BY JOE FATTORINI :

Having made a splash with his own-name wine brand last year, cricketing hero Sir Ian Botham has joined forces with Kent winery Hush Heath Estate to launch a range of quintessentially English wines

If you know anything about English sporting legend Sir Ian Botham, it should come as no surprise to learn that he signed off from his cricket-commentary career at Sky last month with a glass of wine. Aside from his fame for record- breaking batting achievements, and his high-profile charitable work, Sir Ian carries a reputation as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic wine lover.

He has had a toe in the drinks trade for the past 20 years, having partnered with McLaren Vale winemaker Geoff Merrill (and former cricketer Bob Willis) for the Botham Merrill Willis label since 1999.

Furthermore, if you read the drinks business’s interview with Botham last year, then it will come as little surprise to also learn that he marked his 20 years of broadcasting with a glass of Chardonnay – the ex-England all-rounder loves the grape, and would rather drink a creamy white wine from Australia than risk the disappointment of an insipid fizz. (One senses a certain fatigue from the 63-year- old Botham for the standard bubbles served at drinks receptions).

Also, if you read the article in our August 2018 edition, then it will come as no shock to find out the wine he drank in the commentary box was his own – Botham’s Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, made using grapes from Marty Edwards at The Lane Vineyard, one of the brilliant partner wineries chosen by Botham for his brand launch.

INVOLVED IN ALL STAGES

Such a drop, along with others from Australia, was unveiled to db at Lord’s cricket ground on 27 July 2018, where Botham made clear his dislike of the term ‘celebrity winemaker’, which, he felt, would imply that his famous name was just being used to shift an existing product, rather than the reality, which sees Botham involved in all stages of production, from choosing the producers, to making the blends, and presenting the wines to press and buyers.

Speaking to Botham more recently, it seems he was relishing leaving Sky because it gives him a chance to devote himself full-time to the wine business; a change of career.

But for those who follow Botham closely, there is something a bit surprising about his latest, hands-on foray into the wine business – the lack of English wine in his range. As a former player for England in both test and one-day international cricket, he is renowned for his passionate attachment to his home nation. One would have thought such patriotism would extend to the promotion of his motherland’s produce. But, until this summer, the Botham wines comprised a range from Australia, followed by a Pinot from Central Otago in New Zealand. Where was the English fizz? He may prefer weighty whites in the commentary box, but surely a fine sparkling wine from the UK would appeal to this famous English figure? Furthermore, wouldn’t it be brilliant for GB’s emerging wine industry players if they could count Botham as a backer?

‘I knew which sparkling I wanted from the word go; it was just a case of being polite and tasting the others’

When we met him in July last year, Botham told db of his intention to launch an English fizz, leading us to run a story on our website expressing this desire, which in turn prompted a rash of offers from hopeful English wineries. Out of a mixture of duty, curiosity, and good manners, Botham has spent the past 12 months visiting English wine producers, but, as we were first to report four months ago, he has made his choice, agreeing a tie-up with Hush Heath Estate in Kent.

As he told us at the property last month, although he recognises the quality at a number of English wine producers, it was always Hush Heath that he had in mind

for his brand. “I knew which sparkling I wanted from the word go; it was just a case of being polite and tasting the others,” he says. Such certainty hails from Botham’s long-standing experience of Hush Heath’s fizz, above all its flagship rosé.

He explains: “It was the first English sparkling wine to be served in BA First Class, and the only English wine to be poured at the London 2012 Olympics.” Not only that, but Botham knew the owner of Hush Heath Estate, Richard Balfour-Lynn. The connection stems from Botham’s former role as brand ambassador of Hotel du Vin, a chain of wine-focused British hotels previously own and run by Balfour-Lynn’s MWB property and hotel group.

Botham says: “I remembered drinking Richard’s sparkling rosé – I loved it, and so did my wife.”

But this latest Botham wine represents a subtle twist in the development of his wine business. Rather than being purely a Botham-branded product, the English wines carry the famous cricketer’s name and that of the winery partner, Balfour- Lynn. So, with the launch of the cricketer’s first English wine offer comes a new label: Botham & Balfour.

There’s something else that’s novel about the enterprise: Tesco is taking the new wine label on an initial exclusive basis, but not the fizz. Rather, Botham & Balfour will launch in the UK’s largest supermarket chain with a still rosé. Although Botham had planned to bring an English sparkling wine to market, and launch a pink fizz with Hush Heath, he was so impressed by the still rosé from the property that he and Richard agreed a two-line launch offer: with a still and sparkling rosé.

