Wine
New wines to ‘rival craft beer’, says Crown Cellars
Wines in the new own-label range include a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc called Box of Budgies, a Chilean Merlot titled Clockwork Raven and an Argentinian Malbec named Bone Orchard.
Quirky-named wines:
- Box of Budgies – New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- Clockwork Raven – Chilean Merlot
- Bone Orchard – Argentinian Malbec
- Bad Eye Deer – French Sauvignon Blanc, Australian Shiraz and a US Zinfandel Rosé
The new range was developed by Crown Cellars' wine experts including wine buyer Louise Boddington and master of wine Jonathan Pedley and is aimed at customers looking for less stuffy and confusing wine labels.
Stand out and compete
Pedley said: "Our aim with these new wines is to bring new consumers into wine and encourage current wine consumer to try new grape varieties and new flavours through fun, appealing and contemporary packaging.
"The names and labels are designed to stand out and compete not only with other wines, but also other categories, such as craft beer and cider that have done a fantastic job in bringing new consumers in with appealing language and marketing.”
Meanwhile, Crown Cellars' wine and spirits manager for the south-east and London Dougal Kenny told the Publican's Morning Advertiser in an exclusive video the wines publicans should consider for their summer wine lists this year.
Watch the video to see the top three wines and to find out what Kenny's ultimate tip for choosing summer wines is.
Tasting notes:
- Box of Budgies: This chirpy Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and juicy with plenty of pear, zingy kiwi fruit and a touch of sage on the finish. When all is right with the world, a New Zealander might say: "Everything's a box of budgies."
- Clockwork Raven: When life is winding you up, make time for theClockwork Raven. Inspired by the birds who will always find the ripest grapes; this Merlot is smooth and approachable, with dark plummy fruit notes.
- Bone Orchard: The Malbec grape is known for the deeply coloured wine it produces. Definitely on the darker side, this full-bodied wine has great (bone) structure and ripe forest fruit flavours, with a touch of spice.
- Bad Eye Deer: The stag crept stealthily through the heather, approaching his ultimate goal. A cache of wine so wonderful and sumptuous he would cross many miles to get his hooves on it, and there it was, perched upon the mountain top. In his headlong dash to grab it he ran straight into a lurking Scots Pine, "take that danger horse!" yelled the tree as our hero fell to the ground clutching his wounded eye. Leaping without looking may have proved to be a Bad Eye Deer but the wine would be his in the end!
