news

Only three days to go until the biggest party of the year! - 10/03/2009

We're well into the final countdown now with Red Nose Day fast approaching this Friday. Here at Bibendum we're putting the finishing touches to our own Comic Relief party, and over at BBC Television Centre they're doing the same...only on a massive scale!

There's still plenty of time to get down to your local supermarket to pick up some Red Nose Red and Red Nose White for Friday night. For the first time ever, Comic Relief has raised massive funds by having its very own wines on the shelves. SAAM Mountain Vineyards has produced these delicious wines from their vineyards in the Paarl region of South Africa. Red Nose Red is a Pinotage Shiraz blend and Red Nose White is a Chenin Blanc. Both are from the excellent 2008 vintage.

Get down to your supermarket now!

Bottles are still on sale across the country in outlets of Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, Somerfield, Waitrose, M&S and Booths. They have an RRSP of £4.99 and £1 from the price of each bottle will be donated to Comic Relief. Sales have been really strong with all the retailers doing their bit for charity. Come Friday night we're crossing our fingers and noses that this year will produce a record-breaking sum for Comic Relief. As well as the total that will be announced on the night there will be a top secret segment on the actual wines themselves so look out for that one. You can expect the wines to get the full blown Comic Relief treatment!

A massive collaborative effort

At every step along the way, people have given their time, expertise and inexhaustible energy to this wonderful project. 'SAAM' means together in Afrikaans...and the winery has worked together with all parties in the supply chain - shippers, bottlers, labellers, dry goods manufacturers and retailers - to bring a RRSP £6+ wine to the consumer for less than a fiver, and to make an incredible amount of money for Comic Relief in the process.

It might be the tastiest bit, but the juice is only part of the story. Damien Hirst contributed his "a Red Nose" painting as the artwork for the label and Jancis Robinson MW, OBE and Tim Atkin MW (both pictured) also worked closely with SAAM to select these wines.

Tasting notes from Masters of Wine, Jancis Robinson and Tim Atkin:

2008 Chenin Blanc: "We taste thousands of wines each year and can honestly say that this honeyed Cape Chenin Blanc dramatically over-delivers for the price: real concentration of fruit yet with a great tangy refreshment too."

2008 Pinotage Shiraz: "This hearty, full bodied red brims with goodwill, bramble perfume and raspberry fruit. Drink with friends and partner it with anything you feel like eating."