Camel Valley first English wine to get royal warrant

Cornwall’s Camel Valley has become the first English wine producer to be granted a royal warrant, as confirmed by its founder Bob Lindo.

Camel Valley founder Bob Lindo

The warrant sees the English wine producer join the ranks of several famous drinks brands whose bottles bear the Royal coat of arms such as Martini Vermouth, Champagne Bollinger, Pol Roger, Pimm’s and Hine Cognac.

Companies can apply for a Royal Warrant after they’ve become regular suppliers to the Royal Household over a period of years. Once accepted, warrant holders can display the royal coat of arms and the words ‘By appointment’. Warrants can be granted by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales.

The timing of the honour, just months before a royal wedding, is perhaps as firm a sign as ever that Camel Valley will be among the wines served at the event in May.

In January, betting shop Ladbrokes called odds on which wines it thought could be on the wedding breakfast menu, with Kent producer Chapel Down one of the favourites to be served with odds of 2/1.

Cornish vineyard Camel Valley – which was founded in 1989 and produces a range of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wines – was running with odds at 5/1, which is likely to be slashed given today’s news.

Windsor Park, the Queen’s own English sparkling wine, is another contender with odds of 4/1. The Windsor Vineyard 2014 vintage became available to order late in 2017.

Confirming the news on Twitter, Bob Lindo called the receiving of a royal warrant a “great honour” and that the team was “absolutely delighted”.

Last year Camel Valley became the first UK wine producer to receive a Protected Designation Origin (PDO) from the European Union, in relation to its ‘Darnibole’ vineyard, following a five year process that began in 2012 when it applied for a PDO through DEFRA to the EU for part of its Darnibole vineyard.

The PDO covers the 28-acre area Darnibole south-facing vineyard, which is currently the only single vineyard in the UK with its own PDO, and relates to wines made from 100% Bacchus with no acidification, de-acidification or sweetening. The grapes must also be hand picked and vinified at the adjoining Camel Valley winery, fermented at a temperature of between 16 to 18 degrees.

Yes, thank you everybody and @PlanetVictoria I can confirm that Camel Valley has been granted a Royal Warrant. It is a great honour and we are, as you would expect, absolutely delighted!

— Bob Lindo (@camelvalleybob) March 29, 2018

Last month the drinks business, in association with Sparflex, launched a new award for excellence and innovation in English sparkling wine packaging as part of our annual awards DB Awards.

In partnership with Sparflex, a leading producer of wine foils, wire hoods and labels, the Sparflex Award for Best English Sparkling Wine Packaging has been launched in recognition of the rapid growth in the English wine industry during the last 10 years.

For more information on how to enter click here.