How Mark Wahlberg Inspired Post Malone To Launch His Wine Label, Maison No. 9

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS

POST MALONE RAPS POETIC ABOUT HIS FRENCH ROSÉ, MAISON NO. 9.

BY LAURA SCHREFFLER
PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM DEGROSS

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS

Post Malone is having quite the summer. After dropping his fourth studio album, Twelve Carat Toothache, in June, the nine-time Grammy nominee — whose government name is Austin Richard Post — also announced that he had become a dad and a fiancé, and that he was heading out on a massive international tour. But no matter what the 26-year-old has going on, he always finds the time to kick back and relax with a glass (or bottle) of Maison No. 9, the French rosé he launched in 2019.

And this — not his new album, not his new daughter, not his grand tour — is the raison d’être for today’s chat. And the story goes something like this: The day before the 61st Grammy Awards in LA, after long hours of rehearsals with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post and his manager Dre London found themselves rushing to meet James Morrisey, the founder of Global Brand Equities. They found themselves talking about wine, vineyards, and, specifically rosé — which they all loved — but had yet to discover it in its perfect distillation. And just like that, an idea was born. The Grammys came and went, and 10 days later, the trio found themselves sitting and sipping on the French Riviera, tasting over 100 rosé blends until they landed on the perfect pairing: a 45% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, and 15% Merlot blend from Provence defined by nose-dominant orchard fruits like peaches, peach ring gummies, and sweet fruit salad that’s balanced and round yet crisp and wonderfully refreshing.

Now, Post takes us on his wine journey — and shares what he loves about owning his own label. I mean, hell, is this not the best way to truly be a Rockstar?

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS

Since Maison No. 9 launched in 2020 with only one product, how have you been able to dominate the wine market?

This was my first foray into wine, so I wanted to focus on one product. And even more specifically, focusing on French rosé. I just love the French Riviera lifestyle: the pace, scenery, landscape, and the people are all just amazing. It’s such a wonderful way of life.

Why rosé?

I only recently got into wine but to me, rosé is just fun. Getting into wine is super intimidating so when we decided to make the jump, rosé seemed like the best place to start.

What is next for Maison No. 9? Do you have any expansion plans?

Not sure If I’m supposed to announce this yet but we’ll be launching in several new countries this year: Australia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. I’m excited to be able to bring our product to these new places.

Can you tell me how Maison No. 9 came to be?

When Dre and I got to know James in LA, we traveled to meet him in the south of France soon after to check out the winery. I immediately fell in love with the concept of the business. Obviously, we didn’t expect to have to launch a brand at the start of a global pandemic, but I think the sales proved that there was a desire for this product even when the world had shut down.

Photo Credit: MAISON NO 9

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.

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS

How did you connect with your co-partner James Morrissey? 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?
St. 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.

POST-TALK WITH MAISON NO. 9 CO-FOUNDERS

DRE LONDON AND JAMES MORRISSEY

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS

JAMES MORRISSEY

How did you know Post Malone was the right partner for Maison No. 9?

The most important quality in a partner for me is the human connection. Getting to know Post and Dre and seeing the commitment and energy that has gone into turning dreams into reality is something you don’t take lightly. Getting to see how authentic Post is as a person, it’s rare to meet someone at his level of success with such humility. For me, humility and loyalty are key attributes in any partner — you must like and connect with who you work with. The passion to create something special with Maison No. 9 was there from the beginning, and we all shared the same vision for what we could create.

Can you share favorite wine memories from your travels with Post Malone?

All the trips and time we get to catch up together are genuinely great. One of the craziest moments was at the very beginning of this entire process for Maison No. 9. Soon after we met for the first time, I got a call from Post and Dre that they wanted to go meet in the vineyard in France the next day. I said yes, absolutely no problem, and that I’d see them soon. Only, at that moment, I was in the Dominican Republic at a wedding. I immediately left the wedding and booked myself on the next flight to France. The rest is history!

Photo Credit: MAISON NO 9

DRE LONDON

You’ve been working with Post Malone for a while now. How did this experience differ from others?

The experience was very relaxed. It was more relaxed because the timing was right. We were having conversations about Maison in a vineyard in the south of France when there wasn’t all the hustle and bustle going on, taking a break off a tour in 2019, so it was easier to focus on being organized for it. I mean, we didn’t expect that a year later that there was going to be a pandemic and a lockdown and that we would be launching a wine during all of this, but everything happened for a reason. So, it worked out well.

Why did you decide he was the ideal partner to make wine with?

After I saw him and Mark Wahlberg spending too much money on expensive wine once, I just thought, no, it’s time to tap into this market and get it done. You go to Wally’s, the restaurant in Beverly Hills, and spend $20,000 to $30,000 dollars on wines that are half the size of me and then the wine’s gone the next day. It just didn’t make sense.

I’m always looking out for those things, thinking about the next big step. Thinking, Where’s the income from this? Since Post Malone loves wine so much, let’s do wine. And then I’m looking at what people are doing and I’m realizing there’s no one attached to a rosé, so let’s do a rosé.  The more I started putting these thoughts together the more I realized that this type of collaboration was missing in the market. That’s the kind of work that I do. I want to disrupt the norms and do something different. That’s what me and Post do in general as a team, we do things that are outside of the norm.

Photo Credit: ADAM DEGROSS