h au t e re si d e n c e . co m FEATURE
h a u t e r e s i d e n c e N E T WO R K
WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A WINE THAT EVERYONE COULD ENJOY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN DRINK AND HAVE A GREAT, RELAXED TIME WHILE THEY DO. YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE THING ABOUT WINE TO LOVE IT! There’s a lot of wine on the market. How is yours different? We really wanted to make a wine that everyone could enjoy. I know especially for me, wine can be a bit intimidating and we wanted to make something that everyone can drink and have a great, relaxed time while they do. It doesn’t have to be scary, and you don’t have to know every little thing about wine to love it! I’m super happy with what we’ve created and we have lots of awesome stuff coming up as well. Do you have any favorite wine memories from your travels? What is your favorite Maison No. 9 memory? Definitely my last trip to the Vineyard back in August. We were there for a full week, and it was just so peaceful. We ate well, drank rosé, and enjoyed archery. What’s your first memory of drinking wine? Why does it stand out? I had tried a few wines here and there, but my first genuine experience and enjoyment of wine came from drinking reds with Mark Wahlberg at his birthday party. I got to sample a large amount of really epic wines and that’s when I got hooked. How did you decide on the south of France to produce the wine? The grapes there are not like those you find anywhere else. The climate in that region is built to facilitate great rosé production. And I just love it there. Having a vineyard to visit in the south of France is a dream. What are your favorite meals to enjoy with Maison No. 9? Raising Cane’s caniac combo, no slaw, extra toast! What have you learned about the rosé industry since launching in 2020? It has been a great undertaking to learn not only about the rosé industry, but also about what it takes to really build a consumer product from scratch. Maison No. 9 wasn’t in existence before we started this journey. We really created it from the ground up. And more specifically with rosé I’ve learned a lot about how it all comes together: How rosé is actually made, how distribution works, and all the specifics with new vintage productions each year.
26 HAUTE LIVING hauteliving.com
How did you connect with your co-partner James Morrissey at Global Brand Equities? How did you know he was the right partner to create Maison No. 9? We were introduced through a mutual friend in LA. He was telling us all about this vineyard he had just gotten back from, and it made me want to check it out. Once we got to discussing the logistics around the wine and company, it became clear that we were aligned on our goals and vision, and I felt really good about the partnership with James and his team at Global Brand Equities. I’ve been told Maison No. 9 tastes great in cocktails. How do you like to enjoy Maison No. 9? In a cocktail or alone? Honestly, we had this one watermelon rosé cocktail that was killer. It’s our signature drink called “The No. 9.” I tried it for the first time at a shoot last year, and it was absolutely delicious. How hands-on are you in the day-to-day when it comes to Maison No. 9? I am super particular about all things creative. From the smallest social asset to the branding, that’s been really important to me. What unique traits do you bring to wine and to your music that correlate? Well, I like to think my music has something for everyone. Or at least I aim for that. And with rosé it’s no different. If Maison No. 9 were a song, what song would it be? Which of your songs do you identify with the brand? “Saint-Tropez.” That music video was shot at our vineyard in France, so now there will always be that connection. What are your personal and professional plans for 2022? I just want to keep making music and good wine and try to uplift everyone’s spirits however I can. Spread love wherever and to whomever I can. It’s been a hard couple of years and the world sometimes needs something to take the edge off, and often wine and music does that for me.
