- Great Windsor Park Sparking Wines from Queen Elizabeth Windsor Castle
The British royal family has agreed to allow in 2011 one of the largest British wine retailers (Laithwaites) to plant French grape wine varietals (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and inot Meunier) on one of their property, in fact a few minutes away from Queen's Elizabeth II residence near Windsor Castle. This grape varietal set is the exact varietal set one would use to make sparkling wines.
- Great Windsor Park Vineyard, Aerial View
"Tony Laithwaite grew up in Windsor. He loved Windsor Great Park as a boy and relished the opportunity to make wine here when, in 2011, Laithwaite's was permitted by The Crown Estate and the Royal Farms to revive an ancient vineyard tradition ... planting the classic Champagne grapes - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier." Laithwaites.co.uk
Well guess what? Now the British royal family has its own line of sparkling wines, from grapes grown in Windsor Great Park. The first batch of Windsor Vineyard English Quality Sparkling Wine was harvested in 2013, and let to rest to produce only 3,000 bottles of sparkling wines and sold out quickly for $44 in the UK.
The second delivery will be available in fall 2017 at British retailer Laithwaite's, and it is believed to be sold quickly.
Watch this superb video, history in the making!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgZqtjKnXKM&w=560&h=315]
The production is expected to be about 20,000 bottles in 6 years, which will make a new competitor for champagnes.
Sources: Refinery29, Laithwaites
