By Paola Vecchiolla

We all know that Dan Akyroyd is a gifted comedian. But can he make a good wine?

Akyroyd was on hand on February 13 at Garnet Wines & Liquors on Lexington Avenue to launch his latest wine and autograph bottles. He is one of several celebrities who have branched out from their day jobs to become involved in the business of wines and spirits. Others include Francis Ford Coppola, Lorraine Bracco, Arnold Palmer, and Greg Norman. Danny DeVito has lent his name to Limoncella, a lemon-flavored Italian liqueur. And let’s not forget the King who lives on with Graceland Cellar’s line of Elvis Presley wines.

Does putting a celebrity’s name and image on a bottle of spirits guarantee quality or just spot sales as a novelty item? At President Obama’s Inauguration, one of the souvenir items being sold in shops was a $200 bottle of champagne with his image on the label.

Yet to have staying power in an industry as competitive as wine and spirits, the quality of the product must be high. Francis Ford Coppola has perhaps the most successful line of celebrity wines in California’s Napa Valley. This famous director of the Godfather films has a family tradition of winemaking going back generations and currently is a prolific producer of a series of wines: Director’s Cut, Diamond Collection, Encyclopedia and Rosso and Bianco. Many of his wines are highly rates by wine writers. Corey Beck is Coppola’s very capable winemaker.

Aykroyd first became interested in wines while working on Saturday Night Live and the first Blues Brothers movies. He remains, like all wine aficionados, passionate about wine. In 2007, he partnered with Diamond Estates Wine & Spirits to build a winery on the Niagara Peninsula. With the 2007 Discovery Series, Aykroyd won a Canadian Wine Championship Gold Medal in the Sauvignon Blanc category as well as a bronze for his Cabernet Shiraz. (Aykroyd, in partnership with artist and sculptor John Alexander, also is producing Crystal Head Vodka, touted as “the purest spirit possible,” and sold in a container resembling a human skull).

Lorraine Bracco, an actress born and raised in Brooklyn, is known for her role in The Sopranos where she played Dr. Jennifer Melfi, the psychiatrist to mob boss Tony Soprano. Bracco attributes her love of wine to having grown up with big Italian family gatherings where food and drink were prevalent. Exposure to fine dining and wine while living in France gave her the idea to buy a vineyard and share good wine with her fans. Bracco Wines distributes in the Tri-State area and produces eight different varietals that she selected from various Italian regions and producers. Her line has everything from Pinot Grigio to Primitivo. Try them. You may find them interesting.

Arnold Palmer, a golf sport icon, began his private label wines by collaborating with Luna Vineyards in 2003. Palmer is known for his outstanding sportsmanship and his talent for making money in business. Through this partnership Arnold Palmer wines have specialized in two varietals: Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays. These wines have received decent press in the past. However, while Palmer talks enthusiastically about his enthusiasm for wine, he leaves the technical details to his good friend, Mike Moone, Luna Vineyard’s founder. Palmer is obviously still more comfortable talking about golf than grapes.

Greg Norman, another golf legend, has been in the wine business since 1999 and has built up quite a reputation for quality product worldwide. His wines are produced in Australia and his Cabernet Merlot Coonawarra 1996 received 91 points out of 100 from Wine Spectator. Unlike Palmer, Norman appears to be involved in the process and is often quoted talking quite knowledgeably about his wines.

Perhaps the most quirky celebrity wines are the ones from Graceland Cellars and Signature Wines named after the King of Rock and Roll. With names like Jailhouse Red Merlot, The King Cabernet Sauvignon and Blue Suede Chardonnay, you can enjoy wine and pay tribute to Elvis’s legacy. Fans pay a premium and don’t seem to mind.

Celebrities endorse products all the time, of course. But wine-making involves a bigger commitment. Consumers who enjoy fine wines may be tempted to sample a celebrity wine once. Repeat business will depend on the quality. We’ll drink to that.