Four Seasons executives from around the world came to Hampshire in May for their annual conference and were treated not only to the 18th century splendour of Dogsmerfield Park, the group’s Hampshire landmark, but to an array of classic British experiences, ranging from hunting packs, croquet duels and classic British vehicles in the form of Coates & Seely’s ‘Albion’.
We are proud of our listings at the Four Seasons, and particularly at our listing in the wonderful ‘Wild Carrot’ restaurant at Dogmersfiled, and were delighted to represent our country to their group of global executives with our English Sparkling wines and our vintage British coach…
Author: Alice Kendall
King’s Presence Chamber Dinner at Hampton Court Palace
Coates & Seely were delighted to be served at a dinner in the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace to thank some of the leading benefactors to Historic Royal Palaces.
Drinks were served in the Privy Garden – a perfect restoration of William III’s original garden of 1702 – after which guests proceeded to dinner in the Great Hall. Lying at the heart of the Tudor Palace and towering above the surrounding buildings, the Great Hall was designed to impress and to proclaim Henry VIII’s power and magnificence. By the time building started in 1533, Henry had divorced his first wife Katherine of Aragon and was married to his second, Anne Boleyn. Seventy years later, in the reign of James I, Shakespeare and his company of players performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Great Hall. Other historic events at the Palace are too numerous to mention.
The Palace stands as a remarkable repository of British royal history and we were honoured to be present there and to have our wines served.
The Tower of London : Ceremony of the Keys
Footsteps echo in the darkness. The sentry cries out, ‘Halt, who comes there?’ The Yeoman Warder replies, ‘The keys.’ ‘Whose keys?’ ‘Queen Elizabeth’s keys.’ ‘Pass then, all’s well.’
For over 700 years, at exactly the same time each night (at 8 minutes to 10pm), the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London locks the gates of the Tower under the eyes of the duty regiment of Foot Guards then on duty, and proceeds to take the keys to the Queen’s House for safeguarding overnight. Only once, in over seven centuries, has the ceremony not occurred, during World War II, when a local bomb knocked a couple of warders off their feet. It continues unabated to this day.
The Constable of the Tower, General The Lord Houghton, invited friends and sponsors of the Historic Royal Palaces to witness this extraordinary and colourful ritual and Coates & Seely were delighted and honoured to provide the sparkling wines to accompany the small and intimate reception afterwards.”
Newmarket: The Craven
The Craven is the curtain-opener not only for Newmarket’s beautiful Rowley Mile course but for the flat racing season more generally, featuring as it does many of the best flat horses in training. The winners of some of these races frequently go on to star in the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket the following May and the Epsom Derby in June. Coates & Seely were proud to sponsor races on two of the three days and to introduce Albion – its vintage British Leyland coach, liveried in British racing green – to horse-racing for its first time out.”
Grand National at Aintree Racecourse
Run since 1839, and watched by an international audience of over 600 million people in over 140 countries, the Grand National is the greatest steeplechase in the world and a central fixture of the British sporting calendar.
This year, for the first time in its 170 year history, the winning owner, trainer and jockey of the champion ‘Tiger Roll’ celebrated not with champagne but with English sparkling wine, provided by Coates & Seely.
For three days the fizz flowed at the Festival and both the racing and local Liverpool communities revealed an appetite and appreciation for sport and pleasure that rivals the fame of the race itself.”
Coates & Seely Partners with The Jockey Club
The Drinks Business: Rupert Millar
English sparkling wine Coates & Seely has announced it is the new sponsor of The Jockey Club, which will see its wines poured at 14 of the club’s 15 racecourses.
The three year partnership was announced on 28 March and gives the home-grown fizz the pouring rights at 14 major British racecourses such as Aintree, Epsom and Newmarket which hold some of the biggest events in the British racing calendar.
As well as the punters themselves, Coates & Seely will also be offered to all winning owners and trainers after the races too.
At each race meet Coates & Seely will have an official presence as well in the shape of a classic 1952 British Leyland coach, liveried in green and off-white, and from which its wines can be sold to racegoers.
The bus, named ‘Albion’, was discovered by Nicholas Coates a mere three weeks ago in a barn near Brussels looking, “terribly forlorn”.
He recounted though that he had instantly “fallen in love” and all of his family had quickly become aware that there was “another woman in my life”.
He described Albion as looking like, “an aged diva or dowager,” that just needed some “Care and attention and her hair done”, which was accomplished in record time to allow a maiden cruise around Belgravia and Saint James’s in London on 28 March. Her first race appointment will be at Newmarket in April.
Commenting on the new partnership, Coates and Christian Seely, co-founders of Coates & Seely said: “We are delighted to have been appointed an official partner by the Jockey Club, which is a major accolade for our young brand. There are many qualities that connect fine wine with racing – not least the endless pursuit of form and quality and a love of celebration – and we greatly look forward to developing our activities across this wonderful portfolio of racecourses.”
Paul Fisher, chief executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “It’s great to be working with Coates & Seely and we’re really looking forward to a prosperous partnership over the next three years. We look to support British producers on our menus and wine lists wherever we can and I’m sure our racegoers will be impressed with this sparkling wine. I know I am!”