Celebrity wine and hospitality segment hits some high notes

From singers to footballers, it seems everyone wants to be involved in the wine and hospitality industries.

From songwriter and Take That star Gary Barlow (above) to Jon Bon Jovi and ex-Manchester United star Gary Neville, the pages of English magazine Drinks Business are full of stories about famous names, wine and food.

Gary Barlow Wines this month launched its new Organic Sauvignon Blanc and Blush from South Africa at a celebrity studded event in Manchester.

Barlow's organic wine portfolio, created in collaboration with London-based drinks distributor Benchmark Drinks.

The range has sold more than one million bottles since launching in 2021 and is one of the fast-growing organic brands in the UK.

In London, meanwhile, rocker Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse Bongiovi, and leading Languedoc winemaker Gérard Bertrand - a former French rugby union player - were promoting global expansion for their heir Hampton Water rosé.

The trio was launching the 2022 rosé, its sixth vintage.

“The success in America has given us a footprint in Europe," Bon Jovi said. "Six years in, and it’s not about hype, it’s critical acclaim.”

Back in Manchester, former England international Neville shared his final plans for a major luxury development in in the city that has been “15 years in the making” and will include a rooftop restaurant and a “traditional” pub.

The co-owner of Salford City said the development, to be called ‘St Michael’s Manchester’, is a collaboration between Neville’s Relentless Group and a number of stakeholders.

Neville said on LinkedIn: “It’s an extraordinary scheme that we believe will be the first fully Net Zero Carbon commercial development in Manchester, something we’re very proud of.

"Phase one of the scheme will have nine floors of office space, Chotto Matte on the rooftop restaurant and two F+B [food and beverage] outlets. Later this summer we’ll begin phase two with construction of a 41-storey tower which will host a 162-bed five-star international hotel brand and 217 luxury residences.”

The pub will be called The Sir Ralph Abercromby and will serve an “ever evolving range of craft beers”.

Meanwhile, supertsar chef Gordon Ramsay, who as a child dreamed of playing a goalkeeper for Rangers in Glasgow will be linking with the club for new food venture at Ibrox stadium.

A knee injury as a teenager ultimately crushed Ramsay’s dream of playing professionally for his boyhood club and resulted in him choosing to embark on a career in the kitchen, rather than on the pitch.

Rangers has announced a new hospitality lounge, called Menu by Gordon Ramsay at their stadium.

“From a very young age I dreamt about having my name up in lights at Ibrox," Ramsay said. "While my football career may have ended prematurely, I’m proud and delighted to have partnered with the Rangers team to develop an exclusive menu for the iconic stadium."