GAYOT's Blog

From rock & roll to wine? But why? And how come? This is the question I posed to Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac while dining with him at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at L.A. Live. Both Jonathan Todd, the drummer’s manager, and longtime friend producer Michael Shapiro commented on Mick’s involvement in the wine-making process. Mick, who offers a selection of seventeen American wines (red and white), is the sole decider of the wine’s blend as well as the winery that will carry his label on the bottle.

Although this was great information, it wasn’t exactly the answer I was looking for. I turned to Mick himself to help me put the pieces of this puzzle together. Of course, Mick has the means to produce wine, but what drove him to become so tremendously involved? I finally had him reveal, with his gorgeous voice and elegant British accent, his secret: he is a “nose” and has always had a heightened sense of smell. It allows him to create the blends that he likes—hoping that he won’t be the only one to enjoy them. If a winery produces great wine one year, but not so great the next, Mick’s nose knows! He just selects another winery. The drummer’s next blend will be a Bordeaux. You can find Mick’s wine in the sixty-nine Fleming’s restaurants and at Costco with an average price of $20.