What better way to celebrate 70 years on the throne than with a glass of bubbly? Queen Elizabeth II has decided to launch her own sparkling wine for her Platinum Jubilee, which will be feted in the UK this June. Cheers!
As a great lover of champagne, Queen Elizabeth II could hardly celebrate her Platinum Jubilee without a glass of bubbly. But only grapes grown in Kent and West Sussex are being used to create this royal fizz, which predominantly uses Chardonnay, complemented with the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier varieties. Legally, it cannot be labeled as a "champagne," since this appellation is reserved for products from the French region of the same name. This sparkling wine will be priced £39, or about $53 per bottle. It will be sold through the e-store for gifts, collections and commemorative souvenirs commissioned by Buckingham Palace. According to the e-commerce site, this wine offers "enticing aromas of rich and honeyed citrus fruit, white peach and hints of sweet spices." In a nod to the gold embroidery featured on the royal gown worn by the Queen on the day of her coronation on June 2, 1953, the label draws inspiration from the same motifs.
This launch comes as little surprise. Champagne is, in fact, a very popular drink at the English court. For a long time, rumor had it that Queen Elizabeth II used to drink a glass before going to bed. Gossip aside, it's also worth noting that the origins of champagne have always been debated. While some attribute the invention of the champagne-making method to the monk Dom Perignon, others recall that in the records of the Royal Society of London, an article written by an English scientist, Christophe Merret, explains how English merchants added sugar and molasses to wines to make them fizz.
As testament to the British crown's interest in sparkling wine, vines have been planted on the royal estate in Windsor by an English wine distribution giant (Laithwaite's), reviving a vineyard created by Henry II in the 12th century. A first vintage was released in time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee 10 years ago.
