Alice Kendall

Top Drinks News and Marketing Campaigns: March

The Drinks Business: Phoebe French

English sparkling wine Coates & Seely was announced as the new sponsor of The Jockey Club last month, 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.

The restored Albion

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!”

Grand National betting BOOM: Record £650m to be staked on ‘biggest race in history’

Daily Star: Jerry Lawton

Bookmakers predict bets totalling £650million will be placed over the three-day meeting, which starts today.

And £300m is expected to be wagered on the big race itself, which will be watched by a worldwide TV audience of 600m.

That will be the most bet on a horse race anywhere in the world.

Punters are queuing up to back last year’s champion Tiger Roll to become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to win two on the trot.

The horse – which won by 22 lengths at Cheltenham – is set to start the shortest-priced favourite in the history of the race.

On top of that, the races switch from Channel 4 to ITV and later 5.15pm start time – after most football matches have finished – are expected to give it a further boost.

Bookies expect one in four Brits to place at least one bet on the race.

Course bosses expect 150,000 people at Aintree, Liverpool, over the next three days.

They will sup 300,000 pints, 8,000 bottles of champagne and up to 25,000 cocktails cooled by 1,813,000 ice cubes.

For the first time, the winning owner will celebrate with Coates & Seely English sparkling wine instead of French bubbly.

Paul Binfield, of Paddy Power, said: “This year’s National has been the most popular for ages. It’s the draw of Tiger Roll .”

Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: “All betting records are expected to be torn up on Grand National day.”

Unique Venues of London at the Guildhall

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Unique Venues of London threw a truly magnificent party at London’s Guildhall.
With guests from all of the organisation’s illustrious members – which include such iconic venues as Kensington Palace, Spencer House and Tate Britain – a party was laid on that comprised the very best of British catering and entertainment, including stunning food from Moving Venue and equally glorious floristry from Lavender Green.
All of this was washed down with lashings of Coates & Seely Rosé and Brut Reserve sparkling wines, as guests marvelled at acrobats and music provided by Sternberg Clarke, and celebrated membership of one of the most illustrious collection of event venues in the world.

http://www.guildhall.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Glorious Goodwood

Who would be anywhere but England in a heatwave ? And where, in England, could be better than Goodwood – one of the most beautiful racecourses in the world – during Glorious week ? Never could the adjective commonly attached to the week have been more appositely applied.
And whilst Churchill’s dictum on Champagne – that in Victory it’s deserved; in defeat, required – was as true as ever as we made our scorching way back from the betting stalls, never was its cool qualitiy to refresh, too, more in evidence.
Corks popped continuously throughout the week, in greater numbers than we have ever seen, with Coates & Seely and Veuve Clicquot at the heart of this great British tradition of racing and style.

https://www.goodwood.com/sports/horseracing/

Hampton Court Real Tennis Championships

Coates & Seely were delighted to sponsor the sparkling wine at this year’s Real Tennis Champions Trophy, hosted at the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court.

The Royal Court at Hampton Court was first built for cardinal Wolsey in 1526 and the current court contains one of the original walls and a further three walls built for Charles I in 1625. A succession of British monarchs have played real tennis on these courts – including Charles II, William II and Price Albert, and Her Majesty The Queen remains the club’s Patron to this day. Henry VIII – a keen (and reputedly highly competitive) player himself – would certainly have recognised the game today, which has changed very little since Tudor times.

Real tennis professionals from around the world – including Australia, the US, France and the UK – converged on Hampton Court in the week immediately after Wimbledon to compete for this prestigious trophy. Entertainment – both on the court and off – was never far at hand, and Coates & Seely wines were served throughout, beginning at the opening dinner in the magnificent Great Hall, built by Henry VIII at the heart of the Tudor Court, and ending in the Palace gardens on a blistering hot July afternoon, where they provided cool refreshment to all and a fitting celebration for the winner.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/explore/royal-tennis-at-hampton-court/

The Cut House Style: The young designer helping to celebrate the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary

The Royal Academy has long had a reputation for throwing a good party: its annual Summer Exhibition preview is one of the most glamorous events in London’s social calendar. And as the institution marks its 250th anniversary, a new merchandise collection, available next month, will tap into its hosting heritage with a range of products aimed at entertaining.

To produce it, the Academy has collaborated with Luke Edward Hall, a young artist and designer with a classical aesthetic, who has taken the interiors world by storm over the past couple of years. Having started out working with the architect and designer Ben Pentreath, Hall struck out on his own in 2015, and has since worked with companies including Burberry and Christie’s, completed private interior-design projects and produced his own range of prints, ceramics and fabrics. And all by the age of 28.

Here, Hall was briefed to focus on the RA’s place in London society, and the personalities who have frequented its parties and dining rooms. His research involved delving into the Academy’s archives to examine original event invitations, dinner menus, wine labels and other ephemera – something of a dream for a self-confessed typography nut.

‘I loved looking through the old menus in particular,’ he says. ‘They were absolutely beautiful – all these delicate little pieces of card; most were embossed, engraved or edged in gold. They were just so wonderfully elegant. Plus, of course, the menus themselves were fascinating to read.’

The resulting illustrations, which reinterpret motifs in Hall’s playful style, have been applied to bottles, ceramic tableware produced in Staffordshire, napkins and glasses, candles and gold-embossed stationery, along with hostess gifts. His favourite products from the collection are, however, the Coates& Seelysparkling wine and East London Liquor Company gin, whose bottles are labelled with his designs. ‘It’s been really exciting for me to work with such an iconic London institution that I’ve loved for many years as a visitor,’ he says of the RA. ‘And I must say, a gin with my own label will be quite a fun thing to own.”