Two new wines from Pierre Lurton and Denis Dubourdieu have been released to raise up to £100,000 for the British Winter Olympics Skeleton bobsleigh squad.
Amy Williams MBE, Vice-President of British Skeleton, with La Medaille d’Or Special Reserve Claret 2010
Internet wine retailer FromVineyardsDirect is donating all profits from the wines, called La Medaille d’Or, to the British Skeleton team as they gear up for next year’s Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
La Medaille d’Or Special Reserve Claret 2010, made by Château Cheval Blanc manager Lurton, is described as ‘an approachable, oak-aged wine that will develop for at least five years’.
Meanwhile, La Medaille d’Or Special Reserve Blanc Graves 2012 is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, made by Dubourdieu from ‘one of the best châteaux in the appellation’.
FromVineyardsDirect co-founder Esme Johnstone’s nephew, Clifton Wrottesley, competed in the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002 and is now chairman of the British Skeleton association.
‘Funding for British Skeleton has always been limited and we are aiming to raise £100,000 for the British team by donating the profits from making and selling the La Medaille d’Or wines,’ said Johnstone.
‘This will help the entire team through their training and cover other expenses in the run-up to the Olympics.’
Sometimes called skeleton bob, skeleton involves participants hurtling, head-first and face down, at high speeds down a bobsleigh track on a simple sled.
It has become one of Britain’s most successful winter sports in recent years, with the British Skeleton team taking successive bronze, silver and gold medals in the past three Winter Olympic Games, culminating in Amy Williams’ gold at Vancouver 2010.
Written by Richard Woodard
