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Football legend John Terry releases Italian wine range
Former Chelsea FC and England captain John Terry has launched a selection of Italian wines under winemaker Fabio Cordella’s Wine of Champions label.
Terry, who is widely regarded as one of the best defenders England has produced, spent two years trialling and selecting samples from a huge range provided by Cordella, before settling on the trio of wines that form the John Terry 26 collection.
The collection boasts a white (100% Chardonnay) a Rosato (Primitivo) and a red Salice Salentino which comprises 80% Negroamaro with Malvasia Nera.
The wines are the result of an intense period of trialling by Terry and Cordella, conducted largely remotely due to the restrictions of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Terry told db that the process perhaps took longer than winemaker Cordella had anticipated, recounting several times that he was still requesting small changes even once they were close to what both men considered ideal.
The former England captain joked that he warned Cordella he would be meticulous when it came to choosing the styles and, in the case of the red, blends that best expressed his personal preference when it came to drinking wine.
“I said to Fabio [Cordella], I’m going to be really picky as I love my wines and want these to be just right”, Terry said.
He was, Cordella and distributer GP brands say, heavily involved throughout the process, right down to the label for each expression.
“If I’m going to put my name to something, it has to be right” Terry told db.
Terry remarked that it was refreshing to be able to discuss his love of wines – something that may have been frowned upon during his playing career due to the rigours of life as a professional football player.
The John Terry 26 collection is currently limited to a 30,000-bottle run, with cases of the red Salice Salentino available to pre-order through exclusive distributor, GP Brands.
Fabio Cordella’s Wine of Champions range features some of the game’s most iconic stars, including Ronaldinho, Wesley Sneijder, Roberto Carlos, Julio Cesar and now John Terry.
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