production

He’s trod grapes on the set of his famous show and blended Marlborough sauvignon blanc into an award-winning wine in a London apartment. This year, though, top talk show host Graham Norton and  winemakers Invivo headed to Graham’s own back yard to work their winemaking magic: Bantry House in County Cork, Ireland.
Invivo cofounder Tim Lightbourne and winemaker Rob Cameron travelled over 20,000 kilometres to Norton’s summer home – complete with their precious cargo of six distinctive Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc pressings. Then, over an afternoon blending session the trio created Graham’s 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and new for 2016 a Graham Norton SA Shiraz, due to consumer demand for a Graham Norton red.
Norton was well pleased with the result, but surprised the Invivo crew by inviting a lucky handful of Cork locals to pass judgement on the blend. Their verdict? “Very drinkable…I could drink a lot of that” and “absolutely lovely”.
Graham Norton’s Own Sauvignon Blanc has been a great success for the winemaker and production has increased by 50% since 2015 to meet expected demand. Last year, the wine sold over 500,000 bottles in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The UK’s Independent newspaper named the vintage number three in the top 15 sauvignon blancs in the UK. Marie Claire magazine declared it, “One of the most successful celebrity wine collaborations ever”.
Speaking about his new 2016 Sauvignon Blanc; “It is easy drinking. It’s got all the grassiness and zest you expect from a new world sauvignon blanc but I like to think it has a bit of an old world finish. – Oh, and it’s affordable!” And Norton adds after blending his new South Australian shiraz, “I’m thrilled!”.