What will the Bath Rugby team be drinking this Christmas?
Laura on 25 Nov 2013
Staff, players and Season ticket holders from Bath Rugby were out in force in our shop last week, to select their top tipples for the Christmas season from the Great Western Wine range. As a local business, we all support the club, and a selection of our wines are always on sale at the Rec on match days.
Back in September, the enthusiastic travelling army of Bath supporters, led by the Bath Rugby CEO Nick Blofeld found themselves near Bordeaux for the annual Brives match, and 70 or so managed to sneak in a visit to one of our favourite Chateaux, Chateau des Gravieres. Entranced by the wines, the germ of an idea began, resulting in an evening for players, staff and season ticket holders to taste through a selection of wines, and help pick the Bath Rugby Christmas case.
With 10% of proceeds from all sales going to the Bath Rugby Foundation Charity, the Bath Rugby team decided to choose their favourite 6 wines, and put together a mixed case of their personal recommendations. We love seeing the Bath Rugby boys in the shop, and have to say that we were pretty impressed with their choices. The wines they selected are on the link below, but what do their chosen wines say about them? We caught up with a few of the team at the event…
Dave Atwood, 2nd row forward is a big wine fan, having got the bug from his girlfriend’s father, who has a renouned wine collection “over the last 7 years, I’ve tasted some amazing wines from my girlfriend’s dad’s collection, so I’ve learnt a lot, as I knew nothing about wine a few years ago, and thought I’d better brush up!’. His choice of a fresh, zesty, citrus-spiked New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the Frost Pocket 2013, belies his burly size and position, and shows that it’s just as much about elegance and style, as about big, bold power (well in wine terms anyway).
David Flatman, former player and now the voice of Bath Rugby about town, described himself as an ‘ignorant enthusiast’ ‘I’ve moved away from the cider, and have started to find out a bit more about wine – I don’t know that much, but my neighbour’s wines always impressed me when we went round for a drink, so I’m starting to know what good wine tastes like! I love a big, rich red wine, that I can happily sink into , and enjoy on an evening off in front of a roaring fire.’ With Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva, as his chosen wine, that’s a perfect choice Dave!
Nick Blofeld, Bath Rugby’s CEO was enchanted by Chateau des Gravieres, when he visited it earlier this Autumn – ‘ it’s smooth, elegant, and a great food wine; it has an even stronger connection because the supporters and I tried it, in the actual wine cellars, and we’ve walked through the vineyards where the grapes were grown’.
Danny Grewcock stayed true to type, by selecting a powerful, bold and intense Port, Quinta do Crasto LBV 2008,with Director of Rugby Gary Gold going for the massively rich, and impressive Unanime 2007 from rugby nation Argentina, and 1st team coach Toby Booth, opting for elegance and style over power, with his choice of the Sereole Soave Classico, Bertani 2012.
Whatever their choices, there’s a great mix of wine here, which will tick all the boxes in terms of style and power… a bit like a rugby team really.