Da Wine

In researching wines associated with historical figures, I stumbled upon a very interesting case (for those from Chicago clearly a very influential historical figure).  Ditka Wines.  In addition to his other business ventures (restaurants, etc.), Ditka has teamed up with Bill Terlato to produce high quality wines to be used at Ditka's restaurants.  The wine is branded under the Flagship series, and it has varieties such as "The Coach" and "The Champion".  The wines are produced from grapes in Napa Valley.  In addition to being available at his restaurants, one can also order the wines online.

For me this is an interesting case for several reasons.  For one, few people would associate Mike Ditka with wine.  However, he has found a creative way to partner with an industry expert to market his brand on wine labels.  Additionally, it shows the potential of a restaurant owner finding ways to produce their own wines for use at the restaurants.  I am interested in diving more into the economics of such an arrangement - it would appear to cut out the middle man and produce additional profit.

Sources:
http://terlatowines.com/brands/california/mike-ditka-wines
http://www.uncorked.com/shop-wines/brand/mike-ditka-wines.html