked if she believed the wines have curative properties, Paltrow responded that while this cannot be proved, she found the first releases, already in bottle, to be spiritually fulfilling and soul-gratifying. Stopping short of claiming the wines lead to a heightened state of enlightenment, Paltrow added, “At least for me, I feel my chakras opening after a glass or two, but that may just be me. I mean, forget natural wines. These wines are Supernatural.”
Asked where she sourced fruit for her wines, Paltrow said she is working with “bulk artists” throughout California who are seeking out wines that show “vitality and life.” She continued, “I’d rather not plant a vineyard to make these wines. I mean, there is a lot of wine out there that’s available without having to lay claim to a plot of land or other natural resources. I guess you can say I’m adopting wines that are out there and need homes.”
When asked if there were details about the packaging she would be willing to share, Paltrow responded that each bottle will have a necker; a copper thread holding a rose quartz crystal to “ground the wine towards its source and open the heart of the imbiber.” Additionally, the bottle’s wax cap will include ground lapis lazuli to guide in opening the throat chakra “so that the throat is open and responsive to receiving these wines,” Paltrow continued.
Beginning Saturday June 20th, the wines will be available for purchase at Goop.com and at fine retail stores nationwide. A limited number of seven-packs featuring the entire line up will also include a bundle of sage, a foldable yoga mat and a corkscrew. The seven packs will retail for $ 1,300.00. Individual bottles will retail for $150.00 each.
Before concluding the press conference, Paltrow added that the corks were stored in a special room that at its center holds a jade statue of the Bodhi tree. “My intention is that each cork be blessed by jade, a stone that represents protection and harmony.” When a journalist from the Milwaukee Beverage Newsletter asked if there would be any benefit from saving the cork, Paltrow hesitated before responding, “Well, I mean, you can save it as a keepsake certainly. We encourage that! But, they’re not actually made of jade, they’re made of cork, and I’m certainly not suggesting you insert the cork in your vagina.”