“I knew about the sparkling rosé, but then, when I came here, Richard serve us a still rosé, and I thought, wow, this is good, it has to be a wine from Provence.” Actually, it was a bone-dry pink wine made from a blend of Champagne grapes Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay, along with hybrid red grape Regner, which Balfour-Lynn says works best as a rosé, bringing plenty of red berry aromas.

Hailing from the unusually good harvest last year, Balfour-Lynn says that the Botham & Balfour pink is “certainly the best rosé we’ve ever made”, and describes it as having “the natural pretty colour of an apricot English rose, while stressing that the wine is “fresh and very clean on the nose”.

Botham says: “I am putting my name to this because the quality is there, and I have been promised that it will be maintained.”

Speaking more generally about the development of English sparkling and still wine, he adds, “It is exciting to be part of the trip.”

Balfour-Lynn says: “The product has to be great to match the celebrity. Our confidence in each other lies in the fact that the product matches the personality – that is the bottom line.”

Representing the range of wines from Sir Ian Botham, and the new English wine partnership with ‘I knew about the sparkling rosé, but then, when I came here, Richard served us a still rosé, and I thought, wow, this is good, it has to be a wine from Provence’

Balfour-Lynn, is Benchmark Drinks. Founder Paul Schaafsma, who was formerly CEO at Accolade Wines, tells db that the launch of the Botham & Balfour brand and the Tesco listing represents a big step forward for English wine, pointing out that “the familiarity of Botham” coupled with the high quality reputation of Hush Heath Estate, will encourage more people to try English wine, people who perhaps were “a bit scared before”.

Not only does the Botham & Balfour brand make English wine “more accessible”, according to Schaafsma, but the “support of Tesco has created an opportunity, and that has got to be good for English wine”.

STRONG BRANDS

Reinforcing such a view, Balfour-Lynn says: “This partnership with Ian will be good for English wine, ringing the bell loudly for the industry in the UK and export markets. We both have strong brands, so the most powerful thing is to put the two together – use our strength as an authentic source of English wine, and Ian as a great ambassador with a big wine business internationally.”

As for Botham, he explains: “I always wanted to do an English sparkling wine; I wasn’t interested in doing anything French, and English wine was always going to be a good fit; I’ve got the Union

Jack on my chest, so to speak; I’m as proud an Englishman as Richard.”

But the range isn’t capped at two pink wines, stresses Balfour-Lynn. “This is the start of a long-term partnership,

and I suspect we will do more wines together, it is hugely exciting and we are right behind it. We are joint business partners and joint brand ambassadors for English wine.” And Botham is optimistic about the export potential.

“The Botham wines are in 14 countries, so the market is already there, and I don’t see any reason why we can’t go global with Botham & Balfour.”

He is also excited by the opportunity in the domestic market. “We need to give people the chance to try the wine, because people in England are not aware of the quality of wine we make,” he says, noting that national distribution through Tesco will provide a fillip to such an endeavour, along with, on a smaller scale, on-trade listings. For example, England cricketer Stuart Broad, who has a small pub business, has expressed an interest in stocking the Botham & Balfour English wines. Then there’s the six-strong Hush Heath pub group, soon to be seven.

THE ONLY WAY IS UP

As for the wine estate in Kent, Botham says: “Everything here ticks the boxes – it is in the garden of England, it has the weather, the climate, the vineyards are immaculate, and the winery is as modern as anywhere I’ve been – and I’ve been to a lot. As I said about Sky when I left it,
I was there at the right time, at the beginning, and I watched it grow over
20 years in the commentary box.

“And that’s where we are now with the English wine industry; we are at the beginning, and it’s exciting, there is only one way for it to go, and that is to grow.”

If one were to pick a figure to make such a forecast come to fruition, then it would be Botham. Not only is he known and respected in cricket-loving nations, but he’s also passionate about the wine business. Plus, with a career in commentary now behind him, he can play full-time in the field of wine promotion, English still and sparkling rosé included.

We are thrilled to announce that the Sir Ian Botham 2017 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay has made it to the the prestigious Matthew Jukes top 100 Australian Wines.

Matthew is a very well respected UK wine writer and critic and we are honoured to be one of the very few new wineries to be included in his report.

Matthew had thousands of Australian wines submitted to him to review this year and to be chosen in his top 100 is and wonderful Achievement for Sir Ian and his team.

From February 2019, Waitrose & Partners will be stocking an exclusive selection of Sir Ian Botham’s wines from his newly launched collection. Sourced from selected vineyards across Australia, each wine represents a pivotal moment from Botham’s cricketing career.

