What do Kylie Minogue and Queen Victoria have in common? Well, their height – 5ft-ish – but they could also lay claim to be the greatest wine influencers of their age.
In the past four years Kylie has sold more than 15 million bottles of her rosé. And rosé is very much the wine of the moment.
In the late 19th century, Queen Victoria was ‘the face’ of German wine – and German wine was all the rage.
In 1854, Victoria and Albert visited the vineyards of their favourite wine – Hochheim am Main. It’s why we still sometimes call German wine ‘Hock’.
Rather than branding the wine, à la Kylie, they renamed the vineyard: Konigin Victoriaberg.
What followed showed the power of celebrity endorsement before we really knew what celebrity endorsement was. In London, Hock sold for twice the price of Champagne and three times the price of the greatest Bordeaux estates.
Today, Germany is a bargain hunter’s paradise, although not in the way it was in the 1970s. That was the golden age of Blue Nun and Black Tower: big brands and big budgets, but not always top quality.
Today’s bargains are critics’ choices too.
RRP: £8.49, Waitrose
Elegant, fresh, fruity, and lightly floral. At 11% it almost fits into the category of ‘breakfast wine’. At the very least, it’s light enough for lunch.
RRP £5.50, Morrisons
Some wines are even lighter – in alcohol and for your pocket. This Riesling is a delicious £5.50 and just 9%. The hint of sweetness makes it a gem for spicy dishes.
RRP £5.29, Lidl
This comes recommended from Lidl’s master of wine Richard Bampfield, who suggests a prawn chilli pasta. It’s peachy, fresh, and light, at just 10.5%.
In Queen Victoria’s time, Germany was a land of white wines, at least for British wine lovers. Today it’s the home of some of Europe’s finest reds.
RRP £14.99, Virgin
This is packed with the sort of red cherries, supple mouthfeel and elegance you’d expect for twice the price. This is the Burgundy alternative if you can’t afford Burgundy, and made by one of the country’s finest winemakers.
RRP £28.95, BBR
My favourite wine from Germany is this 2022 Riesling, Fricke is one of the great superstars of German winemaking. The grapes come from the steep, south-facing slopes of the Rhine river. It’s dry and needs a couple of years to show its best. It’s truly one of the world’s great wines.
RRP £22.70, Northern Wine & Beer
And what became of Queen Victoria’s favourite wine? You can still buy it. And you should as it’s a fine wine at a fine price, with stone fruit and citrus, and will age beautifully.
Kylie Minogue has achieved great things. But will we still be writing about the wine that carries her name in almost 200 years?
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