The Wright Wine & Whisky Company has teamed up with The Liberator, Richard Kelley MW (Master of Wine) to bottle a limited-edition red blend, which is inspired by a 67 year-old French law relating to UFO’s.

“It Came From Outer Skipton…” is a from the Newton Johnson winery in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on the South African south coast. A blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes, it is an assemblage not dissimilar to that which you would encounter in the Châteauneuf du Pape region of France, where a ban on UFO’s has now been in force since 1954.

The law, which was created to protect the vineyards, forbids the ‘flight, landing and take-off of spacecraft’, known as soucoupes volantes or cigars volants.

Due to Skipton’s location not too far from the RAF Menwith Hill military base, whose giant ‘golf balls’ (called Radomes) give the moorland the look of a science-fiction film set, as well as a love of the Syrah and Mourvèdre blend, The Wright Wine Company and Richard Kelley devised a plan to bottle something a bit special and quirky.

Richard (whose Liberator alter-ego is known as Rick) took the brief and ran with it – combining his long-standing connections within the South African wine industry and well-known sense of imagination to come up with “It Came From Outer Skipton…” which plays on the UFO and obscure French law theme.

Richard Kelley MW, said;
“I love South African wine and am a Francophile at heart too. The similarities between these South African and French blends were too similar to ignore, so was perfect for Julian and team at the Wright Wine Company to do something a bit different for their customers.”

Julian Kaye, Managing Director, The Wright Wine & Whisky Company added;
“We absolutely love The Liberator wines and the chance to do something bespoke with Richard was too good to miss. Having our faces on a bottle is a bit strange to say the least – but giving a wine-themed nod to our local area – as well as a classic wine such as Le Cigare Volant is fantastic. Plus, the wine is spectacular too.”

“It Came From Outer Skipton…” was launched at the end of October and is available in store and here.