Behind The Vines The Perfect Match at Allianz Stadium

We’ve been getting the inside scoop - or should we say a pour - of information from some of the best in the business who have the lucky job of selecting, providing and overseeing the wines at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. We’re talking to our hospitality suite - The East Wing’s - lead sommelier Markus Dilger, Allianz Stadium’s Retail and Beverage Operations Manager Gary Shek, and the stadium’s supplier Ellis Wines. They’ve been sharing all you need to know about the wines you can enjoy on a match day at the Home of England Rugby.

 

When do you begin selecting the wines and how do you choose which will be available to guests

Gary Shek: “We start the selection process for the wines about eight months before the Autumn Nations Series with Ellis Wines, who have been working with Allianz Stadium for over 20 years.

“We discuss what teams will be visiting for the series and look at the food menu that is being proposed in each hospitality area to get the perfect pairing. Ellis Wines will provide a list of up to 70 wines which we narrow down to fifty, by selecting the grapes and styles that could pair to our menus. From this list, we assign the wines to each facility to see that everything is balanced about the grape and style. Some rooms have four to six selections of wines, so we need to ensure variety as well as suitability.

“Then we will taste the wines, scoring their pairing to the room menu and quality. If a wine is not suitable or complements the menu then we will ask Ellis Wines for an alternative and we keep swapping until we are happy.”

Which wines prove most popular?

Gary Shek: Over the years trends have evolved. Whilst classic red wines such as Claret, Cotes du Rhone and Rioja and whites including Chardonnay and Sauvignon will always be popular, the lesser-known wines with unique varieties are growing in demand. These include reds such as Primitivo, Pinot Nero, and Sangiovese and whites such as Alvarinho, Gruner Veltliner and Viognier.

The majority of the wines come from France, Italy and Spain, and New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – perfect countries to pair for this year’s Autumn Nations Series fixtures!

The type of grapes that work the best for the menus are those that make strong reds including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Primitivo and Tempranillo. For lighter whites, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Albarino are great.

 

Why these wines?

Gary Shek: The wines are specially chosen for the stadium and their menus, meaning the wines we serve can only be found in prestige restaurants. Ellis Wines have a magnificent portfolio of small bespoke vineyards from around the world that they work with which is great. The hospitality facilities offer a traditional menu with a modern twist. Therefore, the foundation of our choices is a selection of classics from France, Italy and Spain. If the visiting team is from the Southern Hemisphere for example, then we will also offer a new world wine with classic undertones. For rooms with a choice of four or six wines we can introduce grapes from Portugal, Austria or The Americas.

How much is sustainability a consideration in the selection and sourcing of the wines?

James Ellis: We [Ellis Wines] aim to reduce their impact and head towards a more sustainable future, therefore many of the winemakers they partner with are also family-owned with similar interests. We’re certified by the Soil Association as an organic wine importer and are a member of the Sustainable Wine Round Table, which is a programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions by reducing glass bottle weights. Ellis Wines is a Carbon Neutral Company covering Scope 1 & 2 and more than 50% of their supply partners have some sustainable credentials based on:

• Energy & water consumption
• Soil Health
• Vineyard biodiversity
• Packaging
• Waste management
• Social responsibility

When sourcing our wines, we think about the partners with the following:

• Those who have similar values with high product quality and consistency
• Those who work sustainably and show ambition to develop sustainable policies
• Partners with wines that are vegan and vegetarian-friendly
• Those that offer great value in order to pass this on to their customers

What is it like being Head Sommelier at the stadium?

Markus Dilger: It’s a great honour and privilege. In 2018 I started working with Ellis Wines to provide a perfect wine service for this brand-new upscale restaurant. Together with James Ellis and his team, we are always looking for the perfect wine companions for the five-course menu from a celebrity chef. We always offer three whites, one rosé and three red wines on the wine list. These wines are often from the country of England’s opponent.

In The East Wing, we also serve Bollinger Champagne as well as some further upscale wines from around the globe. When The East Wing is booked out we do have three bars with wine stations to provide a quick and professional wine service. My job as Head Sommelier is to see every table and every guest at least one time each match day to see if the people are happy with our wine selection.

What’s it like on a matchday?

Markus Dilger: Taking care of over 1,000 people isn’t easy, but always a great challenge. It’s also a great relief to have so many outstanding people operating the hospitality space who are planning these events months in advance.

Preparations for an event at Allianz Stadium are much more intense in comparison to a regular restaurant. Guests, visitors and supporters are expecting a good rugby performance on the pitch as well as in The East Wing.

My matchday starts by going straight to The East Wing, usually two to three hours before service starts. 60 minutes before the first guests arrive, we have a staff meeting where I introduce the wines to the waitresses and waiters. I also meet with the celebrity chef and their team before service to discuss the pairings. We often start service at 1:00 pm, and only after the national anthem and kick-off I can take a deep breath and take a short break! After the final whistle, we serve drinks for another two hours in The East Wing. This is the time I check all the open wine bottles at the service bars and help my colleagues clean up.

Starting early morning and finishing late in the evening is quite intense, but when our guests at The East Wing are leaving with a happy faces, we know it was a good match day - and this happens very often!

If you want to enjoy some of these fantastic wines to accompany the incredible Michelin Star food on offer in The East Wing at Allianz Stadium, then why not explore our experiences here.