Agricultural university students launch their own rose wine
Students at the Royal Agricultural University’s (RAU) have launched a new rosé version of their award-winning Cotswold Hills wine.
RAU’s Cotswold Hills social enterprise offers students the opportunity to learn about vineyard management, grape varieties, wine production, marketing and finance, and help with the grape harvest.
The 2.6ha plot is used to teach students from food production, business and agriculture courses and they also take part in the cultivation and picking.
The 40 rows of vines contain mainly Ortega grapes, with a small amount of Seyval Blanc, Bacchus and Chardonnay.
The wine – which is sold under the university’s Cotswolds Hills brand – is already sold in 75 outlets, including Gloucester Services and Midcounties Co-op.
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The new rosé wine was made at the Three Choirs vineyard in Gloucestershire by RAU alumnus Martin Fawkes, and as with the dry white, features beautiful artwork on the label designed by alumna Sophie Cotton O’Meara.
The rosé is said to have a “delicate flavour” and is produced from Rondo and Oretga grapes.
As with the dry white wine, proceeds from the sale of the new Cotswold Hills rosé wine will go towards the RAU’s Enterprise Programme to help support students wanting to start their own businesses.
Patrick Lane, first-year undergraduate student at the RAU and retail lead for Cotswold Hills, said: “I am very pleased that we now have a fruity rosé in our product range, all the better that it is just in time for the summer.”
The university’s award-winning Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme, provides a supportive environment for students to develop and launch their ideas.
