21st July 2021 | Life at Virgin Wines | 5 minute read
We’re delighted to introduce to you our exclusive new wine range created with cricketing legend Phil Tufnell. Tuffers’ Tipple launches with six premium and super-premium wines inspired by Phil’s favourite wine regions and world cricket tours. We take you behind the scenes on how our collaboration came about.
Phil Tufnell fell in love with wine over 30 years ago, on his first Ashes trip to Australia with England, and has delighted in creating his own collection of bespoke tipples with our Buying Director, Andrew Baker. His aim? To produce game-changing wines, that leave even the most discerning of wine drinkers stumped for choice.
Over the last year, Phil and Andrew have been working on Tuffers’ Tipples behind the scenes, teaming up with winemakers across the world to produce a collection that truly reflects Phil’s passion for travel and wine. With six different wines crafted, bottled and ready to go, the pair can finally sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labour.
For Phil, his love of wine goes way beyond just drinking it. He’s had a career that’s taken him across the world to some of the most iconic wine producing countries, starting with when he touched down in Margaret River, Perth, for the Ashes in 1990. On his days off, Phil and his fellow cricketers would play golf and visit local wineries around Western and South Australia.
Spending time getting to see how wine goes from vine to glass between cricket matches sparked a deeper interest in wine for Phil. And in developing his Tuffers’ Tipple range with us over the last year, he’s finally been able to pursue a long-standing passion he’s had alongside playing cricket:
“The whole winemaking process fascinates me, and I’ve been privileged enough to learn about everything from provenance to pressing to, most importantly, tasting, while working on this collection. It’s been incredibly exciting to get to know the winemakers involved, and I can’t wait to continue on this journey with Virgin Wines and have everyone try this cracking selection of wines. Happy Days!”
In the collection you’ll find two super-premium Australian wines – a Margaret River Shiraz with rich aromas of dark cherry and blueberry woven with milk chocolate and vanilla oak, and a refreshing Aussie Sauvignon Blanc with notes of ripe melon, lime, tropical fruits and gooseberry – which are a nod to Phil’s cricketing heritage, and also his 2003 I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here win.
Alongside these New World wonders, we have a delectable Tempranillo from Castilla-la-Mancha in Spain, a flavourful French Sauvignon Blanc and classic French GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) blend. These premium-level editions are perfect for everyday drinking and were chosen by Phil as these blends remind him of long lunches with friends in the sunshine.
Topping off the range is something a little closer to home; a luxurious English Bacchus expertly made in New Hall Vineyard in Chelmsford. It’s a beautiful drop with fragrant aromas of lemon, elderflower, grapefruit, chamomile and jasmine, and we were there with Phil at New Hall for the bottling and labelling of this final bottle in his range.
We have put together a selection of pre-mixed 12 bottle cases which are ready for your enjoyment. Simply head to www.virginwines.co.uk/tuffers-tipple where you can place your order right away!
Phil has really enjoyed working so closely with winemakers on this project, and has embraced being able to be so hands-on with the Essex-produced Bacchus in the range. Together, he and Andrew have created a collection of premium wine that’s not only diverse and delicious, but offers a story with every tipple.
Echoing the same sentiments as Phil, the team at Virgin Wines are delighted to be bringing out this strong portfolio of wines with ties to Phil’s remarkable playing career. Andrew, his partner in crime on this project, has equally enjoyed being a part of it:
“Phil is a cricketing legend who has genuine interest in wonderful wines but wants to have fun along the way, which is what we’re all about. The wines we’ve sourced for this collection are made in collaboration with extremely talented, independent winemakers across the globe who have absolutely mastered their craft. We cannot wait for our customers to try them.”
We’re absolutely loving these Tuffers’ Tipple wines at VW HQ, and can’t wait for you to try them too! Hit the red button below to get your hands on a case to see you through the rest of the cricket season. As Phil would say, Happy Days!
