What you should be pouring in time for the Six Nations
IT SEEMS like every retired Rugby player has a keen interest in wine. Former England player Andrew Sheridan achieved a wine Diploma and filmed a series with me in the Rhone; Brian Moore became a wine writer and critic; Mike Tindall launched The Rugby Wine Club; and Joe Marler had me on his podcast, Things People Do, on an episode called “About Wine”. It is time for the Six Nations to commence so, whether planning a match-led drinking game or standing by the team of your choice, here is what you should be pouring during the games.
WALES
Welsh wine has had a boom in recent years, with around 35 vineyards in the country now. The oldest is Glyndwr Vineyard, founded in 1979. With a delightfully anachronistic label of knight Sir Owain Glyndwr on horseback, I recommend popping a well-chilled bottle of their Sparkling Rosé Brut (Waitrose, £23.99) to manifest a Welsh win. This bone-dry fizz of Rondo and Seyval Blanc is fresh, fruity and delicate – a satisfying contrast to the players on the pitch.
IRELAND
Vines may be tricky for Ireland but wine-adjacent are the delightfully honeyed notes of mead. Mead is a traditional beverage made from honey and water, fermented by yeast like wine, with added fruits and spices. In the case of the Kinsale Mead Co Wild Red Mead (Amazon, £25), grapes are sacrificed for the dark fruit of locally-sourced blackberries and cherries. It would pair well with sticky BBQ-style ribs but can also be treated like a sweet wine, contrasting with strong, salty cheeses or complimenting chocolate and desserts.
SCOTLAND
If Ireland is tricky, Scotland is nigh on impossible for wine, so I have admittedly fudged this one with a Scotch Royale, a twist on the classic French 75 cocktail. Any true Caledonophile is going to want a whisky, so take a dram of single malt scotch like the James Eadie Miltonduff 9-Year-Old Small Batch Single Malt Whisky (Naked Wines, £43.99) and top it up with some sparkling wine. Champagne is traditional, but I loved it with Cave de Lugny Crémant De Bougogne (Waitrose, £12.99). Let us hope the team delivers the same strength and elegance as this premium cocktail.
ENGLAND
When supporting England, we are blessed with hundreds of wineries making exceptional wines. I am going for a glass of Gusbourne, who have just partnered with Blackheath Rugby Club, the oldest in the land. This Kent based producer is one of our island’s most premium and one of my personal favourites. The delectable Fifty One Degrees North (Gusbourne.com, £195) is superb and their Blancs de Blanc (£65) is like sipping on a cloud. Win or lose, this will elevate any match.
FRANCE
Former French rugby player Gérard Bertrand is now a prolific and well-respected winemaker in the South of France. Of all his award-winning wines, his Cöte des Roses rosé (Majestic, £13.99) is my favourite. Bright summer fruits dance with grapefruit zest and the crisp, saline edge of a sea breeze. The bottle is also cleverly designed so the base looks like a rose when the bottle is turned upside down (but no throwing this bouquet when the bottle is done).
ITALY
With so much Italian wine sloshing about, a supporter is spoiled for choice. While you may want to go red – Rugby is a full-bodied contact sport, after all – but I suggest Collalbrigo Estate’s Prosecco Rosé DOC (sportingwineclub.com, £20.50). Winemaker Francesco Cosulich and his two sons have all represented Italian rugby at top levels, contribute to sporting charities and produce some lovely wines from the rolling hills of Veneto. Never has Rugby looked so pretty in pink. Whoever you will be rooting for over the coming weeks, make sure you have a suitable glass in hand to properly toast your team.
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