The two collections, The All-Rounder and The Botham Series, will be added to the Waitrose wine range with prices ranging from £7.99 to £10.99. The All-Rounder collection offers a selection of easy-drinking, young and fresh wines, whilst the wines in The Botham Series, named after his debut for England in 1976 and the world record-breaking century and 10 wickets in 1980, are more complex and are sourced from smaller parcels and exclusive vineyards.

 All-Rounder Collection

The Botham All-Rounder Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 – This wine has been created by blending parcels sourced from across the South Eastern region of Australia, with 30% sourced from the prestigious region of Coonawarra. This is a full bodied wine with a rich depth of dark red fruits and red berry flavours combined with earthy spice and hints of mint.
The Botham All-Rounder Chardonnay 2017 – This wine has been created by blending parcels sourced from across the South Eastern and Western regions of Australia. 30% of this wine was sourced from the prestigious region of Margaret River in Western Australia. Flavours of grapefruit, citrus and peach are combined with a well balanced acidity to produce an elegant style of Chardonnay with a good length and finish.

The Botham Series

 The Botham 76 Series Margaret River Chardonnay 2017 – A wonderfully rich, full-bodied wine with creamy oak flavours which are surrounded by the rich stone fruit characters and subtle layers of citrus and toast. This wine has a complex structure and lengthy finish.

 The Botham 80 Series Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – Great depth of rich fruit with typical Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics of black cherry, mulberry, aromatic cedar, touches of mint, pepper and earthiness combine with integrated French oak. A full bodied wine with well balanced tannins and a fine acidity that produces a wine of great intensity, complexity and length.

 Alexandra Mawson, Australian Wine Buyer at Waitrose & Partners says, “We’re really excited to be stocking Sir Ian’s new range of wines exclusively at Waitrose. Sir Ian has worked alongside well-known winemakers to personally craft these great quality wines and I am sure they will appeal to cricket and non-cricket fans alike.”

Having launched the first vintage release earlier this year, Sir Ian Botham’s icon range of wines are now exclusively available through the prestigious wine merchants, Berry Bros. & Rudd.  The 3 wines, Sir Ian Botham Single Vineyard Barossa Valley Shiraz 2013, Sir Ian Botham Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 and Sir Ian Botham Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2017 are available to buy from the Berry Bros. & Rudd store in London’s St. James’s and via their website www.bbr.comand will retail at £42.50 per bottle.

Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, having traded from the same shop since 1698.  With over 315 years of history, Berry Bros. & Rudd are justly proud of their past. The shop, at No. 3, St. James’s street, was originally established by a lady, known only as Widow Bourne and over 3 centuries later, with 2 Royal Warrants and 6 Masters of Wine, the family business continues to flourish with offices around the world but with its heart still very much at No. 3.

When Widow Bourne first opened her shop, her timing couldn’t have been better.  Situated opposite St. James Palace, the shop opened in the same year as the palace became the official principle residence of the monarch.  As her business grew and the ownership passed down through the generations, change was inevitable, but the company has always valued its traditions whilst embracing innovation and global wine and spirit trends.  In 1967, Berry Bros. & Rudd became the first independent wine merchant to build temperature-controlled cellars.  Today these cellars hold 8.5 million bottles of wine belonging to both the company and its customers and the collection is valued in the millions of pounds.  In 1994, the company was once again at the forefront of progress as they launched the first wine merchant’s website (www.bbr.com) and in 1997, the company celebrated as they were awarded the second Royal Warrant by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales.

Whilst the second half of the 20^thcentury saw the expansion of the traditional business, the 21^stcentury saw new sides of the business be established. The historic cellars below the shop were gradually renovated to facilitate private wine events and the highly respected wine school.  To this day, this world-renowned wine merchants stock over 4000 wines carefully selected by their team of Masters of Wine and they still supply the British Royal family as they have done since the reign of King George III.

Sir Ian Botham wines are incredibly proud to have been selected by Berry Bros. & Rudd and to be listed within one of the finest wine collections in the world. 

Paul Schaafsma, Managing Director of Benchmark Drinks, is thrilled to be working with Berry Bros. & Rudd “It is an absolute privilege to have our icon range of wines listed within the Berry Bros. & Rudd portfolio.  Both Sir Ian and I have worked tirelessly to craft these wines with some of the most respected producers in South Australia and the range has had some incredible feedback from wine experts and consumers alike. To now be stocked in such an iconic venue, alongside arguably some of the best wines in the world, is genuinely thrilling for us and the Botham wine brand”.