Independent Wine Specialists 28°-50° are celebrating International Women’s Day with a special one day ‘Winemakers Afternoon Tea’, in honour of under-the-radar female winemakers.
Guests are invited to enjoy an immersive wine tasting afternoon tea, exploring fascinating world-renowned wines paired with mini servings from 28-50’s popular à la carte food menu. A treat for the taste buds, diners will leave with a keepsake reminding them about their recent new wine discoveries and key tasting notes.
Curated by 28-50’s expert sommelier across all venues, the wine tasting afternoon tea has been designed to honour female led, family run commended businesses, all of whom have inspiring personal stories. Guests will enjoy and explore 5 glasses of distinctive wines from leading European women wine makers.
- NV Bollinger Rose (Champagne, France)
- 2018 Montenidoli, Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore (white wine from Toscana, Italy)
- 2019 Birgit Eichinger, Grüner Veltliner Kammerner Ried Lamm (white wine from Kamptal, Austria)
- 2014 Mas Martinet, Clas Martinet (red wine from Priorat, Spain)
- 2018 Donnafugata, Ben Rye Passito de Pantelleria (liquid gold from Sicily, Italy)
In keeping with 28-50’s delectable European and French inspired pairing food menu, guests will delight in miniature versions of the restaurant’s popular gazpacho, salmon ceviche, truffle arancini, artichoke tempura and even the slow cooked lamb shoulder. For the sweet toothed, the menu will offer 28-50’s famous chocolate Madeleines with crème anglaise and scones with champagne infused strawberry jam and clotted cream.
Whilst wine tasting, guests will be transported to the shores of Sicily, the sweeping vineyards of the Champagne region and the breath-taking natural beauty of Austria all whilst pondering the trailblazing women behind each sip.
Lily Bollinger was the head of the Bollinger Champagne business from 1941 to 1971 bringing the brand to the forefront of the international stage and her famous quote will resonate with women for years to come; ‘I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I’m thirsty’, a motto that we could all happily live by.
Meanwhile, located on a hillside, just across a small valley from the town of San Gimignano, Signori Montenidoli, an 80-year old widower and mother of nine, continues to run the family vineyard and in Austria, the determined and talented Birgit Eichinger is renowned for producing 2019’s ‘Champion White Wine’ at the International Wine Challenge.
Situated in the heart of Spain’s Priorat, Sara Perez’s unique wine production sees the wine matured in large volume casks in cement and clay amphorae, bottling only 3,000 exquisite vases annually whilst in the beautiful island of Sicily, José Rallo is the face and voice of Donnafugata. The inimitable Liquid Gold is named ‘Ben Rye’ which in Arabic means ‘son of the wind’ a nod to the local area which gives the wine an extraordinary freshness of taste.
The winemakers afternoon tea will be served across all 28-50 venues on 8 March (South Kensington, Marylebone and Chelsea) and must be pre-booked. Available until 5.30pm, the tea is priced at £60 per person.