How To Ace The Perfect Wimbledon Party

And, Wimbledon is back… 

 

Last year saw us all miss out on the quintessentially British affair of strawberries and cream, lashings of Pimms and Royal spotting from Murray Mound, but hurrahs all round, the Championships are back for 2021! 

 

With capacity cut in half and the usual camping out for tickets culled thanks to social distancing, the best way to enjoy Wimbledon this year is from the comfort of our own gardens. 

 

At the Richard Brendon studio, we’re gearing up for this weekend’s finals by planning a simple, but perfect, garden party. Here’s how you can join us. 

 

The Cake  

Like most good things in life, we’re starting with cake. The Corinthia's signature Gugglehupf cake to be precise. 

 

The Corinthia’s head pastry chef, genius cake man Loic Carbonnet, has taken inspiration from the Wimbledon staple of strawberries and cream to concoct this champion worthy showstopper. The traditional flavours of the Gugelhupf are complemented by fresh English strawberries and hand whipped cream to create a cake that will transport you court side.

 

Popularised by Marie Antoinette, this yeast based cake is a staple across Europe, and doubles as the perfect table setting for our afternoon feast. Almost too beautiful to eat, but we think we’ll manage.

 

Head to The Corinthia to enjoy their seasonal Gugglehupf in person as part of their spectacular Afternoon Tea, or be inspired to recreate the experience at home by pairing with our Superstripe tea collection. Our Reflect and Superstripe collections are the perfect way to elevate every afternoon treat, and why settle for anything less with such splendid morsels? 

 

 Shop the Reflect collection online here.

 

Not up to making a Gugglehupf at home? Or, maybe you’ve misplaced your bundt tin?  Keep things simple with traditional strawberries and cream; lace the latter with your choice of Scotch in a nod to Andy. 

 

If you’re in town, head to Wimbledon Farmers’ Market for fresh strawberries on Saturday morning. If you’re lucky, you may catch one of Wimbledon’s many A-list attendees in Wimbledon Village, bonus points if they’re a high ranking Royal. 

 

 

The Wine

 

No British celebration is complete without a plentiful selection of good wine. Thankfully, the wonderfully knowledgeable team at Liberty Wine have provided us with a selection of summer favourites sure to liven up any garden party. 

  

Rathfinny Wine Estate, Rosé Brut Vintage 

East Sussex, Southern England, £35.99

 

Rathfinny’s rosé has a delicate coral hue and a vibrant nose with aromas of cranberry, cherry blossom and red apple. The palate is lively with concentrated notes of pink grapefruit and brioche. Juicy acidity and silky texture punctuate the wine’s refreshing finish. The perfect accompaniment to strawberries and cream, indeed.    

 

2020 Miraval, Côtes de Provence Rosé

Provence, France, £22.99

 

 

A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle and Syrah, the Miraval Provence rosé comes from the village of Correns, where organic practices are required for all produce cultivated in its borders. 5% of the blend is fermented in oak barrels, giving an extra dimension to the wine’s texture. It is a beautiful petal-pink rosé with notes of fresh strawberries and spring flowers. The palate is poised and perfectly balanced with bright acidity and a saline finish. 

 

Piper-Heidsieck, Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Extra Brut

Champagne, France, £46.99

 

 

Designed to be an elegant Extra-Brut symbolising the essence of the House, this wine is vigorously firm with a compelling alliance between slowly-matured and young wines. Aged in the cellars for at least four years, its palate seamlessly blends rich fruit cake with hints of nuts and a touch of salinity.  A refreshing Champagne, with fresh citrus notes on the long finish, perfect for toasting this weekend’s champions.

 

The Non-Alcoholic Alternative 

If you are staunchly in the Pimms’ camp, our Cocktail Collection Highballs offer the perfect vehicle for this summer favourite. If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic alternative, we love Wilfred’s. Based in Wimbledon, Wilfred’s Aperitif is the perfect botanical mix of rosemary, bitter orange and rhubarb; we’ll be enjoying their Ginger London Mule and Wilfred’s Spritz this weekend. 

The Nibbles 

For those wanting something more substantial than cake, we’re heading to Fortnums. Tennis requires a certain amount of concentration, so simple picnic finger food is a tried and tested staple of any Wimbledon party. 

 

The Fortnum and Mason’s food hall has every delightfully British nibble we could desire, even offering vegetarian Scotch eggs for the non-meateaters amongst us. We’re also picking up a bottle of The Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company’s sparkling tea, a perfect non-alcoholic alternative to toast the weekend’s winners. Served, of course, in our Cocktail Collection Star Cut Coupe. 

 

The Finals

The results of this weekend’s matches may be unknown, but we’re confident that we’re going to ‘ace’ our Wimbledon party. Glorious cake, copious amounts of good wine, and a smattering of British carb-laden nibbles, we are set for a smashing weekend.