Millions of toasts for the coronation of a monarch passionate about food & agriculture. And there is no shortage of free bubbles from Italy

If Buckingham Palace still has the utmost secrecy on the menu and on the lunch wine list, strictly intended for the closest family members, which awaits King Charles III after his official coronation, there are many limited edition labels created for the event, perfect protagonists of the millions of toasts that will rise tomorrow: from sparkling wines made in the UK to great Champagne, without forgetting the bubbles from Italy. After all, Carlo, a great lover of food & agriculture, has always shown a great passion for Made in Italy, as evidenced by the numerous visits, when he was still Prince of Wales, in our country, always marked by the common thread of good food and good drink, as well as meetings with great producers (such as the Frescobaldi family, the only Italian guests at the wedding of William and Kate and official suppliers of the Royal House with their wines, as well as with the Laudemio oil, with which every year they pay homage to the Windsors) and with prominent personalities, such as Carlo Petrini, who made known to the king the philosophy of Slow Food, of which he became a great supporter

It is no coincidence, therefore, that it was Charles himself who chose a series of official bottles for his coronation, which falls exactly 70 years after that of his mother. For the Highgrove Estate, in Gloucestershire (where a wide range of products are born, from cold cuts to eggs, to jams, sold under the Duchy Organics brand), the King and Queen have selected a series of suppliers, from Fortnum & Mason for gourmet products to Royal Scot Crystal for glasses, passing through William Edwards for porcelain and Burberry for scarves, to give life to the "Coronation Collection", a series of objects whose proceeds are entirely destined to charity. The collection, in addition to soft toys, cups, biscuits and souvenirs, includes three wines: the sparkling Royal Collection Coronation 2023 English Sparkling Wine, a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, produced by the English winery Gusbourne; the Coronation English Sparkling Blanc de Blancs 2016, 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine produced and bottled by the New House Farm in East Sussex. Instead, the official Champagne, the Fortnum & Mason Coronation Brut Selection was created by Jacques Picard, a pioneer of sustainable practices: on the box is depicted the magical white deer sitting on a bed of gold leaves and flowers, which, since the Middle Ages, has been associated with kings as a symbol of strength and purity.

Numerous English wineries have taken advantage of the delicious marketing opportunity to create special limited editions, taking advantage of the patriotic pride but also the incredible qualitative leap that English wine has experienced in recent years. In addition to bottles, the wineries also organized special dinners in starred restaurants, visits and tastings in the name of Her Majesty. Among the many, Nyetimber, considered one of the best English producers, as well as the first to use exclusively the Champagne vines for its wines, has created the Coronation Limited Edition 2023 Nyetimber, based on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with a label reminiscent of royal uniforms and clothes. Chapeldown winery has launched the Chapel Down Coronation Edition 2016 , a limited edition of 2,000 bottles whose proceeds will be donated to the Royal British Legion, a charity that supports the armed forces: on the label is depicted the Union Jack and on the neck the official coronation logo. The Hattigley winery has focused on rosé, with the Limited Edition Kings Coronation Kings Cuvée Rosé 2015, only 50 bottles with the coronation emblem engraved on the glass. For the undecided, the English merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd offers a special box of 6 bottles, inspired by the wines of the coronation banquet of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953: from Champagne to Sherry, passing through Germany, Bordeaux and Portugal, it is sold for 260 pounds (about 300 euros).

But for a very special toast could not miss Champagne, historically one of the most loved wines by the English monarchy: even the great French brands have created their limited editions. Like the magnum Moet & Chandon Imperial & King Charles III Coronation: the maison, official supplier of the Crown since 1893, during the reign of Queen Victoria, has already created exclusive cuvées for many royal celebrations in the past, including the silver, gold and diamond jubilees of Queen Elizabeth II. The Bollinger Special Cuvée King Charles III Coronation is also a unique piece, personalized with the coronation emblem, to be uncorked or kept in the cellar for children and grandchildren.

Finally, a tribute to King Charles also comes from Italy: Bottega, a leading Prosecco brand that sees the English market as one of its main interlocutors, has created Bottega Platinum Doc Coronation Prosecco, a platinum-colored metallic bottle, in limited edition. The label and capsule are personalized with the reproduction of the crown enriched with the shades of the British flag.

Source: www.winenews.it