Celebrate the BAFTAs like the stars do
By Richard Esling BSc DipWSET . Richard is an experienced wine consultant, agent, writer and educator. An erstwhile wine importer, he runs a wine agency and consultancy company called WineWyse, is founder and principal of the Sussex Wine Academy, chairman of Arundel Wine Society and is an International Wine Judge. @richardwje www.winewyse.com
Sunday February 10 sees this year’s BAFTA Awards ceremony. The great and the good from the acting world will assemble in the Albert Hall to hear the words “And the winner of this year’s award is...”. Whilst waiting to learn who has won and who hasn’t, all guests will be enjoying some delightful wines provided by two companies who are again sponsoring the awards ceremony.
Any celebration naturally has to involve the world’s best bubbly, and Champagne Taittinger is sponsoring the event for the 17th year.
One of the last independently owned great Champagne houses, it has always been a great supporter of the arts.
The finesse and elegance of a top champagne is a fitting complement to those that have reached the pinnacle of their careers within the film industry. A quote from the company website demonstrates their philosophy:
“From time to time, life strays from its course and slows down, simply to focus on a single moment. These fragile, fleeting moments are intense, special and sweet. They suspend the passage of time and imprint images, smells, tastes and shared feelings on our memories. Taittinger is proud to be able to enhance, and to sometimes even create, the warm feelings which surround such captivating occasions.”
As the premier producer of
New Zealand wines, Villa Maria is sponsoring the event for the 11th year.
Last year, Villa Maria was named one of the most admired wine brands in the world for the third year in a row, and again is a fitting wine producer to support the film business elite.
Throughout the 1960s Villa Maria was a one-man band, owned and run by George Fistonich.
He made dry red and white wines, sourcing grapes from the greater Auckland regions. In the early 1970s George started to employ staff and the company began to expand rapidly.
Today, Villa Maria employs more than 250 permanent staff and exports wine to more than 50 countries worldwide.
This year’s awards, hosted by Joanna Lumley, will be broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD. The ceremony is also broadcast in all major territories around the world. Guests will also enjoy a thrilling performance by Cirque du Soleil on the night.
Champagne Taittinger and Villa Maria’s partnerships with BAFTA pay tribute to their support and love of the arts. Guests will enjoy BAFTA-labelled Magnums and bottles of Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV with Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio and Villa Maria Merlot /Cabernet Sauvignon throughout the evening.
What better way to enjoy the thrill of the awards ceremony than to settledown with your TV and sip a glass or two of the same wines as the stars. Taittinger is widely available – Waitrose, Majestic, Asda at around £35 a bottle and the two Villa Maria wines are both available at Asda, with the Pinot Grigio also available at Waitrose and Tesco at around £10.75 (£14.55 for the red).