Potential buyers of Meghan Markle's Napa Valley rosé, have called the wine a "rip-off", referencing the expensive price point of the wine. The Duchess of Sussex's wine came in batches of three, six and 12, with each bottle theoretically costing £22 ($30) and £66 ($90), £116 ($159) and £218 ($300) in total in the batches.
It was available to purchase only within the US with a £15 ($20) flat-rate shipping, and sold out in less than one hour. In a post on Instagram, in time with the launch, her As Ever brand said: "It's here! Raise a glass to the newest addition to the As Ever family. Our beautiful Napa Valley rose is now available".
Social media users, however, have criticised the price and the expensive shipping fee. One wrote: "The pricing would make more sense to me if she was more established for people to buy in bulk, but it's insane for a brand that's not even established yet and beyond her friends, no one has ever tasted this. It's a bit wild to me."
Another added: "YIKES!! Talk about Meghan Markup. Meghan Markle is forcing anyone who wants her wine to buy three bottles at least, totally $90 + $20 in shipping. As ever a rip-off. As ever greedy. Is she expecting restaurants to sell this or something? Who's going to buy 12 bottles of a wine they've never tested? That's insane..."
One simply wrote: "For a rosé it's quite steep."
However, some eager to make the purchase thought differently and suppprted Meghan's new wine venture. One fan wrote: "Meghan's 1st drop of Napa Valley Rosé wine From As Ever is SOLD OUT. CONGRATULATIONS!"
Another wrote: "48 minutes after launch Napa Valley Rosé wine from As Ever is SOLD OUT. Hope you all got your orders in."
The Duchess of Sussex's brand describes the rosé as offering "soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality and a lasting finish". The wine represents As Ever's expansion into alcoholic beverages, marking a new product category for the brand that officially launched in April.
With 14.5% ABV, the 750ml bottles are sold exclusively through a new website, Wine.AsEver.com. The wine is a proprietary blend incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah varietals.
As Ever describes the rosé as "inspired by a Provençal-style" and "harvested in the stunning wine country of Napa Valley". The rosé is the beginning of As Ever's wine collection, with a Méthode Champenoise Napa Valley sparkling wine planned for the near future.