Sunny Hostin is telling Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to “watch out,” because she’s “coming for them” with her new rosé, Ama’s Blend.
The View cohost, 55, exclusively opened up to Us Weekly about the launch of her first wine, which she named for the beloved character from her New York Times bestselling Summer Beach trilogy. The 2022 Los Carneros rosé is a manifestation of Hostin’s literary dreams.
“I wrote in the book that Ama would start a wine because she moved to France and decided to open up a vineyard, which I think if I’m being honest, is a dream of mine,” Hostin told Us. “I wanted something that really reflected Ama, the protagonist in the book. She likes to send personal notes, and [it] is my handwriting on the label.”
Apart from stomping on the grapes herself, Hostin was directly involved in each part of the process.
“I worked with a small batch vineyard owner that’s family-owned. And so, what was so wonderful is that they knew that I wanted it to be personal. They knew that I wanted to be different. They knew I wanted it to speak to the character of this book, who really is a billionaire. She’s someone that likes nice things,” she explained. “And so, I wanted it to reflect someone that would make this kind of wine.”
Ama’s Blend is set at a “great price point” compared to some other competitors, which Hostin believes makes it stand out. “I thought, ‘What can I do that [makes] it personal? Why choose this wine?’” she said, reflecting on her experience spending summers in the Hamptons. “I was on my book tour for a summer [in] Sag Harbor, I had a crowd of people. … We were adjacent to the beach. It was so beautiful. And a gentleman named Fred started bringing rosé out to people.”
She recalled, “And they were listening to me speak, and they were there for the book signing, but they were also drinking rosé. And I thought, ‘OK, the idea that I have is one that translates.’”
Hostin has a strong support network behind her new business endeavor, including husband Emmanuel “Manny” Hostin, who Sunny says chose the dry rosé out of a lineup in a blind taste test. Her fellow panelists from The View have been behind her as well and “can’t wait” to try the final product.
“Whoopi [Goldberg] has been such a big supporter of mine. She has a prosecco and she gave me some really great tips about it,” Sunny told Us. “And Joy [Behar] would like several bottles, I’ve been told.”
For the TV personality, summer means “rosé all day,” and her new go-to is low in sugar with a “crisp, yet fruity finish.” As for pairing Ama’s Blend with a meal, Sunny recommends firing up your grill to enjoy a glass with chicken or fish and a summer salad. Sunny herself prepared a cold salad with shrimp, feta cheese and orzo, a combination she described as “chef’s kiss.”
Ama’s Blend retails for $30 and is available for purchase on Sunny’s website.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi.
