The arrival of Brad Pitt in the South of France sparked a lot of controversies. From bringing his new girlfriend, Nicole Poturalski, to his and Angelina Jolie’s Chateau Miraval, he also seemed to travel amid the European Union’s travel restrictions.
So, how did Brad Pitt manage to pass these restrictions and visit the European country?
E.U. has imposed travel restrictions since March to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Afar magazine noted it had closed its borders when the pandemic started to grapple the continent.
As the second wave of the virus looms with the continuous rising of coronavirus cases, travelers from the United States are still restricted to come.
The reason Pitt can travel to E.U.
Although Europe already lifted its travel restrictions, it’s only within the E.U. It opens its internal borders to only European travelers.
According to Mercury News, Poturalski can freely travel from Germany to France, given that she lives there.
In August, Europe added more countries, like Canada, Australia, and Japan, that can visit the continent. The U.S. is not part of the list.
Why? It says the U.S. has yet to flatten the curve, unable to handle the outbreak under control.
Does this mean Pitt uses his money and influence to bypass the travel restrictions? Many think this may be the case, but E.U. may have imposed exemptions.
Travelers who have a “high level of skills and knowledge” who can contribute to E.U.’s “economic recovery” are maybe allowed to visit.
As Pitt owns Chateau Miraval, which produces best-selling wine, he may have the right to go to France.
His visit’s purpose is to launch the new Fleur de Miraval rosé Champagne, Wine Spectator, noted.
The high price of Pitt’s wine
Upon launching Pitt’s new wine, which is worth a whopping $390 a bottle, he said, “Miraval isn’t a celebrity wine” for him.
“Above all, it’s a wonderful, exceptional estate that I fell in love with,” he continued, per Independent. “And that I continue to invest in to make it one of the finest estates in Provence.”
However, given that Pitt owns Miraval, it can capitalize on its owner’s name, giving it a higher price point.
“Any element of brand recognition enables a producer of any product to add a premium to the price,” award-winning wine consultant Anne McHale explained. “If you look at something like Brad Pitt’s Champagne, or indeed any wine where the price point clearly does not have a direct relationship to cost of productions.”
“It’s clear that other factors are at play in determining the price,” she added. “It wouldn’t be a huge leap of imagination to conclude that his name has something to do with it.”
However, upon tasting Miraval rosé, McHale said, it is “little more expensive than those of equivalent quality.” But, she still commended the brand of Brad Pitt for being “a great product and very reflective of its origins.”
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