By Ashley Young-
Actor and English singer, songwriter, Gary Barlow has launched a new organic wine from Spain. Gary Barlow Organic, is the original name the star has given the range which includes a red and a white made from grapes grown in certified organic plots in Castilla planted with old, low-yielding, dry-farmed bush vines.
Barlow partnered with celebrity wine supremo Paul Schaafsma of Benchmark Drinks on the project, who counts Kylie Minogue and Sir Ian Botham’s wine ranges among his success stories.
The range, due to go on sale at 460 Morrisons stores in the UK on 11 October at £8 a bottle, was made in collaboration with Peninsula Viticultores, run by Masters of Wine, Sam Harrop and Andreas Kubach. The Masters Of Wine is an expert organisation that provides educational training and mentorship for its students, even conducting trips and events for its students.
A spokesperson of Peninsula Viticultores told The Eye Of Media.Com: ”Garlow Barlow organic wine is a drink with a unique touch that will wet the salive glands of every wine lover. This wine has a special touch, and is expected to do very well ”
Barlow’s company strives to create clean, contemporary wines with a sense of place that appeal to consumers.
Gary Barlow Organic Red is a blend of 2020 Tempranillo and Syrah which doesn’t see oak to allow the purity of fruit to shine through. Juicy and fruit-driven, it offers notes of “wild berries, rosemary and a hint of chocolate”.
According to Harrop, the medium-bodied red displays “beautiful balance between the fruit concentration, fresh acidity and fine tannins”, making it a versatile food wine.
He developed a taste for wine in his mid-twenties, when a friend opened his eyes to the delights of Bordeaux. Keen to learn more, he started buying claret from Berry Bros. & Rudd and attending its legendary lunches.
Barlow and Schaafsma struck upon Spain for the range after an extensive blind tasting of dozens of samples of the best-selling wine brands in the UK in which drops from Spain came out on top. comparing the wines side by side – I was surprised by how different they tasted from having had just a small percentage change in the blend.
“Choosing the red was a no-brainer, as it was the wine that really stood out in the line-up as the most delicious – it’s a lovely lunchtime red that you can have a couple of glasses of without feeling too heavy. It’s fresh and vibrant.”
As well as choosing the final blend, Barlow also created the label-free bottle design featuring piano keys, including the G and B keys around the neck. With the range Barlow and Schaafsma are on a mission to make organic wine accessible to everyday consumers.
“When it became an option to make organic wines I knew we should go for it. Being organic doesn’t take anything away from the wines when it comes to the taste, which is the danger. I was really pleased that we could go down the organic route,” Barlow said.
Schaafsma has already secured his organic grape supply for future vintages with the view of expanding production in line with demand.
Gary Barlow said:”The definition of a great evening for me is friends, laughter and good wine. I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled and experienced different cultures over the years and wines from across the world.
“After months of learning about the process and tasting different blends, I’m very proud to now launch my own range of organic wines from Spain.”
Paul Schaafsma, MD Benchmark Drinks, added: “It has been a privilege to partner with Gary Barlow and help bring his dream alive, to launch his own range of organic wines.”
The wines are produced by Peninsula Wines in Spain, which is known for its sustainability and “sympathetic winemaking”.