Photo: AvalineWe interviewed Cameron Diaz because we think you'll like her picks. The products featured are from Cameron's brand, Avaline. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.
The holiday season is finally here, which probably means that you have a lot of shopping and preparation to start for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Eve, and any other celebrations on the horizon. Before getting in a panic, here's your reminder that your holiday gathering doesn't have to be Pinterest-level perfect. You can be the host with the most without stressing yourself out. Just ask Cameron Diaz, the E! Holiday Guest Editor. She is all about enjoying the holidays without overcomplicating things.
No matter what you're celebrating, Cameron has the perfect wine recommendation from Avaline, the organic brand that she founded with Katherine Power. It's just what you need for hosting or if you want to be a polite guest at a holiday party. Cameron explained, "Wine is a nice thing to have with your friends to celebrate and have sense of community. Being able to share the holidays together is special and wine can be a nice part of those gatherings."
In the coming weeks, Cameron will share her recommendations for thoughtful gifts, stress-free hosting, and goal setting in the new year, starting with her editor's letter below.
Dear E! Readers,
Can you believe 2022 is almost over? If you're wondering how the year flew by so quickly, cut yourself a little slack. Every year is different. Sometimes I come through on those aspirations to get ahead on holiday planning. Other times, I just have to go with last-minute plans. Both are perfectly fine. This time of year is about enjoying yourself, making memories with loved ones, eating delicious food, and enjoying a glass of wine (hopefully it's Avaline!). As E!'s Holiday Guest Editor, I am here to remind you that the holidays can be simple and easy.
I will share some gift suggestions for those tough-to-shop for people on your list, recommendations for hosting a stress-free holiday gathering, and my take on setting and reaching your 2023 goals.
This year I'm going to be in England, shooting a film there. It's going to be a fun new holiday experience. I'm from California and we're used to having Christmas in 75-degree weather. This year I'm excited to cozy up next to the fire with my family and some yuletide cheer.
I'm looking forward to celebrating the holidays and sharing more with all of you.
Cameron
E!: Why did you and Katherine decide to create your own wine?
CD: Well, Katherine and I were just having a glass of wine. We were friends just friends having wine out on my porch. We started talking and said "I really want to have another glass of wine, but I work tomorrow. Why can't we just have a second glass of wine and not feel terrible? You know?"
E!: There are many wine brands. What are some of the unique values that Avaline brings to the industry?
CD: We asked, "How can we make sure that we're consuming wine that is in line with every other choice we make for our consumption?" That's how Avaline was born. It's not anything that we invented. We didn't invent wine. We just really wanted to present transparency to our consumers. For ourselves, we just wanted to know what's in the bottle. We know wine is alcohol, but we want the ease of mind knowing there are no pesticides, sugars, or ingredients you can't even pronounce.
E!: Transparency with ingredients is important. What other decisions did you make to appeal to customers?
CD: We tried to make thoughtful decisions with the ingredients and the product design. Did you know that the reason we put a screw cap on the bottles is because of moderation? We aren't sitting there drinking whole bottles of wine by ourselves. Enjoy it often. Don't worry about a cork. Have a glass here and there when you want. We wanted a wine that we can put the cap on and put in the fridge before enjoying another glass in a day or two with confidence about the ability to preserve it.
Avaline The Holiday Collection
"With our holiday bundle, we have a limited edition of the merlot. Other than our core wines, which are red, white, and rosé, everything is limited edition because they're made by smaller producers in smaller batches. We have two whites and four reds. We're offering merlot, syrah, bobal, penedés, tinto, sauvignon blanc, and viognier."
"It's a collection you can give to other people as a gift. Or you can split it up and keep one for yourself and give out individual bottles to different people. A variety of different wines would be great for a dinner party whether you're hosting or attending."
Avaline The Essentials- Red, White, and Rosé
"We want wine drinkers to enjoy wine and not feel put off because they may not know what they're talking about. You can enjoy a wine that meets all of your values and it can taste delicious. That's something you can have. Katherine and I are both moderate wine drinkers. We're all about the enjoyment of wine for our customers."
Avaline Cabernet Sauvignon
"We're super engaged with our community. We do Instagram polls asking 'What do you guys want?' We listen to everything you say and we read every comment. We respond as much as we possibly can and try to give you want you want. That's why we just launched our cab, Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a beautiful red medium bodied wine. It's got a nice little stone fruit flavor. It's awesome, and it's what our community wanted."
If you're looking for more celebrity-inspired holiday shopping, check out these under $50 picks from Oprah's Favorite Things list.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.)