This February, Queen Elizabeth celebrated becoming Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, having been on the throne for 70 years. While the official commemoration for her Platinum Jubilee won’t take place until June 2022, you can pop the cork and celebrate early with some of Her Majesty’s own wine.
Buckingham Palace English Sparkling Wine is distributed by and will benefit the Royal Collection Trust (RCT), the charitable branch of the Royal Household that is “responsible for the care of the Royal Collection and manages the public opening of the official residences of The Queen.”
According to the RTC, the bottle’s label is based on the embroidery on Queen Elizabeth’s Robe of Estate, which she wore during her coronation in 1952. The wine is a traditional sparkling wine made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes (also used in Champagne) sourced from Kent and West Sussex. In recent years, English sparkling wine has become popular due to its improving quality, in part due to climate change creating the ideal environment for these grapes.
“Gold in color, it has enticing aromas of rich and honeyed citrus fruit, white peach, and hints of sweet spices,” said the press release. “The wine can be enjoyed as an aperitif and pairs particularly well with mature English cheddar. It also complements British seafood, such as crab, langoustines or classic fish and chips, making the wine a perfect addition to Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer.”
Sale of the Buckingham Palace English Sparkling Wine started on Feb. 11, with 700-ml bottles costing £39 each. Additionally, British hand-cut champagne flutes are for sale, engraved with an emblem composed of the national flowers of the United Kingdom, costing £120 for a set of two. Items are for sale on the RCT website.
