BEEFY WINE FROM CRICKET STARS

Published: 23 July, 2008

The celebrity penchant for vanity wine ranges shows no signs of abating with the news that cricket legends Ian Botham and Bob Willis have joined forces with Australian winemaker Geoff Merrill to launch their own range of wines, while veteran golfer Nick Faldo has linked up with Wingara to produce a Faldo range. Botham Merrill Willis wines - BMW for short - was born out of the cricketers' mutual love of Australian wine, developed over many years during their tours Down Under with the England team. The wines, which include a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay, will be sold in the UK exclusively through Tesco.com. Geoff Merrill took the leading role in selecting the grapes and blending the wines. Ian Botham and Bob Willis were consulted at each stage of the process, trying a variety of samples before agreeing on a final blend. Both wines come from a blend of grapes from Coonawarra and McLaren Vale. The BMW wines go on sale at Tesco.com on 2 October and will sell for 53.94 for a case of six. Nick Faldo's wine is the result of a 10-year agreement with Wingara and will be available in the UK from November. A Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay will be available at 8.99. Around 2,000 cases have been produced.

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