Home Industry News Releases Graham Norton Goes Rogue in 2017 with New Vintage

Graham Norton Goes Rogue in 2017 with New Vintage

194
0
Advertisement

In what has become an eagerly anticipated annual affair, famed Brit talk show host Graham Norton is back with a new vintage for 2017 – but this year, he’s taken the winemaking reigns to blend his own beverage from scratch.

The Irish comedian was forced to fly solo after the Invivo boys, cofounder Tim Lightbourne and winemaker Rob Cameron, fell asleep on the job. The poor lads couldn’t keep their eyes open after travelling more than 20,000 kilometres from Marlborough to London to partake in their annual riotous afternoon blending session with Graham.

Armed with the entire Invivo wine blending setup, which the boys had brought all the way from New Zealand, Norton worked his winemaking magic to create his 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Graham Norton Rosé and Graham Norton Shiraz. And for the very first time, a soon to be released Graham Norton’s Own Prosecco – a result of the innovative kiwi winery’s recent partnership with Italian growers based in Prosecco’s home of Veneto.

And in true Invivo style, the boys have released the annual video of the production of Graham Norton’s Own Wines – which shows exactly what happened when he was left to his own devices.

Long-time Sauvignon Blanc fan and Invivo Wines shareholder, Norton was chuffed with the result, particularly the Prosecco which the Invivo crew were pleasantly surprised to wake up to.

Lightbourne says, “You could go so far as to say we were ‘fizzing’ over it. But in all seriousness, since we worked with Graham on his first vintage Sauvignon Blanc in 2014, our winemaking trio has become like no other – this is because Graham is so hands on with the process, very enthusiastic and is getting better and better every year!”

Adds Cameron, “You snooze, you lose or so they say. We think we’re the winners on this occasion – well rested, and with a brand-new Prosecco to soon enjoy.”

This isn’t just another ‘celebrity collaboration’, rather it’s a partnership that goes from strength to strength. From 14,000 bottles produced in 2014 to more than 2 million forecast for 2017, demand for the wine has increased exponentially. Since 2016, production has increased by 500,000 bottles.  The Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc was launched in USA in April of this year, and very quickly has found a legion of supporters.

The UK’s Independent newspaper named the vintage number three in the top 15 Sauvignon Blancs in the UK. The much-lauded wines have received numerous other accolades, included an impressive 90 points from both Wine Spectator (2016 vintage) and Wine Advocate (2015 vintage) for the Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc.

The Graham Norton Rosé and Shiraz were both awarded gold medals at the 2016 Sydney International Wine Competition and Qantas choose to serve the wine onboard their Business Class in 2016.  Meanwhile the Graham Norton 2016 rosé in New Zealand has capitalised on the rosé trend, and is already a top 10 selling NZ rosé since released just in December… Bring on the 2017 vintage!

With the quality of the wines Graham Norton Own Wines have expanded outside of markets where the famed comedian is well-known.  Along with New Zealand, USA, Australia, UK and Ireland the wines have recently launched in Norway, Denmark, Hong Kong and Japan.

Graham Norton’s Own Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2017
Alcohol: 12.5%
Region: Marlborough
Winemaker: Graham Norton (with Rob Cameron snoozing nearby)
Tasting note: Graham says: “That’s it! My perfect blend…and it’s lovely…tropical fruit, a bit of zing…cheers to that!”
RRP: USD $17.99
www.invivowines.com/GN17

About Invivo Wines

Invivo isn’t just a winery; it’s a New Zealand startup, taking on the world one mouthful at a time. We were founded by a couple of old school friends that liked New Zealand wine so much they started a winery to make some – whatever it took. Like it says in our ads, our first vintages really were made from “Grapes, time and two maxed out credit cards!” At Invivo, we create approachable wines that appeal both to wine newbies and connoisseurs, all without the unnecessary complexity often associated with wine. We also enjoy having a bit of fun doing it. We chose a difficult time to launch in 2008: the start of the GFC and a record harvest of Sauvignon Blanc leading to pricing pressure. Our first wine (Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc) was released that year, and we have since expanded the range to include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Sparkling, Riesling, Shiraz and Chardonnay. In 2012, Invivo Wines was named a Deloitte’s Fast 50 Company. In 2015, we were the first (and are still the only) New Zealand winery to equity crowdfund, offering the public shares in our company. We set a Southern Hemisphere equity crowdfunding record along the way – raising $2million in just 7 days.

In February 2016, Invivo took over the historic Te Kauwhata winery, established in 1902 by the NZ government. Our unique collaborations, marketing campaigns and wine quality have helped Invivo stand out from the crowd. After supplying the hit UK TV Show “The Graham Norton Show” with Invivo Sauvignon Blanc since 2011, the first vintage of Graham Norton’s Own Sauvignon Blanc by Invivo Wines was produced in 2014 in collaboration with Graham. Every year since, the Invivo team has met with Graham to produce his blend, which is filmed and released to media with every vintage. Marie Claire magazine described the partnership as “The most successful wine collaboration ever.”

In the US, Invivo recently appointed celebrity Nigel Barker as Invivo “Glambassador.” Nigel is known for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and is set to combine his “glam-factor” touch with his passion for Invivo’s delicious wine. Invivo enjoys popular support and our wine has won over 180 medals and 5 trophies in wine competitions, including the World’s Best Sauvignon Blanc trophy in 2011. We’ve also taken home gold medals from the leading global wine competitions including the International Wine and Spirit Competition, Sommelier Wine Awards, Decanter World Wine Awards, along with 90-point ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. Today, Invivo exports to around 20 countries.

Advertisement

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.